[Scenario] The "Always do Backups" Challenge

[GuzWaatensen]

This is a scenario challenge that is both a (puzzle-) crafting and speed challenge. There will be leaderboards for fastest time and for earliest submission (with proof of completion).

Requirements:

• You have to be able to fly interplanetary missions and have a basic grasp of remote tech to succeed in this challenge.
  
• You will need KAS and RemoteTech2 and treeloader installed for the Challenge to work properly.
  
• While it should not interfere with other installed mods, if you encounter problems temporarily disable them.
  

How to install:

• If you haven't done so, download and intall KAS, RemoteTech2 and treeloader.
  
• Download THIS .zip file and unpack into your KSP directory (or place the save and gamedata folder in their respective directories manually)
  
• Start the Challenge from the "resume game" menu.
  

The story:

Big kerfuffle at the Kerbal Space Center, apparently someone ran a simulation of a Rocket with waaay to many SRBs attached and melted the servers in the process. Now the part database is completely gone and as the fine Kerbals at KSC couldn’t even build a lawn chair without a blueprint they are now stuck unable to build anything.

Fortunately, Jeb was told by the IT Department to maintain Backups just in case, which he dutifully did.

Unfortunately they also told him that backups are best kept in remote locations which he also took very seriously.

Fortunately the closest datacenter is just a couple of kilometers west of KSC.

Unfortunately they also explained to Jeb how RAID is essential to data integrity, but he got it wrong and so every datacenter only has a part of the required backup files.

Fortunately all data centers are equipped with communication dishes.

Unfortunately Jeb knew from his TV that putting things in standby is not really switching them off and so he unplugged all of them before he left.

After Bill and Bob explained to him what kind of trouble that put all of them in (not to mention that he’s also a prime suspect for the server melting), he bravely decided to make it his responsibility to get the three backup fragments from the data centers back to KSC. After some frantic searching through old file cabinets and the trash, they dug up blueprints for a discontinued (for good reason) rover stuck to the bottom of a bin. But at least now they also had some schemes for parts Jeb could use in other designs…

How to play/submit:

When you installed everything correctly and start the Scenario you should find yourself at KSC. Your Job is to get to all three data centers and plug them back in or get the data (science) contained in them by other means. You can use all facilities of the KSC and are encouraged to use the Tracking center to switch to the various data centers and make yourself a picture of the situation before you start. Whenever you get the data from a datacenter and get it back to KSC (either in person or by transmission)you can use the research center to unlock new parts that will help you build a craft capable of reaching the next datacenter.

To complete the challenge fly a lander of your choice containing one or more !visible! parts unlocked in the last backup to the first backup station. Then post a picture from the backup stations viewpoint showing the lander. This will prove that you a.) did not recover the first backup station b.) got all three backups c.) completed the challenge in the time displayed as the data centers mission time.

RULES:

• No debug Menu!
  
• KAS and remote tech 2 have to be used!
  
• No parts from other mods my be used.
  
• The Backup Station on Kerbin cannot be recovered!
  

Good Luck and a lot of fun participating in this challenge!

A small hint, as reaching the first data center can prove a little grindy if you go about it wrong: Let me tell you that there IS a way to build a craft for the first part that can withstand 4x time warp and therefore make the journey less time consuming...

Edited January 30, 2014 by GuzWaatensen

[GuzWaatensen]

Maybe I should explain the challenge in a little bit more in detail so people will know what to expect...

At the start of the challenge you will have access to only very little parts but you can unlock more if you recover "Backups" (Science) stored in the 3 Backup stations,

one on Kerbin in the mountains west of KSC, one on the Mun and one on Duna.

every time you restore power to a station and transmit (or take the data out of the station and bring it back to KSC) you get enough science to unlock the next node in the tech tree "restoring a backup".

With these parts you'll then be able to reach the next backup center.

The first center has to be reached with just rover parts and a rocket that's already on the launchpad but can't reach...

The second is on the Mun but the first backup does not contain any manned modules.

The third is on Duna, although the second backup contains only low ISP Engines.

Here's a picture of what the backup stations look like:

[vat21s]

So strange, When I loaded the save file I had absolutely no parts in the VAB/SPH. Although I had parts in the start Node In the R&D facility.

[GuzWaatensen]

Ah that's probably because i forgot to state in the OP that you also need treeloader for the whole thing to work, I changed the OP accordingly...

[vat21s]

That first one's annoying c: Keep clipping the engine off Jeb's Hotseat...

Completed the first node.

Edited February 18, 2014 by vat21s
Progress Update

[GuzWaatensen]

if you've already completed the first node then this probably comes to late, but you can avoid clipping the engine on terrain if you build a rover like this:

[vat21s]

Well great...