Challenge idea: The Amazing Race - Interplanetary Edition

[mangekyou-sama]

This is just an idea that someone with a higher capacity than me is capable of actually implementing. The premise is that there will be a single saved file for download w/c contains all elements of the challenge. It will be a race to collect all required modules scattered (in surface or in orbit) throughout the system and get back to Kerbin in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Fuel dumps will also be situated in strategic locations around the system.

Again this is just an idea and it would be great if someone actually made the save for it.

[astropapi1]

Why don't you do it?

[mangekyou-sama]

Why don't you do it?

TBH, I'm still lacking in abilities. I'm very much a noob compared to others. Heck, I can't even do a rendezvous! So here I am, making my idea heard so someone who has extensive knowledge of deltaV requirements(for the fuel dumps), etc.

Another idea is having the instructions for the challenges on plaques that come with planted flags, and making use of coordinates maybe.

[Pds314]

I'd probably put objectives in the following places:

One on top of a building at KSC.

One at the North or South pole of Kerbin.

A fuel dump 1/4 the size of an orange tank in an 80 km equatorial Kerbin orbit.

A fuel dump 1/2 the size of an orange tank in a larger, eccentric, polar orbit.

One in the Oceans of Kerbin.

One At KSO.

One at the Apollo Landing memorial on the Mun.

One at the highest point on Minmus.

One in Duna-Synchronous (Hyper-edited if necessary) orbit.

One on Duna, directly below Ike.

A 1/8th orange tank size fuel dump in an orbit following the magic boulder.

A 1/4th sized Fuel dump on the exact opposite side as Ike.

One on Gilly, sitting on a slant.

One on the Tallest mountain on Eve (7500 meters.)

An orange tank sitting nearby.

A fuel dump consisting of 8, yes 8, orange tanks in the nearest Evean ocean.

A fuel dump in the northern pit of Moho consisting of an orange tank, it is supported via large beams sticking out of it.

One near the edge of the southern pit of Moho, don't fall in, also, don't knock it in!

One in ;ow Kerbolar orbit. Just close enough to be out of reach of Moho.

Four fuel drops consisting of 4 orange tanks each, also at varying altitudes in low Kerbolar orbit.

One in Low Jool Orbit.

One on Laythe, sitting in the ocean.

One on Tylo.

One at the top of a ridge on Vall.

A 1/2 tank of fuel on Tylo.

One on Bop, on top of the 22-km mountain.

One at Bop's Lowest point (around 90 km away and 21 km down)

One in on Pol near Lat: 42, Lon 0.

A full orange fuel tank orbiting Jool in an elliptical inclined orbit.

One On Eeloo, sitting in a canyon.

16 orange tanks worth of fuel, each individually detacheable from their end due to having a docking port on each end, orbitting in a swarm at a distance of 1 Trillion Meters from Kerbol.

One that is in an elliptical orbit, and will make one pass every real year, it is set to collide with Kerbin's atmosphere exactly 10 years in. (Scott Manley made a video tutorial of how to do this)

And last, but most definitely not least, One which is barely on an escape trajectory from Kerbol, At the start of day one, it is at 100 km above Kerbin, flying out toward Kerbol in a hyperbolic trajectory, it has a V-infinity of Zero m/s, meaning it will literally never come back, but will slow down and will reach arbitrarily low speeds. (In other words, it is moving at exactly escape velocity)

[Pds314]

Oh, also, to clarify, all fuel dumps would have large docking ports on the ends, and standard and small ones on the sides in order to accommodate all ships.

The modules would be variable, and would probably be connectable via small docking port, they would weigh basically nothing, but some of them would be fragile.

Multiple trips would be allowed, however you must assemble all modules together in LKO in order to win. Avoid destroying modules as it may cause you to need to revert.

No save-scumming, to be clear, don't quick-save and die and reload, in fact, don't even click revert flight, just click space center or tracking station.

If incomplete (as many/most entries would be) time is used as a tie-breaker, and the number of objectives assembled in orbit is most important.

Bonuses: applies compounded (e.g. -50% time twice results in -75% time)

Great explorers: use purely manned missions, that is to say, whenever you are dealing with the objective, you control your ship by a manned capsule. -20%

These are the voyages: never launch another vehicle into space after leaving Kerbin's sphere of influence. -50%

No Kerbal left behind: don't strand or kill any Kerbals. -20% of your time if your Kerbals ever controlled one of the objective modules, -30% with Great Explorers.

Ate the Kraken: Successfully used phantom forces for interplanetary travel. -50%

Penalties: applies compounded (e.g. +100% twice results in +300% time.)

A death in the family: have a Kerbal be killed. +25%

No one can hear you scream: leave a Kerbal in space or on another celestial body. +30%

Massive undertaking: Each space launch after the first increases your time by 10%, this does not prevent you from launching terrestrial vehicles, transferring fuel in order to re-use your ship, docking it to a new booster, or anything like that. But launching a totally new ship directly into space under its own control counts as a new space launch.

Kill it with fire: Loose a Kerbal by dropping them into Kerbol. Modifies penalty for "A death in the family" to +50% for that instance. Explaining how someone fell into the sun is a serious PR nightmare.

Eaten by the Kraken: have a Kerbal die while in deep space not on EVA or during docking. Modifies penalty for "A death in the family" to +10% for the first instance and all simultaneous deaths, but afterwards, modifies to +40%

IDK, you don't have to use any of this, could be a really long and difficult challenge / "adventure map" for most people's liking, requiring dozens of orbital rendezvous, an Eve-landing, A successful escape from one or both Moho Pits, a Low Kerbolar orbit, an intercept with a non-orbiting object, etc.

Also, I may be able to do this all, but I don't think I have the time, if someone wants to see this challenge as a world save, by all means, make it.

EDIT:

Oh yeah, and the name for the "A death in the family" penalty is literal, considering that they all have the last name: "Kerman."

Edited September 30, 2013 by Pds314

[Scarecrow88]

It could take a bit of setting up, but this could actually be quite a good challenge. Flags could be placed at the points needing to be visited, with a screenshot of the plaque on each required as proof of having been there, unless they are being used to provide directions to the next objective as mentioned above by OP - wouldn't want to give the game away by posting screenshots of instructions. Fuel dumps shouldn't be too difficult to provide. For anything that needs visiting that is not situated on the surface of a body, maybe whatever it is can be fitted with docking ports, and a screenshot of the visiting craft docked to it can be used as proof.

I'm not sure I would make it quite as difficult as PDS is suggesting, as you want to encourage people to have a go without having to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to complete the task. I would suggest having to do it with a single craft with the only proviso that once you land back on Kerbin that's the end of the attempt. For anyone reaching all objectives, places are decided on total mission time. For anyone who lands back at Kerbin before visiting all objectives, maybe award points for each objective visited, with tie breakers being decided by mission time.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Scarecrow88

[mangekyou-sama]

This is finally coming together! Maybe we could pour all ideas into this thread then consolidate it into a some sort of final framework for the challenge itself until someone kind enough can implement it in the game and have a save file for us all (because I really can't do it). I think one factor that will make this challenge more difficult is planetary alignment. Waiting for transfer windows for planets where you have a primary task to do can consume an obscene amount of time. So it's all strategy on the challenger's/contestant's part, like, "Do I go straight for that planet or do I swing by Duna and look for a fuel dump?" that sort of thing.

[MineAheadTV]

I don't think putting this together would be to difficult. I'll give it a try later on.

[mangekyou-sama]

I don't think putting this together would be to difficult. I'll give it a try later on.

Requires extensive planning with regards to the locations of task flags, the modules that needs to be picked up, location of fuel dumps, and the overall path of the challenge (from Kerbin to the rest of the Kerbol system and back to Kerbin again). It also needs to be made so that players can't just fly pointlessly from one planet to another without following the path anymore (that depends on their personal integrity of course), like the flags provide some kind of clue as to where the next objective is. Lots of planning, designing, engineering to do.

Well at least I'm good with Photoshop so maybe I can make a special badge for those who succeed (provided this Amazing Race concept becomes a reality).

[astropapi1]

Another idea is having the instructions for the challenges on plaques that come with planted flags..

Now THAT is an idea! Imagine doing a pinpoint landing at the top of the control tower, and reading a plaque with the next clue. Genius!

[mangekyou-sama]

Aight, I'll try to make one. Albeit at a smaller scale - just the Kerbin system. I'll try to make it as challenging as possible. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, please do still pour your ideas into this thread!

[Scarecrow88]

The problem with having the instructions on the flag plaques is that anyone can just look in the persist file and read all the instructions without visiting the flag. You could insist on a screenshot of the plaque to prove you've been there, but that just makes the instructions public anyway. I'm not sure insisting participants follow a pre-set path to complete the task is a good idea either. Surely a player's ingenuity in finding their own optimal path is part of the challenge.

I'd be happy to set up a fairly straight forward challenge that extends outside the Kerbin system to include some of the other planets/moons to test the concept. If that proves to be successful, it wouldn't take much to make it more difficult by adding some objects in more inaccessible places or by reducing the number of fuel dumps.

[MineAheadTV]

Requires extensive planning with regards to the locations of task flags, the modules that needs to be picked up, location of fuel dumps, and the overall path of the challenge (from Kerbin to the rest of the Kerbol system and back to Kerbin again). It also needs to be made so that players can't just fly pointlessly from one planet to another without following the path anymore (that depends on their personal integrity of course), like the flags provide some kind of clue as to where the next objective is. Lots of planning, designing, engineering to do.

Well at least I'm good with Photoshop so maybe I can make a special badge for those who succeed (provided this Amazing Race concept becomes a reality).

So you think players shouldn't be able to choose their path? Although actually the idea of the clues on the plaque is a pretty good one, I may try to include that.