Aircraft Based Challenge (Idea/input)

[SpenSpaceCorp]

I am currently developing a variety of aircraft as well as a story for a challenge I will hopefully post sometime in the near future. In building aircraft, the stock game can be considered limited, and I am just curious as to what the community thinks about an aircraft story based challenge which REQUIRES a mod (It basically adds propellers and a larger fuselage/cockpit), compared to a completely stock challenge? Alternatively, how about a challenge in which there are two versions: stock or modded? I'd like to know what people think about an aircraft challenge requiring a mod?

BTW, the mod is KAX (Kerbal Aircraft Expansion)

LINK: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/76668-0-23-5-Kerbal-Aircraft-Expansion-(KAX)-v1-4

[Tortoise]

I think they should also have FAR as a mod.

[SpenSpaceCorp]

I think they should also have FAR as a mod.

I was thinking of making FAR users a category of themselves, but was wondering about an addon that would be essential to attempt the challenge (if I made for example a craft using mod parts, all competitors would need that mod)

[That guy who builds stuff]

I don't think a lot of people would like having to download a mod just for a challenge.

Then again I don't do a lot of challenges so what do I know?

[Epthelyn]

In any challenge it's best to offer stock and modded options if mods are considered. Not everyone likes to use mods and even those who do may not want to use the mod selected for whatever reason.

Of course, if there's a particular reason the challenge has to have a mod to run as intended then I can't see why anyone can reasonably object to that; you may just lose a number of potential challenge-takers because of it, but eh.

[Madrias]

I'm of the mindset that it's best to give people a choice between stock and modded. Just like with Stock vs. FAR, you get some who adamantly refuse to use the other for each their own reasons.

Some people would like to take the extra challenge involved in making a fully stock plane do things others thought they needed a mod for. Others have a different mod that does similar (Firespitter to KAX, for example, although I personally use both), and others still would rather use something like B9 Aerospace (another mod I love to use) in order to make good looking planes.

Then of course, there's the factor of "what do you do" when someone shows up and wants to use even more mods that tend to be cosmetic in nature, but aren't explicitly laid out in your challenge...

[InterCity]

I'd make three challenges: Stock, FAR and B9 aerospace separately. B9 is just awesome for aircraft.

[The Error]

IMO you should go with:

Stock Craft without FAR / Modded craft without FAR

Stock craft with FAR / Modded craft with FAR

So two categories, each of those split into stock/modded.

[SpenSpaceCorp]

I like designing stock crafts which perform and look like functions seen in mods (HOWEVER, something like propellers-and only propellers- can add to the stock game as long as it doesn't go overboard). That is the main reason why I am using KAX rather than Firespitter or B9. Both are great mods that really add to aircraft, but I find it funner and more challenging to make a large airline-style wing from multiple stock parts compared to say just a one part wing. Firespitter and B9 add many many aircraft based parts which kind of make replica craft "too easy" (IMO). That is why I am using KAX, which only adds 3 propellers, a large fuselage & landing gear, and a cockpit.

I am currently thinking of doing 2 challenge styles now- stock and modded. Both will be different though (example: modded will have a wright flyer with 2 propellers whereas stock only has jets and can be difficult and ugly to simulate propellers). As for FAR, I would probably make it a category but make a note to use at your own discretion as I have not tested/modified the challenge whilst using FAR (though I might in the future).

I want to thank you all for your input so far!