The New Bobcat Colonization Challenge

[olopi]

Too bad most of the mods aren't updated for 0.19

Guess I'll have to wait until they update before I can do anything here D:

[hawkinator]

Too bad most of the mods aren't updated for 0.19

Guess I'll have to wait until they update before I can do anything here D:

What do you mean? All the mods listed in the OP work just fine in 0.19.

[COL.Neville]

I cant seem to get more than a couple landers on the surface and the next load locks up ksp while trying to land.

[hawkinator]

I cant seem to get more than a couple landers on the surface and the next load locks up ksp while trying to land.

I had that problem too, do you have romfarers robotic arms mod installed? It increases the distance at which persistent vessels are loaded. I found that removing it so that the vessels load in when your closer to the ground makes things work better.

[COL.Neville]

yeah I do. ill take that out and try it. how far away do things need to be? 3 4 km? right now ive got stuff only a hundred meters or so away from each other. its weird too because my box the gpu was idling cpu was at 20 percent but it was a slideshow on ksp.

[hawkinator]

With stock KSP it's roughly 2-2.5 km., but with the robotic arms pack it's more like 30 km. or so (I think). I really have no clue why it causes such a big problem, but it does. Also, if you decide to build a base with multiple sites, then the increased loading distance will totally kill any frame rate benefits you might have gotten.

[COL.Neville]

took out the romfarer dll and was able to land pretty close to the rest of my stuff no problem. that's seems to make things run considerably faster now. so 2 habs, recon, deli 4 demv's and an ANT.

[soranno]

in its default setting after you install the plugin, your physics loading range goes up to something like 96km, so even things in orbit overhead will load and can cause your fps to drop.

there should however be a control window in the top left corner of the space center screen in which you can input what distances you would like things to both load, and unload at.

[SkyRender]

That is one crazy-looking colony, COL.Neville! Maybe part of your framerate issues has to do with the huge number of mods you're running?

Seriously, though, glad to see a new contender. Keep 'em coming! (Also, how many Kerbals are living at that colony? It's part of your score, after all. My guess is 10, but I'm unfamiliar with some of the mod parts you're using there, so who knows?)

Edited April 29, 2013 by SkyRender

[Rainbowtrout]

Getting ready for the Mun colony. Generally an excuse for a 1-way trip.

[COL.Neville]

i don't know how many either hehe. i think each of the command pods have two in them. haven't really had any issues till i tried to land this demv shuttle close to everything else. i had one ship similar to this one that had everything on it at once. it wouldn't survive warping though so had to scale it back hehe. you can watch my epic struggle with unity and ksp on http://www.twitch.tv/col_neville ill have to record the landing last night just took a screenshot so i get to do it again for the video. but now i know it works. just have the powerplant launcher and admin module lander/launcher left to do and have a whole colony system i can launch in one go with multiple launches and have a big wagon traing to the stars hehe. i know now i need to do the big stuff first park the demv out away from the landing zone and then bring everything else in last.

Edited April 29, 2013 by COL.Neville

[Andellmere]

Quick question: Would you consider the Orbital Construction mod cheating? I ask because it's kind of a gray area. On the one hand, I don't have to launch things from the pad or even from Kerbin. On the other, I have to deliver the space port and then develop a reliable means of shipping the spare parts to wherever the space dock would be. I'm not sure whether that balances out in difficulty.

If you would please advise, SkyRenderer, I'd be much obliged. I've got a few designs that do not like rockets and I'd like to know if I should try to fix them to be launch-able for colonization or if I should begin work on shipping parts to an orbital space dock.

[skytower256]

I'm making a mun base but mechjeb keeps stuffing up with the landing

Edited May 1, 2013 by skytower256

[SkyRender]

Quick question: Would you consider the Orbital Construction mod cheating? I ask because it's kind of a gray area. On the one hand, I don't have to launch things from the pad or even from Kerbin. On the other, I have to deliver the space port and then develop a reliable means of shipping the spare parts to wherever the space dock would be. I'm not sure whether that balances out in difficulty.

If you would please advise, SkyRenderer, I'd be much obliged. I've got a few designs that do not like rockets and I'd like to know if I should try to fix them to be launch-able for colonization or if I should begin work on shipping parts to an orbital space dock.

It doesn't sound any more "dodgy" than Kethane (or MechJeb, for that matter), and I have to admit that even my grand efforts tend to be stymied by the prospect of having to lift yet another ship off of Kerbin's surface. It helps that it's not one of those "set it and forget it" mods that just give you everything without requiring you to actually put any effort into the logistics behind it. So yeah, I'll allow the Orbital Construction mod for this challenge. With the proviso that you specify when you've used it; not for scoring or anything, I just want to know what post-construction ease-of-use mods are being used for my own reference. (I'd request that be provided for MechJeb too, except that MechJeb has a very obvious interface and a part that's pretty distinct, so I don't have to.)

[Gurba]

Here's my first entry - Mun base Alpha

From left to right: Habitat, kethane mining, recon and power modules with an ANT on the foreground.

Mechjeb allowed for close grouping, kethane mining and recon modules are just 16 meters apart.

base consists of:

HOME Habitat module

HOME Recon module (ANT on foreground)

HOME powerplant

kethane mining and converting set

all landers are fuel transfer capable and should easily be capable of returning to kerbin (I didn't try this)

points:

Habitat: 15

Recon+ ant: 10

Power: 15

Mun:10

kethane mining op: 50

I'm also claiming the opt out clause as the kethane can be converted into fuel and can be transfered to any of the landers (another 50 points).

Total: 150

[skytower256]

Fixed links now- they should work

[hawkinator]

Heres My first entry-

Mun base Rubidium -Two sites linked by a DEMV ANT

Mechjeb and some landing legs stuffed up on some of the landings- had to do some myself

imgur.com/24eux3E

imgur.com/LApUiD8

imgur.com/MXUWBt3

Kethane Rig-

imgur.com/trM0Ff7

Points-

Mun- 10

2 Sites- 20

2 Habitats- 30

1 Garage w/ DEMV ANT- 10

1 Power Plant- 15

Gas Guzzler- 50

Opt Out Clause(Refuel, Jetpack everyone to one lander)- 50

Kerbals- 12

Mun Total- 197

Eve Base Ruthenium-

imgur.com/t5EMXqi

Points-

Eve- 30

1 Habitat- 15

1 Site- 10

2 Kerbals- 2

Eve Total- 57

Duna Base Caesium

imgur.com/G2UuZt2

Points-

Duna- 35

Site- 10

Habitat- 15

Kerbals- 2

Duna Total- 62

Total=316

Try doing the pics like this:

[noparse]Two new colonies, Hestia on Dres,

and Demeter on Pol,

And I added a CDSS to my Apollo Minmus colony.

[/noparse]

That's how mine are set up. Remember to use the imgur link with the .jpg or .png on the end.

[skytower256]

Thanks hawkinator,

I'm pretty sure that it is working now

[Ojimak]

Just to be snarky, I shall post a completely stock colony with a size greater than some of the Bobcat HOME ones.

Questioning the scoring, it is stated that "A colony site needs a minimum of 2 resident Kerbals and 1 HOME habitat to count." If this really means "HOME" habitats only, then my score is zero, however, if the other pods are allowed, then I score at least 20, possibly more, depending on the specificity (that's actually a word) of the rules. For example, the 42 Kerbals of my colony could count for 42 more points if they need not be present in a HOME habitat.

On the Mun:

I honestly do think the Bobcat HOME products are cool, but like I wrote at the beginning, this is mainly just to be smarta** and demonstrate that stock parts can make very decent colonies, very easily (like one launch, for mine), although Jool shall remain uncolonised if only stock is used.

-Ojimak

[hawkinator]

Just to be snarky, I shall post a completely stock colony with a size greater than some of the Bobcat HOME ones.

Questioning the scoring, it is stated that "A colony site needs a minimum of 2 resident Kerbals and 1 HOME habitat to count." If this really means "HOME" habitats only, then my score is zero, however, if the other pods are allowed, then I score at least 20, possibly more, depending on the specificity (that's actually a word) of the rules. For example, the 42 Kerbals of my colony could count for 42 more points if they need not be present in a HOME habitat.

On the Mun:

pic snip

I honestly do think the Bobcat HOME products are cool, but like I wrote at the beginning, this is mainly just to be smarta** and demonstrate that stock parts can make very decent colonies, very easily (like one launch, for mine), although Jool shall remain uncolonised if only stock is used.

-Ojimak

The scoring of this particular challenge is based almost completely on how many Bobcat things you can put in your colony, so your snarky submission is snarky and not really worth any points in this particular challenge. However, feel free to start/enter a challenge for building stock bases if you want. (I would probably even enter it. Maybe.)

[SkyRender]

It's a Bobcat colonization challenge, not a general-purpose colonization challenge. Though that is a pretty cool colony, it falls outside the scope of the challenge. I do encourage you to start a stock colony challenge to act as a counterpoint to this one, though! There aren't enough "project" challenges around here, if you ask me. Most are just one-shot "do something obscenely difficult" sorts of challenges these days.

[skytower256]

The other posts pictures stuffed up so I made another one -

Made a few bases(Warning 7 pictures)

Mun Base Rubidium

Lander with DEMV ANT

Lander with garage and reactor

Core Lander

Kethane Rig

Points

Mun-10

Sites-20

2 Habitats- 30

Garage w/ DEMV ANT- 10

Nuclear Reactor- 15

Kerbals- 12

Gas Guzzler- 50

Opt Out Clause- 50

Mun Total- 197

Duna Base Caesium

Points

Duna-35

Habitat- 15

Site- 10

Kerbals- 2

Duna Total- 62

Eve Base Ruthenium

Points

Eve- 30

Site- 10

Habitat- 15

Kerbals- 2

Eve Total- 57

Laythe Base Krypton

Points

Laythe- 90

Habitat- 15

Site- 10

Kerbals- 2

Laythe Total- 117

Total-117+197+62+57=433points:)

-skytower256

Edited May 1, 2013 by skytower256

[hawkinator]

Just thought I'd add something else to my submission,

A DEMV MK2 Mobile Kethane driller/tanker, capable of drilling for Kethane in Far away regions, added to Minmus base Apollo.

Apollo still needs a Kethane converter before it is eligible for Gas Guzzler.

The other day, I was docking two ships together with MechJeb's docking autopilot, when I suddenly wondered if MechJeb would be able to dock things together on the surface in Gilly's low gravity,

And, it turns out the answer is a distinct yes.

You may notice that the terrain is flatter than the terrain in my first picture of this base. That would be because I moved the original module.

Score:

Apollo: Minmus(15)

- 2 Habitat Modules (30)

- 1 CDSS (5)

- 1 DEMV Mk. 2 (10)

- 12 Kerbals (12)

- 1 Site (10)

Subtotal: 82

Hephaestus: Gilly(40)

- 2 Habitat Modules (30)

- 4 Kerbals (4)

- 1 Site (10)

Subtotal: 84

Other Bases:

Artemis: 137

Aphrodite: 74

Hermes: 117

Ares: 62

Hestia: 87

Poseidon: 117

Demeter: 102

Grand Total: 862

[TheBobWiley]

I decided to give this challenge a shot, finally got free time! Still refining my rocket design that I am using to set up a mun base first, I have a recon unit and return craft on one module, and the other module is a reactor and hab units, but while slowing down for my landing on the moon the exhaust from the hab module destroyed the landing gear (both modules separate in orbit and land separately of each other) not only that but I forgot to add a probe body so I could control it after it landed. As you can see in the VAB picture the hab module sits below the recon unit, so I had to do a power descent and hover just above the ground, release the dead unit with no landing feet and then land the recon module. Everything went better than expected and I took my rover out for a spin. The first youtube link shows what happened after an hour long drive towards a crater. The second video shows my return vehicle working better than I hoped (really bad burns on my part). I also overshot kerbin on the return (stupid freezing when I change time warps), but my monopropellant was able to put me back on course for kerbin after I ditched the rocket pack. Reentry looked beautiful until my parachutes decided to open at 2,000 m/s.... but all ended well. Cant wait to fix my errors and get a real base going! WILL POST YOUTUBE LINKS TOMORROW (slow upload speed for me, gonna take a couple hours)

[TheBobWiley]

And my videos