Kerbals in Space (KIS) mission pack. (Development)

[Geckgo]

I dropped a code snipped onto the forum for MissionController that should clean up the mission screen if Malkuth wishes to fix whatever mistakes I made and finds time to implement it. I'll keep you guys posted if he does and when the next MC update comes out it should make mission navigation a little easier. I can't compile it myself and I have no control over the development of the mission controller mod so it'll be up to Malkuth. I can just barely understand what's going on in the code anyways so I can only make requests for modifications, but maybe we will get lucky. If it's implemented, ideally, there would be check boxes where you could turn off missions who's requirements are not met so they don't clutter up the selection screen.

Phew, 5AM, almost time for bed

[Boamere]

Ah crap, how many kerbals did you have in your lander, one or two? You do need a crew of 2 to complete the mission. The idea is to use the same or a beefed up version of a ship from the "Company" mission.

What i did was, i used a 2 seater capsule (launched from ksp) docked it with a random station, then clicked hide finished goal, then undocked (immediately) landed it and realised I couldn't finish the mission. :/

But on a brighter note....Awwsssoooome an update!

So i'm off to test and have fun.

P.S Geckgo if you want to use the reply with quote (which seems to be spacking out) Just right click on it and click open new tab and that should work

EDIT:(I fixed the docking bug, a fresh install helped)

Edited September 2, 2013 by Boamere

[Boamere]

Oooooh i've just seen the hypersonic plane mission: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

EDIT:WOOO again smashed both of them at once (and I found a bug(maybe?))

2125ms! I just got that interview with KNN and a ton of money ! AND I just got another interview with KNN and another ton of money for completing both

(here is where the bug comes in) the minimal intake air thingy is a bit bugged it said I needed a minimum of 0 intake air, yet when I had 0.4 it didn't count, I think the way to fix this is to say minimum air=0.00 so it allows air in the 0.Xs otherwise you would need to have 1.00 air to achieve that goal (unless this was on purpose??)

But nevermind i got both challenges anyway

^obvious publicity photo for the newly famous Bob Kerman with his KIG-15

Those last 2 missions where a blast to play

And thanks for Awsome Update geckgo, one of the things I love the most is that you speak good English (unlike most mission pack creators) and it makes it a much better story for it! (am i talking too much? i feel like i'm blathering on a bit about stuff)

Edited September 2, 2013 by Boamere

[Geckgo]

hmm, this is a bug. I have a minAmount set for 0.11 cause this is the amount that jets normally cut out. You are using only 1 jet on your mig so I guess you don't have to worry about that thought, since you are showing 0.02. There's also supposed to be a '?' at the end of that first sentence , guess I need to fix that too.

to be honest, I didn't test those 2 missions, just threw them in at the last minute before I updated. I considered making the hard-deck for the altitude mission 30,000, but I don't want people to need air-hogging to simply complete the mission, that would be rude. I'll see what I can do about the air intake. I need some requirement to make sure that it's a spaceplane and not just a random ship on re-entry, but the timer should take care of that on its own.

Talking too much, sure. To be honest thought I love going through here and reading posts from people who are playing with the mod. It gives me a sense of accomplishment that people are enjoying something I created.

Update: NathanKell (I guess he's one of the MissionController programmers) posted that he would try to implement my code tonight and thanked me for pointing it out, so the next installment of MissionController should clean up the mission browser for multi-faceted packs such as mine, and I can continue with my little sidestory missions as much as I want without worrying about it cluttering up the panel. So, yay for that and a big yay for the programming guys that are able to bring such dreams to life. Without the MC programmers, my pack would not exist.

[Geckgo]

Is that DeadlyReentry that you are using for those effects or is that with the stock game engine?

[NathanKell]

Can I just second the "speaks the Queen's English" bit? So refreshing!

As I said there, moving is eating almost all my time, but I'll try to get your code working tonight.

Also, given the variety of missions you have in this pack, I think I'll need to use only it with KATO, not the hodgepodge I was using. Expect some free advertising in the next update.

And thank _you_ for the pack--without packs, what would one do with MC?

A suggestion, though, if I might--considering the timing of high-speed / high-altitude tests IRL, would you consider dropping the prerequisites for the spaceplane chain, at least for the first few missions? (Spaceplanes 06 should not occur before at least AKSF 08 of course, if not AKSF 13 as you have it)

I'd also suggest making only SP3 prereq for 6 and 7, not SP5.

If you're looking for more early (historical) missions re: Mun, I'd suggest adding flyby and far-side free return missions--heck, just look at the USSR's Luna program. It'd be awesome if you could start a mission as an impactor, miss, and retroactively call it a flyby / "First Cosmic Ship."

[Geckgo]

Good suggestions, NathanKell. I revamped the structure a little on my current copy of KIS.mkpg and spread things a bit easier. AKSF12 is now required for SP4 and 5, but all the other spaceplane missions open up more in tune with the AKSF missions rather than being completely independent. Nice catch. I still need to do some testing to figure out what's going on with the intakeAir variable as per your issue Boamere. I set the minimum to 0.01 with a max of 30 (picked that number out of a hat). Was it 0.4 that it was not showing up or 0.04? 0.04 would make sense as the requirement was for 0.11 intakeAir.

Anyways all, I'll try to release 0.63 before I head out in the morning. Things are going to be a little weird tonight out here on the rig and my expertise will be needed at some point tomorrow, so I will need to modify my sleeping routine for the next day or two so that I can be here to solve any issues on our current drilling run when they come up. Last time I released a bug fix so I'm going to try to make that a habit though and if not in the morning, then sometime tomorrow.

NathanKell, I think I have the early missions paced more or less where I want them now, after a few revisions. I do have one mission for a manned pod to orbit, etc., I just don't want to drag them out anymore than they already are so that players can move onto more exciting stuff like kethane mining and space stations, which are still to come, as well as specific planetoid investigations. Thanks again for the input, I really like the spaceplane idea and I think I have it now in a way that will be better overall.

[Boamere]

Good suggestions, NathanKell. I revamped the structure a little on my current copy of KIS.mkpg and spread things a bit easier. AKSF12 is now required for SP4 and 5, but all the other spaceplane missions open up more in tune with the AKSF missions rather than being completely independent. Nice catch. I still need to do some testing to figure out what's going on with the intakeAir variable as per your issue Boamere. I set the minimum to 0.01 with a max of 30 (picked that number out of a hat). Was it 0.4 that it was not showing up or 0.04? 0.04 would make sense as the requirement was for 0.11 intakeAir.

For some reason my engines would keep working at 0.02 and only cut out if i aimed upwards too much ( I had to keep it just right for them to work) and any number below 1.0 didn't want to be accepted (at least thats how i remember it) i shall do some testing in the meantime. Oh and i don't use deadly re-entry

EDIT:AHA you where right i was being dumb and i said 0.4 when i actually meant 0.04 *facepalm*, so going back to your minimum air requirement it may be have been a bit too high because my engines where still working around 0.02-0.04+ (don't ask why, its probably magic) (I'll stop posting extra long paragraphs for a while so you can rest your eyes XD )

Edited September 3, 2013 by Boamere
DERPYNESS

[Geckgo]

Okie dokie, well that mystery is solved then. I'm going to lower the requirement to 0.01 for the bugfix to account for people running only 1 jet. Try that with two jets and see what happens

[Boamere]

Okie dokie, well that mystery is solved then. I'm going to lower the requirement to 0.01 for the bugfix to account for people running only 1 jet. Try that with two jets and see what happens

Oh no, i can see it happening now, it'll be in the Kerbal Times.-Headline- Bob kerman killed when his aircraft span out of control!-

You better not sabotage my aircraft Geckgo...... damn it now I want to try and break my previous speed with 2 engines, i'm blaming you for this if he dies!!!

(Good job on getting to the front page of mission controller extended!)

Edited September 3, 2013 by Boamere

[Geckgo]

hehe, make sure you cut them off before the intakeAir gets below .11 or you'll go splodey splode!

Been working on my new spaceplane project since I got to work today. Got about 3 hours of sleep and got here early to monitor this well. In the meantime I build a new one that I call the Beetle I. Got her into space with about 600 dV leftover in my tanks. I've only slightly air-hogged it cause too much looks like crap, about 5.5 intakes per engine. Might cut a couple of the tiny rockets to trade twr for dV, but done screwing with it for now. If only I could build a nice cargo SSTO......

[Kalista]

hehe, make sure you cut them off before the intakeAir gets below .11 or you'll go splodey splode!

Been working on my new spaceplane project since I got to work today. Got about 3 hours of sleep and got here early to monitor this well. In the meantime I build a new one that I call the Beetle I. Got her into space with about 600 dV leftover in my tanks. I've only slightly air-hogged it cause too much looks like crap, about 5.5 intakes per engine. Might cut a couple of the tiny rockets to trade twr for dV, but done screwing with it for now. If only I could build a nice cargo SSTO......

That's been my biggest hurdle as well with SSTOs making one capible of carrying a decent payload into orbit and returning and why i've had dozens of shuttle designs since i have that down pat. Now onto another request this has to do with the fact i use deadly reentry and the hypersonic speed mission is dangerously close to the melting point for aircraft. Would it be possible to drop the speed required for it from 1.9km/s to 1.716 km/s the real life barrier for hypersonic flight ( mach 5-49) .

[Geckgo]

That's a great idea Kalista. The only real reason I picked 1900 is because I was being lazy and threw the mission in at the last second. It's not too hard to multiply by 5 I know but I was tired and stressed at work as well. I think I'm going to do this as part of the "bug fix" for this installment.

[Geckgo]

Bugfixes updated to the spaceport. 0.63 contains a few little tweaks and bug fixes, nothing major. If anyone gets a chance to test out the new Kethane missions, please give me some feedback. I'm going to be working on other areas of the pack for the moment, and you guys have been so great with your ideas and catches that it really helps me to work on this efficiently.

I'll have to sort back through this thread to see what other ideas I've been pushing off, but for 0.7 and beyond, this is what I'm considering...

1. Start Duna and Laythe focused mission series to supplement the exploration missions.

2. Setting up an orbiting space station around Minmus as a refueling point for interplanetary missions, which isn't going to be easy and I need to test a certain orbit that I've been considering to make interplanetary travel easier from Minmus (currently, you need to adjust for the inclination of the orbit). I may keep the interplanetary stuff from LKO station as it's an easy solution, and you don't really gain anything by stopping at a moon first unless you are just using it as a slingshot. If nothing else, the Minmus station will be needed for future kethane missions (It really is the best place to mine)

3. LKO to Minmus shuttle, tugs, load-hauling landers, and various other engineering craft. (I want to do a salvage craft, but that would make KAS a requirement, like to know how you guys feel about that)

Should be a fairly complete pack if I can get all of that done.

[Kalista]

KAS as a prereq isn't a big deal to me since I use it heavy with my ground crews and skycranes for landing rovers. For the kethane missions another mission you could do to is after the scanning mission having to land a probe there drill a tiny amount of kethane + spend x time there then bring it safely back to kerbin to analyze the samples something like scanning mission > hit from scanners > sending unmanned probe to take a sample to check if its quality is good for refining > missions unmanned and manned to set up the drilling operations.

edit: Also going with my idea you could make it where you drop a probe first on the mun to test its kethane samples have it come back as either not of good quality to refine or the amount of refine to turn it into fuel isn't nearly as cost effective as minmus (plus its lower delta v to leave kerbins SoI) as ample justification. If you were writing up a story line as to why all the commercial drilling happens at minmus over the mun.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Kalista

[Geckgo]

Maybe if nothing else I can make that one mission for it and put a note on the mission and make sure that the rest of the pack won't require its completion. Still gotta figure out how I'm going to test for the removal of space junk.

[Boamere]

That's a great idea Kalista. The only real reason I picked 1900 is because I was being lazy and threw the mission in at the last second. It's not too hard to multiply by 5 I know but I was tired and stressed at work as well. I think I'm going to do this as part of the "bug fix" for this installment.

Awwww it wont be as much of a challenge, but oh well at least you are making it possible for users of the deadly re-entry mod

And I'm going to go and test your Kethane Missions

[Kalista]

Yeah I tested that mission last night and even 1500 m/s @ 26km was almost melting my nose with a plane very similiar in design to yours boamere. Think that mission I'll have to do with my intakes in the aft 1/3rd of the plane and hope the nosecone takes all the shock was a damn nice plane to fly till mach 4 when FAR made it super unstable.

[Geckgo]

That's why you got deadly re-entry in the first place isn't it? To make the game a lil tougher? Well, at least we know that's one mission where some will say too easy and others will have to earn their million kredits,, In actuality I've had thoughts of reducing the prizes to anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000, but that's not in the 0.63 update b/c I couldn't make up my mind fast enough

[Ratzap]

Yeah I tested that mission last night and even 1500 m/s @ 26km was almost melting my nose with a plane very similiar in design to yours boamere. Think that mission I'll have to do with my intakes in the aft 1/3rd of the plane and hope the nosecone takes all the shock was a damn nice plane to fly till mach 4 when FAR made it super unstable.

I flew all the way around Kerbin at Mach 9 with FAR... the instability is your design I'm afraid

[Boamere]

Reporting in to say, good job so far no bugs found yet

Heres a cool pic of my minmus lander (testing the landing site for kethane)

[Kalista]

That's why you got deadly re-entry in the first place isn't it? To make the game a lil tougher? Well, at least we know that's one mission where some will say too easy and others will have to earn their million kredits,, In actuality I've had thoughts of reducing the prizes to anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000, but that's not in the 0.63 update b/c I couldn't make up my mind fast enough

Oh the current setup for the missions is fine as it is the plane I flew I litterally just tossed pieces on it to see if I could hit mach 5. I'm quite surprized it could even nose straight up and climb to mach 1 from the runway with the parts I strapped to it. I haven't got the chance to test your kethane missions yet since I'm also running remote tech and kos ( I'm a sadist when it comes to difficulty) so soon as my auto pilot designs get refined enough I'll let you know how they go.

[Boamere]

Oh the current setup for the missions is fine as it is the plane I flew I litterally just tossed pieces on it to see if I could hit mach 5. I'm quite surprized it could even nose straight up and climb to mach 1 from the runway with the parts I strapped to it. I haven't got the chance to test your kethane missions yet since I'm also running remote tech and kos ( I'm a sadist when it comes to difficulty) so soon as my auto pilot designs get refined enough I'll let you know how they go.

Ahhh you are using remotetech, I used to use that mod but it took up too much space and caused a lot of crashes :/ (and plus i don't know if its updated yet)

Also with Life support mods do you have to constantly resupply ships with oxygen?I will probably use if there is some way of renewable resources, so is there any way to renew things?

Edited September 4, 2013 by Boamere

[Kalista]

Ahhh you are using remotetech, I used to use that mod but it took up too much space and caused a lot of crashes :/ (and plus i don't know if its updated yet)

Also with Life support mods do you have to constantly resupply ships with oxygen?I will probably use if there is some way of renewable resources, so is there any way to renew things?

RT 1 works fine in the current version RT 2 is still in alpha with them bug fixing it so i wouldn't advise that one for playing around on. To my understanding tac doesn't have a scrubber yet ioncross I know does. I've also seen a greenhouse mod out there that WILL turn CO2 into oxygen and I'm pretty sure it was tac compatible (if not shouldn't be hard to play with its cfg files to make it compatible).

[Ratzap]

RT2 works fine but is missing some UI stuff. I gave it a whirl last week.

Nice work Geckgo, I saw there was a new version and boy you've been busy. I'll stop playing around with the warp pack a while and trot through KIS again.