[0.20.2] Mission Controller v0.10 (06/24/2013) [ALPHA]

[nobody44]

Hello,

I would like to present my new plugin: Mission Controller, currently in *ALPHA STAGE*.

• Keeps track of your budget and missions.
  
• Once you launch a vessel, you have to pay for the vessel (for its construction, fuel and other materials).
  
• When you finish a mission or a mission goal you get a reward.
  
• There are different mission goals like a certain orbit, a certain landing spot on a celestial body and others. You can mix those mission goals together, for example: Create a manned LKO refuel station with at least 1000 units of liquid fuel.
  

Want to create your own missions? Here is a small guide: Introduction and mission packages.

And here is the flight of Sputnik finishing one of the few currently available missions (I am focussing on the code, not on the missions for now). The video is old but it shows the principle...

If you don't want to watch a video, here are some screenshots:

Newest Changes (0.10):

• balancing... nothing more
  

Changes in version 0.9:

• fixed difficulty reset after restarting the game
  
• new icons from bac9
  
• added new mission field: repeatableSameVessel for client controlled and passive missions
  
• reworked costs (no construction costs because they are too different for different addons)
  
• new Duna mission
  

Changes in version 0.8:

• added kerbonaut insurance costs (for each kerbal) which is configurable in the settings gui. The users gets those expenses back when he lands on Kerbin and recycles the manned vessel. Default is 0...
  
• added three difficulities, which define the costs for rockets and stuff. Reworked the whole forumlars used to calculate all costs
  
• removed recycle option on other planets then Kerbin
  
• fixed recycle option: ends the flight now
  
• reworked stock mission package
  
• fixed a nasty bug caused by KSP
  

About the insurance costs: Basically when you launch a vessel you pay for each Kerbonaut, say 100000 krones. You won't get those krones back unless you land back on Kerbin and recycle the vessel. You get 100% back (splashed or landed does not matter). This should make manned missions more dangerous and finally you have to use launch escape systems. End flight or anything that will not recycle the vessel, won't get you the krones back.

I am thinking about the balancing and if you don't like the current balance, please let my know and post in this thread. Actually, I like the current method a lot more than the old method, but if you, the users, think that I am wrong, please let me know . But first try the new version.

The problem with the old balancing: Most mods, and I mean really *most* mods, do not balance their costs, because it is difficult and had no purpose. With the old method some overpowered engines were just really cheap. With the current method the addon developers don't need to balance their parts in that regard, because I use a formular to calculate that for them. The downside of the current approach is, that it is not possible to create a part that is expensive because of technology / whatever used in that part. I could fix this by creating a separate list that defines the costs for some parts.

DOWNLOAD FROM MEDIAFIRE

DOWNLOAD FROM GOOGLE DRIVE

Installation and usage:

• Extract the archive into the GameData directory
  
• Press on the "MC" icon on the bottom
  
• Select the mission package
  
• Preview the missions and select a mission
  
• Finish the mission
  

Mission packages:

NT Space Program from NoJeb

Your mission package missing? Write me a private message!

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think

Also, sorry for my bad english :-/... I am really trying...

Edited June 24, 2013 by nobody44

[steamypete]

Amazing work. I'll try it out as soon as possible. Great idea. This holds promise.

[42undead2]

Looks good. Will use when I have the time.

[lyndonguitar]

Hi, I had a similar idea here, http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/31843-Career-Mode-using-Existing-Mechanics-of-Other-Plugins I hope you take a look at it!

Unfortunately it didn't gather any attention I was hoping it would so someone could develop a similar thing. But looks like your mod and your idea here is very much what I have envisioned, So I am very happy to see this

Career Mode is my most wanted feature in KSP right now and this would give me something to do for awhile, Good Luck!

[nobody44]

I took a look at it, but I don't want to force the user to use the plugin (you can still launch vessels even if you can't afford it). And the parts don't have a tech rating :/... so this would be extremly complicated.

[Znake]

Looks good, I'm looking forward to career mode myself, and this might fill the void until it gets released. Will give it a spin when I get the time.

[macegee]

Yaaay! Downloading.

[Necrosniper]

As for Docking... Doesn't it eliminate a ship currently orbitting. Say you have "Ship A" already in orbit... and you dock to it with "Ship B". It would become? "Ship B?" and "Ship A" would no longer exist. You can check to see if "Ship A" is still existing or not for a successful dock.

[MDBenson]

That looks like a cool idea

[macegee]

Just did first two missions in a single run. It's okay for me, you can do the same thing in BARIS. Everything runs nominal. Would love to see this mod developing further. There's a lot of time until the next game release, but we can feel the career mode closing in already.

[ymir9]

Very cool. What happens when you run out of money?

[Meatsauce]

Any chance of writing integration with Quickbooks or Quicken?

[nobody44]

Erm, excust me... with what?

[kyle.mk.howard]

Any chance of writing integration with Quickbooks or Quicken?

You might be the only one who wants to take it that far!

[Necrosniper]

Maybe for docking you can check to see if the name "Docking Ship A" still exists after "Docking Ship B" docks to it, since the two ships will become one named "Docking Ship B".

[macegee]

First problem I noticed - solid fuel's price is too high. It should be even cheaper than liquid fuel IMO (as it is IRL).

[nobody44]

Oh... it is??? Thought it would be the other way around, but I guess it makes more sense.

Will change the factor to 7 instead of 20.

[Moon Goddess]

Think you might say give the option of enforcement for those who want it?

I understand why you don't want to always enforce that you can't buy things if you don't have the cash, but giving people the option would be nice.

[macegee]

Finished all 3 Sputnik missions and I have a question. Didn't have time to test it myself. Do you need a mission currently selected to be able to achieve it's objective? For example, if I want to do a munar flyby mission and sputnik-3 mission at the same time. Do I have to select those missions at the every step of the flight?

Second question. What are your current plans for future versions of this mod?

[nobody44]

Yes, you can't achieve an objective in a mission, that you did not currently select.

I have several ideas:

• more mission goals, especially docking
  
• reusable vessels. Once you land on Kerbin, you get the option to reuse the vessel, which gives you Kerbal krones
  
• blockers. Kind of the opposite of a mission goal. Under any circumstances you are not allowed to achieve a blocker. If you do however, you can't finish the mission or any other mission goals.
  
• resource mining with income. You probably know the Kethane mod, which converts kethane into fuel. With another resource (I modified the kethane mod myself, so this is possible) you will be able to sell the new resource (Kold = Gold) and make money with it.
  

[kyle.mk.howard]

The menu and mission menus need to be accessible from within the Space Center.

I don't plan on building a craft, THEN, looking at the missions available. In real life they build vehicles to cater to specific missions and I feel that should be reflected in this Mod. It just makes sense, to me at least.

I love the idea, more development needs to be done but I like the idea and the way you've implemented it so far.

I would suggest focusing on the functionality of the plugin, then branching out into more difficult missions, etc.

[macegee]

Nice to hear. Looks like we won't have actual missions in the next update according to the latest Harv's article, so we'll have to depend on your mod ;D No pressure.

Not sure if blocking missions is a good idea. I was actually about to suggest a feature to be able to "accept" several missions at the same time (maybe additional "active missions" screen), so you won't have to select them back and forth all the time. The main idea for this is that players can *try* to achieve more that one missions at the same time, if they think they can make it. It's a good option.

Also, have you played BARIS?

The menu and mission menus need to be accessible from within the Space Center.

I think it's obvious that this feature is planned, and is currently absent cuz this is only an alpha version.

I would suggest focusing on the functionality of the plugin, then branching out into more difficult missions, etc.

I think lots of people will suggest their help with making new missions for this mod. I've been doing mission making for a few games (mil sims mostly, ARMA2, DCS A-10C, Dangerous waters), so count me in if you need help.

Edited June 4, 2013 by macegee

[sim181]

Sweet!! been waiting for something like this, going to test it out

[JoshJ5Hawk]

Refering to something in the code for making our own missions, what is

 maxEccentricity = 1

related to?

[Tinweasele]

THANK YOU for this !!! Sooner you get it up the sooner i can continue my current campaign