I'm a bit mystified by some of the early Contracts

[asb3pe]

When I go into Contracts building, I see a lot of Contracts that say something like "Radial Decoupler landed". Apparently, the "landed" part means the contract is to simply activate the radial decoupler while landed. Kind of odd... but okay. Let me try it. I put a capsule with a decoupler, then an engine. No fuel, just those three parts. I go to the launch pad, set the first "stage" to activate the decoupler, and hit the space bar. Done! Contract finished. I just find the "landed" part kind of odd. Who ever uses a radial decoupler when on the ground? (Go ahead, educate me and prove that I have no imagination. LOL)

Edited July 18, 2014 by asb3pe

[Pursuedtank]

You could use a radial decoupler to create your own launch towers, that would be one use.

But yeah the contracts are procidural, so you are bound to get some funny ones come up at some point.

[Tiberion]

They're testing contracts - the fictional companies making those parts are paying you to test them - tests can have requirements of being landed/on the ground/ in flight/ sub-orbital/ orbital/ splashed down, and can require certain bodies (Kerbin, Mun, Duna, etc) and some of them even have speed and altitude constraints.

The landed ones are supposed to be easy - some of the others will be more difficult and require a custom ship and a 'unique' flight plan to complete - its intentional to make them more varied than just "launch a rocket"

Personally, I enjoy figuring out ways to solve some of them. Its a great evolution of the "whacky ships" part of KSP.

[asb3pe]

Okay, yes, that clears it up, I agree with your last sentence Tiberion. I just wasn't sure if that's what I was going on or not. Makes sense, turn it into a fun game! The funny ones will be challenges to be conquered - "test fire booster rocket splashed down".

[Kryxal]

As for using radial decouplers when landed, I could see doing that on Eve...

[Vanamonde]

Often the first few test "flights" of a new aircraft design are just taxiing around the runways without leaving the ground.

[Claw]

Yep. Also realize that some of the contracts are intended to be simple and basic, since there will be new players who have no idea how things work. It may seem overly simplistic because you already know how those things work.

[Xavven]

Often the first few test "flights" of a new aircraft design are just taxiing around the runways without leaving the ground.

Yes, exactly this! Imagine the O.M.B. Demolition has tested the explosive bolts of the decoupler in their lab, but want to see if it comes cleanly off of an engine fairing without damaging the engine. They pay you a pittance to do the test for them. Heck, some of the contracts don't even cover my costs, but I get some science for it. Actually, I think this feels more like "science" in the sense of unlocking parts than doing a crew report orbiting Duna.

Yep. Also realize that some of the contracts are intended to be simple and basic, since there will be new players who have no idea how things work. It may seem overly simplistic because you already know how those things work.

Yep! As a new player, it could be a valuable experience to see the decoupler fire just to know what it does.

[cpast]

Okay, yes, that clears it up, I agree with your last sentence Tiberion. I just wasn't sure if that's what I was going on or not. Makes sense, turn it into a fun game! The funny ones will be challenges to be conquered - "test fire booster rocket splashed down".

That was a fun one - I wound up with the BACC booster sending Jeb into the shoreline, but I'd twisted at the last second so the booster hit first. Booster was destroyed, but got the contract completed. Surprisingly, the capsule survived.

[asb3pe]

I think my only suggestion would be to just change the wording a little. That's what threw me off a bit at first, the way the contract is worded - such as "radial decoupler landed", instead of something a bit more clear, like "Test fire the radial decoupler while on the ground".

[AlexanderB]

How was it again? "The difference between messing around and science is writing down the results?"

Testing bits and pieces and making all sorts of experimental crafts for (sometimes marginal) profit seems like good science, yes.

[asb3pe]

That was a fun one - I wound up with the BACC booster sending Jeb into the shoreline, but I'd twisted at the last second so the booster hit first. Booster was destroyed, but got the contract completed. Surprisingly, the capsule survived.

My mind just keeps thinking "jet ski... jet ski... jet ski..." Yeah, this could get interesting, funny and tragic very quickly.

[WanderingKid]

I've currently got a contract to Test the RT-10 Solid Rocket Booster... while on an escape trajectory out of Kerbin.

Whopping 825 Funds for it, too. I see me avoiding certain contracts with significant disdain.

[Tweak]

some of these contracts make zero sense. one of my first few was to test the BACC solid booster at just above 4800 @ 380m per second. seriously? you want me to go supersonic and THEN fire a giant solid booster? the amount of additional boosters that it took to propel myself to the speed of light cost so much that recovering all but the capsule was impossible because radial parachutes cost 700 per.

I am really frustrated.

wait wait wait holy crap for $126 I get to test a decoupler that costs $400 and will be unrecoverable because I am going to decouple it? what am I missing?

Edited July 18, 2014 by Tweak

[Claw]

I think my only suggestion would be to just change the wording a little. That's what threw me off a bit at first, the way the contract is worded - such as "radial decoupler landed", instead of something a bit more clear, like "Test fire the radial decoupler while on the ground".

That's valid. Perhaps start a thread in the Suggestions Forum.

[Wanderfound]

some of these contracts make zero sense. one of my first few was to test the BACC solid booster at just above 4800 @ 380m per second. seriously? you want me to go supersonic and THEN fire a giant solid booster? the amount of additional boosters that it took to propel myself to the speed of light cost so much that recovering all but the capsule was impossible because radial parachutes cost 700 per.

Testing how a booster performs at high velocity sounds like a valid question to me.

And I think you'll find it's much cheaper if you use a simple jet to get it up to speed...

wait wait wait holy crap for $126 I get to test a decoupler that costs $400 and will be unrecoverable because I am going to decouple it? what am I missing?

You get science and reputation, which in turn gets you more valuable contracts. Think of it as a loss leader.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Wanderfound

[CattyNebulart]

wait wait wait holy crap for $126 I get to test a decoupler that costs $400 and will be unrecoverable because I am going to decouple it? what am I missing?

Contracts can be pretty random, try to only do the ones that you make a profit on Just like in real life you will be offered some real stinkers.

[Agifem]

I was offered a contract to test the TT18-A Launch Stability Enhancer ... on Minmus. Beat that.

[xcorps]

Think of it as a "Plugs out" test.

(but not an Apollo 1 plugs out test)

[KerbMav]

Whopping 825 Funds for it, too. I see me avoiding certain contracts with significant disdain.

As every business man should.

This randomnes of the contracts actually adds a nice touch.

Jeb: Wow! Easy money!

Bill: Jeb, if you sign THAT paper I'm gonna hide every writing utensil in a 100 km radius of KSC somewhere YOU cannot reach ... !

[Initar]

Sometimes the requirements are very odd (testing SRBs in escape trajectory from kerbin?) if not completely impossible: http://i.imgur.com/W4JiNaw.jpg (found on reddit)

They should filter the type and cap the number of conditions depending on the parts, or many of those missions will simply be skipped.

[Tweak]

Testing how a booster performs at high velocity sounds like a valid question to me.

And I think you'll find it's much cheaper if you use a simple jet to get it up to speed...

yes, it seems valid, it was just rough because I could never get the altitude and speed to line up. I could do both, took a lot of tweaking to get both green check marks at the same time.

and I would have used jets, if I had them available to me.

[Kryxal]

Some of the speed/altitude sets line up pretty well if you're in free-fall, others you can usually catch using a tailored climb (and remembering that you can activate parts outside of staging).

[Kerbart]

wait wait wait holy crap for $126 I get to test a decoupler that costs $400 and will be unrecoverable because I am going to decouple it? what am I missing?

What you're missing is the simple fact that you could mount the decoupler upside down under your capsule so that it stays attached after triggering it.

[Korthan]

Best contract yet - test sepratron while landed. No money expanded, 800 cred reward....