[AAR] The Grand Tour - Voyage To The Planets

[czokletmuss]

Sneak-peak into the next chapter:

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Is it kinda bad that I agreed with BERTY for using the body for science?

I don't think so - but I'm glad it isn't obvious whether it's good or wrong. The real world is complicated and I'm doing my best to give the characters some of that complexity. White and black is too simplified. And boring

Well Czo, I will have to read that ''Sandman'' of yours.

You definitely should, these are really good stories.

After reading the latest chapter I'm worried that I'm slowly becoming a computer. My command capsule snapped off of my lander on a Minmus mission and I was more worried about getting my science back than rescuing Bill, Jeb, and Bob.

Yeah, let's hope this will change in 0.22.1 or later versions. Right now there is no incentive to keep the crew alive - aside from roleplay, that is

This whole mission has taken on a XCOM-like secrecy.

It's actually rather unnerving.

:diabolical laughter:

moar stories...... words do not give any clue to the joy i have from reading that statement.

What did i've just seen??

Already an year? that was pretty fast!

but i have to tell you a thing... i wasn't playing KSP in a looooong time but while i was reading "Jool of Kerbol System" and "The Grand Tour"* i started again playing with a new objective, thanks to you!

* i've done a grand tour back in 0.18.1 with the strange RCS bug, that was fun!

if you want to see the pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/sochmer/sets/72157634666423321/

unfortunately Eleoo wasn't in the game at that time

Yeah, 12 months passed quickly. What is funny is that I was getting bored with KSP until I stumbled upon one of the first mission reports to Jool and back, which inspired me to write my own story. So we all are inspired by someone.

And holy crap, you were one of the people who used RCS exploit to do the Grand Tour? I salute you

Oh god, Top Secret! Haven't seen that in ages! 'Souvineers, novelties, party tricks.' Who'd have thought Omar Sherif would have gone for a bit part in something like that! Maybe he just had a thing for car crushers?

Action! Drama! Over the top stunts! Pointless scipt! Viva La Resistance! Which reminds me of brilliant "Allo, Allo"...

I think you should stick with the version you have. Although .22 brings science, you would risk losing your past data. It's your call, so do what you think is right.

I agree with the Bad Astronomer, for what it's worth.

I would like if you keept it in the old versions.

Definitely. I usually keep a copy of the old versions of KSP for completing old challenges. Same goes for this... I guess it is a self imposed challenge anyway really, isn't it? Stay with current version for now. Changing also has issues with landing legs at the moment, but I'm sure that'll be cleared up. Wouldn't want your landers bottoming out on you!

I say keep the older version going for the current story, then upgrade later if you are going to do a new one

Yeah stick to the old version CZO. that's what i'm doing actually. playing 0.22 with stock parts and protractor and reedux enginneer and continuing my whole space program in 0.21.1

I'd stick with the version you've got. Last time you updated it sounded like it was a real pain in the backside. There's really nothing to add to the story by making that jump, and some of your parts are from even older versions which could completely stop working.

I guess I'm selfish, I want to finish reading the story!

Looks like we have a consensus here It's decided than - I'm sticking with the current version.

Czo, have you thought about manually editing your save file and trying to bring it into .22? Best of both worlds possibly?

It's a good idea on its own, however with limited time lately (as you may have noticed by less frequent updates) I would prefer to concentrate on the story, not fighting with the game itself

I bought KSP on Steam a couple of months ago and I class myself as a rookie with 140 hours of play time logged. I can get in a stable circular orbit, I can dock and I can land on the Mun and get back in one piece. But, the Mun is as far as I've managed so far.

Yesterday, oct 24th, the motherboard of my 3 month old alienware M17x-R4 decided to commit suicide................so I'm on a dog slow old laptop awaiting a new motherboard to be installed.

Why am I typing this? Well, since the old laptop can't run KSP I had to get a KSP 'fix' somewhere and I stumbled on this wonderful AAR. I've read all 89 pages since the MB died.

All I can say is...........wow!!! EPIC story! Ok, yes, there are some grammatical errors but they in no way get in the way of the atmosphere and story telling that this yarn brings.

Reading it all pretty much in a day and a bit really was thrilling and I literally couldn't put it down and now, I join the legions of fellow readers who sit by awaiting the next instalment with baited beath...........

Thank you very much for sharing this with us - comments like this always give me moar energy to write And I'm sorry for your loss - may your old computer rest in peace.

Not tryin' to smack czok or anything here, but how is it that Jeb even considered climbing into a ship without a Shiny Red Candylike button (commonly known as a Manual Override)?

He's a pilot, he'd want to be able to fly the thing himself. Plus, he's Jebediah Kerman. He says jump, the universe asks, "How high?"

It wasn't Jeb who designed the ship.

Plus' date=' with the animosity between Jeb and Bob, the design was probably made intentionally this way so that BERTY had a failsafe override [i']on Jeb, and not the other way around

Cal'Mihe basically answered for me BUT there is one more thing to consider - what if there is such a button? :dum dum dum:

I noticed that in the Jool postcard on the 1st page, Laythe is eclipsing the Sun

And as we all know, eclipse is always a good omen... right?

Just keep up the good work czo!! We anxiously await the next chapter!

It's coming - you guessed it - Soon

"Too long" is undefined, actually, in this context, because there's no deadlines.

"Too long" is more accurately described as the time period between breaks that czo gets to take...

I'll second you.

Czo take the time you want, we will wait till the end of time

Well maybe not until the end of time (at least I hope that won't be necessary^^), but we will wait :-D

Remember, Soon^tm is the key word here.

Or soon-ish^tmwould do

Stop with the soonerisms already! I just want to seed the Rory... I mean read the story.

"The Grand Tour - Voyage to The Planets"; sooneristic story about space exploration!

i love reading those stories and that czo responds to readers, at this point i think i thik i would ask what the heck does LAMGLM (that lander thing ) stands for, i call it a lander in my mentality

Low And Medium Gravity Modular Lander

Makes me think czo has military experience, what with the unnecessarily long and complicated acronyms

I expected something like two lines long, it wasn't that complicated

whether or not czo has military experience or not... these are Kerbals!!! everything must be long and complicated

side note: gearing my Kerbals up for my first attempt of a Grand Tour since .22 if all goes well, they will be meeting up with resupplies and upgraded systems once they get to Duna, then more upgrades should meet them at Jool

Oh come on - where would we be without needless complexity, or in other words, a predilection to engage in the manifestation of prolix exposition through a buzzword disposition form of communication notwithstanding the availability of more comprehensible, punctiliously applicable, diminutive alternatives?

EDIT: also I imagine a spacy space(*actual lol*)craft or round shielded meeting rooms, with coridors and stuff, but in photos and reality it is only small cranked cockipts and hab modules with little space to turn around

Ahem. Yeah, well, the actual IVA models are kinda small... actually way to small to create an illusion of being on board the enormous mothership. To this problem there is one solution however:

If I didn't answer for somebody's post, please let me know - after this long break before the chapters there were just so many of them

Edited November 5, 2013 by czokletmuss

[Mr. Pseudonym]

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. That is all.

Also, pretty much everyone's reputation is one bar. The only person I have seen with multiple green bars is Rareden. Has anyone noticed that?

[BostLabs]

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. That is all.

Also, pretty much everyone's reputation is one bar. The only person I have seen with multiple green bars is Rareden. Has anyone noticed that?

I think that is due to not many people knowing what the rep button is. Hint to those who don't: its that star looking button on the lower left hand part of a user's post.

[Patupi]

And now, after czokltemuss has written all that, scanned all those posts, he's too tired to write another episode. HAPPY NOW? Soonerism will be the end of us. I just know it!

(Bostlabs: yeah, me too. I only found that star last month, and I've been playing KSP for over a year! *sigh*)

[Danish_Savage]

Soonerism... Im so much gonna write a long and healty wikipedia article on that.

Also thank you Czo for answering all that Crap silly text we make between the chapters, you rock!

I think that is due to not many people knowing what the rep button is. Hint to those who don't: its that star looking button on the lower left hand part of a user's post.

Yeah, me too. I only found that star last month, and I've been playing KSP for over a year! *sigh*)

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. That is all.

Also, pretty much everyone's reputation is one bar. The only person I have seen with multiple green bars is Rareden. Has anyone noticed that?

That my friends, comrades, soldiers is our enemy. That is what we MUST fight. We can no longer ignore. Its time to stand as guardians for our species, for Earth. CHARGE!!!!

I ain't got any rep either guys, i think thats how it is for most.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Danish_Savage
Being a bum

[Patupi]

Ya do now Dan... Hey I'm bored! (OK, not bored exactly. I'm at work. Fiddling with 6-32 tapping in copper YEEUUUCH!)

[Krevsin]

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. That is all.

Also, pretty much everyone's reputation is one bar. The only person I have seen with multiple green bars is Rareden. Has anyone noticed that?

Yay, now I feel unpopular!

*looks around*

Eh, it's not much different than before.

[Patupi]

At least you're popularly unpopular

[czokletmuss]

CHAPTER 41

MINING: VALL

***

JOHNDON: …the last calibrations – and d-done. Now, where should we-

NED: Johnny.

JOHNDON: Oh, hello N-Ned. Do you-

NED: Where's he?

JOHNDON: Excu-cuse me?

NED: Where's Jeb? AMU is about to land, he should be here. Where is he?

JOHNDON: I'm n-not sure, b-but-

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Commander Jeb is currently sleeping in the command module, Ned.

NED: Why the hell is he sleeping there and not in his bag in hab A?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Commander suggested that we should discuss our next steps according to the mission plan.

NED: What? What for? Didn't you check it a thousand times by now?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Yes. As a matter of fact, I used this very argument to assure commander Jeb that the current plan is the most effective and as unhazardous as possible.

NED: And you spent the entire night arguing about this?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: The crew's safety was always of the highest priority for the commander.

NED: Bull****.

JOHNDON: You disagree with t-that?

NED: No, of course not. I'm talking about this whole night meeting thing. What was he really doing BERTY?

JOHNDON: Wait, now you are suspecting him, just like M-Mallock does?

NED: What? No! He just never slept in the command module and-

JOHNDON: B-but he did spend a lot of time in the observation module during his, uhm, ep-pisodes.

NED: It's not the same. So what was it, BERTY?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Ned, I'm afraid I don't understand. I already told you what happened.

NED: Really? Did he order you to be silent about it? Was he talking with KSC? What's going on koddamit?!

JOHNDON: Ned-

NED: I'm dead tired of this! First the KSC, than Rozer and now Jeb is trying to hide something?! Enough is enough! I've had it with this fraking secrecy on this fraking mission! I can't go on like this, none of us can! We need to-

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Attention. Automatic Miner Unit 2.0 has initiated the landing protocol. Braking burn in progress.

JOHNDON: Oh no, I d-didn't choose the landing site coordinates yet!

NED: What?!

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Landing gear ready. Coasting to the landing site.

NED: Why is it landing on its own?!

JOHNDON: AMU is an aut-tonomous v-vessel, it's just executing the c-commands.

NED: What commands?

JOHNDON: To start r-refueling „Proteus†as soon as p-possible.

NED: What?!

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Beginning final descent.

NED: Who's the genius behind this stupid idea?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: It's the new standard protocol for the Automatic Miner Unit. This way the refueling will be completed even if the crew's robotics expert is unable to perform his duties.

NED: Than turn it off! Johnny doesn't need-

JOHNDON: C-calm down, the p-protocol is working. Look.

NED: Gradient?

JOHNDON: The slope isn't steep at all, only 2-3% at b-best. And look at this – more than 320 m3 of kethane in this pocket.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 1500 meters.

NED: Oh.

JOHNDON: That's a g-great landing site. I would've p-picked it myself.

NED: So what? It doesn't-

JOHNDON: Sometimes the m-machines just work like we want t-them to, Ned.

NED: What's up with the camera image?

JOHNDON: I don't know, interference with Jool's m-magnetosphere p-perhaps? Switching b-back to the cam01.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 500 meters.

NED: Isn't it coming too fast?

JOHNDON: No, we're g-good. But the AMU is b-burning the monopropellant a little too fast.

NED: Hmm.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 50 meters.

JOHNDON: Reaction wheels are n-nominal though. Adjusting the t-torque…

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 30 meters.

NED: I hope there really is kethane pocket beneath the ground.

JOHNDON: No d-doubt about it. RCS offline.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 15 meters.

JOHNDON: Come on, c-come on...

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 5 meters. Touchdown.

JOHNDON: Yes!

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Automatic Miner Unit 2.0 has landed. Initiating autodiagnostic protocol.

JOHNDON: We did it! First land-ding on Vall since-

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Warning. No pressure readings from monopropellant tanks 2 and 4 detected.

NED: Err...

JOHNDON: BERTY, try to reboot the-

NED: Johnny, you should take a look at this.

JOHNDON: Why? It's just cam03 showing-

NED: Is this the monopropellant tank?

JOHNDON: Yes… yes, I th-think it is.

NED: …

JOHNDON: …

NED: It can still dock with half the RCS capability, right?

JOHNDON: Less than half, AMU was using all the t-tanks simultaneously.

NED: But it can dock, right Johnny?

JOHNDON: I d-don't know. Probably.

NED: Frak! How come the structural failure could happen during such a soft landing anyways? These fraking morons at the KSC-

JOHNDON: They were in a hurry, nob-body was expecting the first AMU to f-fail.

NED: Great. It's just fraking great. The first one lost its RCS thrusters on Dres, so they sent us another one and – guess what – it looses the fraking monopropellant tanks during its first landing!

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Autodiagnostic protocol completed. No further malfunctions detected. Automatic Miner Unit 2.0 is ready for kethane extraction.

JOHNDON: Initiate the drilling and-

NED: Fraking KSC.

JOHNDON: This AMU it's all we have to come b-back safely, Ned. Being angry won't change this.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Drill operational.

NED: Angry?! I'll fraking kill'em when we return to Kerbin!

JOHNDON: You're not s-saying this seriously, Ned and - where are you g-going?

NED: :mumbles:

JOHNDON: Ned? N-Ned?!

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Kethane extraction in progress.

***

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Kethane extraction completed.

JOHNDON: …

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Doctor Johndon. Kethane extraction completed.

JOHNDON: …

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Doctor Johndon. Doctor Johndon.

JOHNDON: Hmm? :yawns: What is it?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Kethane extraction completed. Retracting the drill.

JOHNDON: How much kethane is left here?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: 297.361 liters of kethane detected.

JOHNDON: 297 m3, huh? Not b-bad. I assumed you already processed the kethane into fuel for the AMU?

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Yes. I also run some tests.

JOHNDON: Can you show me th-the results? Thanks. Hmm… that's interesting…

BERTY v.2.0.8b: I suggest that we proceed accordingly to the refueling protocol, thus enabling the rendez-vous between the Automatic Miner Unit 2.0 and IMV „Proteus†as soon as possible.

JOHNDON: I agree. Do it, BERTY.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Affirmative. Ascent protocol initiated.

***

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Rendez-vous with Automatic Miner Unit 2.0 in T minus 30 minutes. Initiating LAMGML “Beta†repositioning.

BERTY v.2.0.8b: LAMGML “Beta†repositioning completed. IMV „Proteus†ready for docking.

***

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Initiating final approach of the Automatic Miner Unit 2.0.

JOHNDON: Let's hope there is enough monopropellant for this…

BERTY v.2.0.8b: Docking completed. Connection with Automatic Miner Unit 2.0 secured. Kethane ready for processing.

JOHNDON: Good job, b-both of you! First delivery d-down, three more t-to go. :sigh: And then – Tylo.

***

MISSION STATUS

***

[czokletmuss]

ANNOUNCEMENT

After much deliberation I finally decided to make it possible for you to make donations via PayPal for the best cause there is - me!

Moar details and complete Q&A here: czokletmuss.blogspot.com.

EDIT: First page is updated, the smaller version of the mission plan's current status is as follows:

Edited November 5, 2013 by czokletmuss

[Itsdavyjones]

great two chapters, and I figured out what was wrong in the second to last chapter

[Designer225]

Johndon's tired. Someone(s) should take turns in this delivery.

[BostLabs]

The United States of America is Stany Zjednoczone in Polish. Learn something new every day.

Google Translate is your friend.

Edited November 6, 2013 by BostLabs

[Danish_Savage]

If i said that all your classified stuff is anomalies what would you then say KSC. Wouldn't be very wrong now, would it.

[czokletmuss]

great two chapters, and I figured out what was wrong in the second to last chapter

And what is it?

Johndon's tired. Someone(s) should take turns in this delivery.

Good point - however, seeing how tense the atmosphere is on board "Proteus" right now I guess he would prefer to just be left alone with his machines.

The United States of America is Stany Zjednoczone in Polish. Learn something new every day.

Google Translate is your friend.

Stany (States) Zjednoczone (United) Ameryki (of America), to be precise. But it could be worse, much worse - for example a cricket (the bug) in Polish is "świerszcz"

If i said that all your classified stuff is anomalies what would you then say KSC. Wouldn't be very wrong now, would it.

LOL I know ur secrets KSC u mad??

EDIT: Oh, and thanks for the rep everybody

Edited November 6, 2013 by czokletmuss

[ssgavin1250]

of course you deserve the rep! i just wish it would let me give you more...

[team.leit]

of course you deserve the rep! i just wish it would let me give you more...

I most certainly agree, if only we could give to one person more then once........

[Krevsin]

One thing.

A cubic metre isn't a litre. A cubic decimetre is a litre.

The difference is very, very big. 297 m3 of Kethane is actually 297 000 litres of kethane, not 297.

Also, a dot usually means that what follows is a decimal number. If you want to separate the thousands, it's better to use a comma.

[czokletmuss]

One thing.

A cubic metre isn't a litre. A cubic decimetre is a litre.

The difference is very, very big. 297 m3 of Kethane is actually 297 000 litres of kethane, not 297.

I know

Also, a dot usually means that what follows is a decimal number. If you want to separate the thousands, it's better to use a comma.

Yeah, you're right - silly mistake. I'll fix it.

BTW I guess this qualifies as Writers Cannot Do Math, or to be more precise, Misplaced a Decimal Point.

And yes, there is a trope for everything.

Edited November 6, 2013 by czokletmuss

[silentdragon]

These new AMUs aren't the best, right?^^ I mean, if they have to do this three more times I'm almost certainly positive that more stuff will break :-D

[picture]

Haha that made me laugh pretty hard, especially because i'm from Germany :-D

[Krevsin]

And yes, there is a trope for everything.

It'd be weird if there wasn't.

[Patupi]

Bear in mind that in the US and UK full stops do mean decimal places, and commas are separations between thousands in large number, but in Europe it's the other way around (at least some countries in Europe)

[Krevsin]

Bear in mind that in the US and UK full stops do mean decimal places, and commas are separations between thousands in large number, but in Europe it's the other way around (at least some countries in Europe)

True, but it has come to pass that international standards say that a full stop shalt forever be known as the decimal place indicator whilst a comma is a separation between thousands.

[The Error]

Is it me, or is BERTY falling into the Dangerously Genre Savvy category?

[Danish_Savage]

Hopefully. The only movie where i have enjoyed the opposite is Spaceballs, and that was plain out mocking the stupidity of villains.