Booster testing confusion please help

[bonyetty]

When trying to compleat RT-10 solid booster contract:- Kerbin -green tick, flying-green tick, altitude window-green tick, speed window-green tick. Booster out of fuel and rocket slows down and falls, now out side speed and altitude window. Altitude and speed green ticks now gone. Um what am I doing wrong or over looking?

Edited July 18, 2014 by bonyetty

[Boomerang]

You need to ignite the booster via staging while it's at the proper altitude and speed. It's not enough to already have the booster running as it reaches the target zone.

[bonyetty]

Thanks. Ok we need to activate test part only when all test conditions have a green tick. Makes sense FACE PALM. I was thinking that the conditions needed to be achieved while test part was active doh.

[Roastduck]

Thanks. Ok we need to activate test part only when all test conditions have a green tick. Makes sense FACE PALM. I was thinking that the conditions needed to be achieved while test part was active doh.

also be careful, because some tests are activated by staging,and some are activated by right click -> "Run Test"

[xcorps]

Actually you don't have to ignite it. If it's already depleted and you stage it, it will complete the test.

[possum]

If it is already active you can right click it then click "run test"

[Jananton]

also be careful, because some tests are activated by staging,and some are activated by right click -> "Run Test"

That's good to know, I was to busy looking at the conditions to meet to right click the booster and see that option.

Btw. over here it took a few times too before the penny dropped that those green ticks show the conditions are met to start the test instead of the test itself. <g>

Greets,

Jan

[argentpanther]

+1 on this UI element being confusing. it seems like there should be a 3rd icon when you're in the test zone besides the white clock that indicates not started. and the green check which to me says "you're done and the contract will be complete when the mission is over". perhaps a blinking green R for ready or something. I logged on to report this as a bug before I read the above. other early contracts complete when the test criteria are met without any further action, and the fact that all the criteria got green checks and then the checks came undone seemed like i'd hit a bug somehow.

on the plus side, even though I've barely restarted my career mode(only a couple of hours invested in the new update so far), the contracts add a surprising amount of extra fun already -- good job!!

thanks

[Dispatcher]

For test engines, you don't even need fuel; they will activate anyway and the test will be valid.

[KingPhantom]

decouplers dont have a "run test" point in the menu... so you have to time them in the staging correct. if you right click and "decouple" it doesnt count. probably a bug.

all other parts i saw have a "run test". thats the best way to do it. or with staging. but "run test" is more easier... (just activating the engine with right click doesnt work like decouple)

[SRV Ron]

Some testing, ones at launch, can be done on the pad by a test rocket locked in place with launch clamps. You just fire the engine for a few seconds while it remains clamped in place. Then recover it from the pad. You get all of your investment cost back. Likewise, you can fire decouplers at the pad without launching rockets. They make nice fireworks.

[SRV Ron]

To test SRBs at a specific altitude and speed, use a liquid fueled booster to push it to the desired speed and altitude, cut the engine and stage the SRB. You only need a tiny amount of fuel in the SRB and a probe core with radical parachutes for the test.

[acc]

You can also tweak (right click in VAB) engines and boosters to have 0 thrust and/or fuel. So you can just load them as payload and nothing will happen when you test the part

[HAVOC420666]

i've notice more things not working in the game, or atleast not explained properly, as so to be done intuitively. haul objectives are completely hit and miss (hammer wont completely no matter how i configure a rocket; more than 20 attempts and still no success), the heat shield doesn't have "run test" option on the right click and if it does its not in the rocket construction building.

 

if this game worked properly i'd buy it (for xboxone; the computer controls are just insane, only downloaded the pc version to see if it'd be worth the buy for console, and its not looking good)

[Snark]

Note that this thread is a couple of years old, and lots of stuff has changed in the meantime (including contracts).  Therefore, much of what's written here may be no longer relevant, or even downright misleading.

Accordingly, locking the thread to prevent further confusion.  If you have a question or comment on the topic, please open a new thread.