MetaChallenge Thread

[Horn Brain]

I was wondering after reading this thread: How do we measure our accomplishments, anyway?

What I want to do here is collect a list of "challenges" of different levels that are built into the game, just like there are certain challenges built into the real world, for example: Reach space, get into orbit, rendezvous with another vehicle in orbit, land on another body, etc.

Here's the plan: Let's put together a list of the fundamental challenges inherent in the game. They should be big steps for a player that's never done them before - the kind of thing that you'd be willing to build a mission just to test your ability to pull it off before incorporating it in a more complex mission in the future, or the kind of thing that you'd take a screenshot of and be proud.

I'll start with a few examples, and then I'll try and keep the list updated and categorized. Add your own! I think I'll print this out and keep it on my desk with marks to indicated that I've done the things and marks to indicate whether I've done them manually or with MechJeb assistance.

• ROCKETRY - Hurdles to overcome for rocketeers.
  
  1. Reach Space (70km)
     
  2. Reach a stable orbit
     
  3. Escape Kerbin's SoI
     
  4. Perform a targeted reentry from orbit
     
  5. Land intact on an airless body (Mun, Moho, etc.)
     
  6. Reach solar escape velocity
     
  7. Crash into the Sun
     
  8. Return to orbit from another body
     

  [*]AERONAUTICS - Hurdles to overcome for aircraft and spaceplanes

  1. Build a stable aircraft
     
  2. Land safely
     
  3. Land safely on the runway
     
  4. Circumnavigate Kerbin with an aircraft (i.e. don't go to space)
     
  5. Reach space
     
  6. Reach orbit
     
  7. Single Stage To Orbit
     
  8. Single Stage to Orbit with a significant payload or significant fuel reserves for maneuvering
     
  9. Reenter and land safely
     
  10. Reenter and land safely and on target
      
  11. Enter and land safely on another body with an atmosphere
      
  12. Return to orbit from another body with an atmosphere
      

  [*]ORBITAL MECHANICS - Challenges regarding navigation and precision

  1. Circularize your orbit
     
  2. Achieve a polar orbit
     
  3. Achieve Keosynchronous orbit
     
  4. Flyby the Mun or Minmus
     
  5. Orbit the Mun or Minmus
     
  6. Successfully perform a gravity assist to some useful effect
     
  7. Encounter any sun-orbiting body
     
  8. Orbit any other sun-orbiting body
     
  9. Return to Kerbin from another planet or dwarf planet
     
  10. Rendezvous with another vessel
      
  11. Dock
      
  12. Build a space station via orbital construction
      

  [*]UNIQUE CHALLENGES - Challenges specific to a particular body

  1. Return to Kerbin from one of the moons of Jool
     
  2. Reach Moho, Dres, or Eeloo orbit (grouped to avoid repeating myself)
     
  3. Land on Moho, Dres, or Eeloo
     
  4. Return from Moho, Dres, or Eeloo
     
  5. Land on Tylo
     
  6. Return to orbit from Tylo's surface
     
  7. Return to orbit from Eve's surface
     

  [*]AESTHETICS - Challenges that don't fit in other categories, but that somehow still need to be done.

  1. Find and visit an anomaly
     
  2. Deploy a functional rover on another body
     
  3. Copy the Apollo architecture on a Mun mission
     
  4. Get to orbit using only EVA pack and possibly a kick from an engine exhaust
     

Edited May 30, 2013 by Horn Brain

[Giggleplex777]

I completed everything listed above except for returning from Moho, Dres and Eeloo, land on Tylo, return to Tylo orbit, and return to Eve orbit.

[Atanar]

- gravity assist

- sucessful aerocapture on Duna, Jool, Laythe or Eve

- parachute-only-landing on Duna

- ion-engine deep space probe (possibly escape from Kerbol[which means no apoapsis visible])

- orbit from any moon via cannon and EVA pack

- circumnavigate kerbin in lower atmosphere, on land or on sea

- reach 100 m/s land or water speed on kerbin

- bring a rover to any moon

- non-deadly "lithobraking"

- VTOL-capable airship

Edited May 27, 2013 by Atanar

[Giggleplex777]

Getting ready for a Tylo mission.

[Horn Brain]

Updated with the suggestions I thought were not already subsumed by other challenges or artificial.

I don't want any numbers here, really. 100 m/s isn't a natural barrier in the game to land vehicle speed. There are also not going to be any "Get X tons to orbit, land X tons on a body" type challenges. The mass of the vehicles should be determined by design and mission requirements, not arbitrary limits. For example, if you want to get to orbit on Tylo, you're going to need a hefty ascent vehicle, so that challenge already includes the subchallenge of landing a heavy payload on Tylo. That's the spirit of these challenges.

Thanks for the help!

[Specialist290]

Under "Aeronautics":

11. Land an atmospheric craft on another body with an atmosphere.

12. Take off in an atmospheric craft from another body and safely return to Kerbin.

[Horn Brain]

Under "Aeronautics":

11. Land an atmospheric craft on another body with an atmosphere.

12. Take off in an atmospheric craft from another body and safely return to Kerbin.

Ah! Perfect suggestions.