The Ability to Define Future Launch/Transfer as Mission, Mission Pacthes, and More

[XVeris]

I was going through the Fan Work section of the forums, and I can across a post about Mission Patches, like the ones NASA has for astronauts that went out on certain missions, such as the Apollos, Geminis, and so on. And I got an idea that could expand Career Mode farther. All there has been to do with the Astronaut Complex is to hire new astronauts as your old ones go MIA, and the Mission Control building has no use (for now) ever since they were added in 0.21.

My idea is to give Mission Control the ability to take a certain craft, either on the Launch Pad, Runway, or orbiting a close enough planetary body to get a transmission to, say, get into an orbit, and then do scientific tests of the new planet, and then radio back. To create a mission, the Mission Control must be selected, and it will show a list of crafts close enough to receive a mission. When a certain one is selected, it'll bring up another list of objectives that you can choose for a Mission. When you're finished defining the mission, you can either save it for later for the craft, or send it straight away, if the craft in question is, again, close enough. This would also mean that a few changes and/or additions to the current Communotrons would have to happen, such as increasing the distance they can receive/send information, power consumption due to its distance, and so on. And once the Mission is complete, you can either bring the crew back to Kerbin, or leave them there to a later date, as they must be recovered to receive a Mission Patch. Yes, Mission Patches are another idea.

Mission Patches could help expand on the Astronaut Complex some, as there would be more to see in it, other than just Kerbals with "For Hire" signs. All Kerbals in the Astronaut complex would have a page that would open about physiology, bravery, stupidity, and possibly intelligence. They have to have at least some level of IQ if they're building and piloting rockets and planes. The new panel that opens about the Kerbal in question could also have a randomized back story about said Kerbal, with various jobs (was a plumber, video game designer, was in the army, etc) pastimes (checkers, reading, texting, etc) and other things. Back to Mission Patches, they would be shown on the Kerbal(s) who completed the Mission in question. I'm not entirely sure how they could be made, either custom made by the user, or generated from various images that have to do with the Mission in question. Maybe like the Mission was to:

A: Get into Stable Orbit around Mun (Patch will have picture of Mun)

B: Land on Mun (Patch will show Lander-looking thing on Mun)

C: Do Scientific Research on Mun (Patch will have Science Beaker with bubbles above and to right of Mun)

D: Plant Flag on Mun (Patch will show a Flag next to Lander)

E: Mission Completed (Patch will have Green border if completed, Red if not completed, and a Black ring in either if a Kerbal went MIA on Mission)

Or as another example:

A: Get into stable Orbit around Kerbin (Patch will have picture of Kerbin)

B: Dock with "input name of craft you wish to dock with here" (Patch will show picture of Space Station looking craft)

C: Mission Complete [during Mission, Clement Kerman decided to hang onto outside of craft as it went through atmosphere] (Patch will show Green border with Black line inside Green border)

When the Kerbals that did either of the above Missions are recovered after landing back on Kerbin, the Patch will appear on their personal page in the Astronaut Complex. What you decided to name the Mission would be shown on the inside of the border, in the top portion of the Patch. When the Patch is selected, it'll show the Mission Objectives, as well as who, if anyone, went MIA.

EDIT: The Patches would be generated as a gif image, and saved to a folder for the users to take out, and possibly use in their signatures here on the fourms. Modders could also add in there own pictures that would be generated into a Patch that could be gained when you complete objectives that have to do with the mod, i.e., drill for Kethane on Eve.

EDIT 2: Later on in KSP, if a system for buying parts/fuel is implemented (or are those prices pure asthetic?), Missions could be made to possibly gain money, as well as additional Science. The more Objectives, the more money/Science you gain.

All this stuff could possibly be put into KSP in the future, but if not, here's the idea

Edited October 20, 2013 by XVeris
Moar Additional Stuff

[Valley]

That sounds interesting. Jeb would hog all the Patches I bet.