Contract "site" confusion.

[strider3]

I am trying to complete a "contract" but I need some help. I have never done a contract with a "site" requirement before and I'm unsure how I am supposed to navigate to the required site location. Here's the current Mun contract:

I can see the site markers in map view, but they don't show up when I'm in ship view (for lack of a better term). Map view is not very accurate. I noticed that if I right-click on a site marker, in map view, a message comes up...something about enabling or begin navigation. What does that do and how is it used? Is there a way to find the coordinates for a "site" (maybe I could use MechJeb, if so). Basically, I have no conception of how to accurately get to the contract sites so...any help would be appreciated.

[antipro]

41 minutes ago, strider3 said:

What does that do and how is it used?

given that I have completed only few of these kind of contracts and I don't like them very much, but when you activate navigation an icon should appear in the navball
and when you're close enough to the site the icon starts blinking. don't really know how to aim at it if not by eye.

Edited December 2, 2020 by antipro

[Caerfinon]

58 minutes ago, strider3 said:

any help would be appreciated

The nav ball marker should show up in your ship nav ball if you have activated it. It's there as a guide as to what heading you need to take to intercept the site with your orbit and whatever altitude the mission calls for.

The best way to do these is get a vessel into polar of near polar orbit and eventually your orbit will intersect the maker and you can complete the task that the mission calls for. Usually a report or a science experiment.

If you want to do it  more directly you can modify your orbit to intersect the point of the marker with maneuver nodes  changing you inclination up or down as required while taking into account the effects of planet/moon rotation. 

[Spricigo]

8 hours ago, strider3 said:

I can see the site markers in map view, but they don't show up when I'm in ship view (for lack of a better term). Map view is not very accurate

As often is the case, there are a mod

 

[Fierce Wolf]

I hate those contracts, they are hard and yield so little.

[paul_c]

If its a "fly over" assignment, and you already have a suitable vehicle orbiting (eg it has crew on it, if it asks for a crew report), the first thing to do is.....do nothing. Its possible that the orbit you're currently in, will pass over that area anyway, in the due course of time. So its definitely worth stopping and assessing the situation before burning fuel.

I didn't know about the nav ball but they are a bit of a PITA to do, especially if you miss one due to the orbit not quite lining up, or another reason. I guess, the skill is to be able to do it with the minimum orbital change needed.

Sometimes I've had one and I've been planning a trip nearby anyway, so its quite easy to make a small detour or change of plan to do it.

[vv3k70r]

17 hours ago, strider3 said:

I can see the site markers in map view, but they don't show up when I'm in ship view (for lack of a better term).

Click them on map view and activate navigation - they appear on nav bal.

When You be on given area they start to blink on navbal.

Spaceflight below on da Mun mean just above the ground so jump rover or whatever (rcs helps) and make measurment - it counts.

For flight above I sugest dedicated satelite on polar inclination to do the job (more job You do more inclided it gonna end).

 

To make money on contracts You must have a need to go there anyway, it is kind of side job using the infrastructure You already have in situ.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by vv3k70r

[bewing]

"Activate Navigation" adds the waypoint marker to the Navball.

When you get there, not only does the marker on the Navball start blinking, but you also get a message at the top of your screen, "You are now entering Sector 1-8VS Alpha". You get the screen message even if you do not activate navigation. Depending on the number of stars on the contract, the size of the area that counts as being "good enough to work" gets larger and smaller. I find that the screen message is easier to watch for, than watching for the Navball marker to flash.

When you take the correct measurement at the site, the Navball marker will stop blinking, and you will get a "Contract Specification Completed" message in your Messaging App. It's often a good idea to verify both things.

If you fail to make the proper measurement while you are at the site, you will get a "You are now leaving Sector 1-8VS Alpha" message, which means it's too late and you need to try again.

The whole point of these "Survey" contracts is to get you to explore the area a bit. So yes, the waypoint markers are only intended to get you close to the target. Then, especially for contracts asking for ground measurements, you need to be prepared to drive around a bit. So expect to need a rover or airplane.

When you take one measurement of a set in a contract, the game will automatically update the Navball to point to the next closest waypoint of the contract.

[strider3]

I'm going to give Waypoint Manager a try. Seems like a pretty useful Mod.

[strider3]

On 12/2/2020 at 1:43 PM, antipro said:

given that I have completed only few of these kind of contracts and I don't like them very much, but when you activate navigation an icon should appear in the navball
and when you're close enough to the site the icon starts blinking. don't really know how to aim at it if not by eye.

 

On 12/3/2020 at 5:23 AM, Fierce Wolf said:

I hate those contracts, they are hard and yield so little.

@antipro @Fierce Wolf I realize they can be difficult but, while waiting for various launch or transfer windows, I have found a few that actually have a very nice yield in funds? I stick to the Kerbin SOI...since I'm waiting for windows to or from my interplanetary expeditions I see no reason to "wander far from home"...I want to get 'er done in a short period of time. I just found one that wants me to mine 2,100 of ore on Mun and return it to Kerbin orbit...easy and cheap! I've found a nice ore deposit and I'm "drilling, baby, drilling!" as we speak. I just keep deleting contracts until I get one or two that are close to home, with good returns.

My expenditure for this contract was 275,072...I'm no economist but...... I realize this isn't the exact type of Contract we were speaking of...but I have found some of those that are worthwhile. I stay "grounded"...trying to reach a point in flight...ughhh...I agree with you on that.

Edited December 14, 2020 by strider3

[Spricigo]

14 hours ago, strider3 said:

I'm no economist but.....  ...but I have found some of those that are worthwhile

Well, I'm no economist either but I heard of something they call opportunity cost. It provides an interesting insight for that discussion.

Essentially, when making a choice you need to take in account what you are losing for not taking the best option available.

Case in point, while a return of investment of 6 seems quite impressive, you may still be at a loss if getting busy with this particular contract prevented you form earn even more with a series of apparently worse contracts (To be clear: I'm not saying that was the case. Just one don't really know if assume  getting more funds than  spent is all that matters.)

Sure, one will not go broken, unable to advance, for doing those contracts that pay several times the funds to set it up it.  But couldn't more funds/time be generated doing something else? How about other rewards? How about enjoyment/time?  KSP is forgiving enough for those questions not be critical, but nice to consider nonetheless.