Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not
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Ok, so Kerbal did a HUGE 1.1 patch which fixed a ton of bugs and added a few new parts and re-did a lot of the UI code and graphics are supposed to be faster and stuff.
So let's start a new Kerbal science campaign and document it in screenshots.
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MISSION ONE
Here's the science tree:
We ain't got shit! Oh well, let's do the best we can anyway. I think the pointy bit goes upwards, and more nozzles = more zoom. We don't have any kind of decouplers or sane way of doing staging, but these little solid-fuel rockets pack a decent amount of oomph (technical term), so we'll light them off in 2 groups of 3, then one final boost from the center rocket.
Whoosh! How high will she fly!?
Just short of 10,000 meters. Shezam. Not awful for a ship made with the crappy parts you get when you start. Safe landing?
Yup! About 50 meters from the pad. Only one thing left to do, let's ask Jeb to write up a report on his mission:
Precarious, Jeb. Precarious. How'd we do?
MISSION ONE COMPLETE.
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@blakeyrat Goddamn, it's finally out? I have to start ANOTHER campaign after just finishing landing a second ISRU base on Laythe* with more craft en route?
Well, okay, maybe...
*Land and refuel on Minmus, aerobrake in Kerbin atmosphere for Jool transfer, Jool Transfer with aerobrake, land and refuel at Pol, aerobrake into polar orbit around Laythe, aerocapture and precision landing. I think I have screenshots of most of it.
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MISSION TWO
Here's my tech tree:
Got some goodies! Most important is survivability, because I know from experience (of Kerbal's "new" physics engine) that heat is going to fuck me over once I actually do get a craft out of the atmosphere.
So without further ado, here's Zoom Rocket 2:
I also have access to the Science Jr. experiment bay, so what I did is replaced the center solid booster with a structural strut thing, then radially placed three Science Jr.s around it, then put a heatshield on the bottom of all four parts because FUCK HEAT.
I forgot something though... oh yeah, no control surfaces or fins. Bah, won't matter at all. Let's launch!
Smooth. Moving on to stage 2...
Uh. She no longer go up, she go sideways. (You can see from the "interesting" placement of the exhaust trail that I've kind of looped around myself vertically.) Huh. I guess those fins are worthwhile after all.
But the good news is we're out over the ocean, so there's a new biome to report on:
You're right, Jeb, you could have just put on your swim trunks. How'd we do?
Not... great. But not godawful. We'll do better with mission three.
MISSION TWO COMPLETE.
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MISSION THREE
I didn't visit the science lab after mission two, because I was annoyed at the relatively poor performance of zoom rocket 2. So let's build a zoom rocket 3.
Ok so here's the deal. Added more oomph in the form of another stage. Attached rockets centrally to the pod, to hopefully prevent the parts from "wiggling" and therefore losing control of the craft on the second stage. Added some fins! Fins are cool! Let's try it out.
So far so good...
So far so... uh... no Jeb, up. Go up! Oh shit. This rocket doesn't even take until stage 2 to lose control completely and go sideways...
But that's ok, between the SAS in the pod and those fins we have a bit of control so I'm sure we can fi--
Oh.
How'd we do?
Awful!
MISSION THREE FAILED.
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@blakeyrat RIP Jeb.
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@JazzyJosh Jeb always comes back.
... unless they changed that in the new patch! I didn't read the entire patch notes.
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Shit this game has a learning cliff.
"Hi!
Here's how you click things. HAVE FUN!"
Any good tutorials around ?
(i just bought it because 40% off on steam, and everybody seems to love it)
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@swayde said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Shit this game has a learning cliff.
"Hi!
Here's how you click things. HAVE FUN!"
Any good tutorials around ?
(i just bought it because 40% off on steam, and everybody seems to love it)-
Install Mechjeb/Kerbal Engineer and Kerbal Alarm Clock. The game goes through great pains to tell you what delta-v and launch windows are, BUT THOSE ARE NEVER DISPLAYED ANYWHERE IN THE UI.
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You need at least 3300m/s of delta-v to get to orbit. Start out going straight up, start your gravity turn eastward around 10 km such that around 20 km you are 45 degrees above the horizontal. Around 30km, you should be at 30 degrees. Once your apoapsis is near 70km, you should be flat horizontal. I like to keep burning until apoapsis is 120km due to time warp restrictions. Once you're out of the atmosphere, time warp to apoapsis and burn prograde until your orbit is circular.
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I'd go into mass fraction, Isp, transfers, landing, aerobraking, rendezvous, etc., but that would be lengthy and I don't want to threadjack.
Source: I've played the game almost 1400 hours.
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Being bad at KSP is kind of the point, I thought. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.
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@JazzyJosh said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
@swayde http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:_How_to_Get_into_Orbit
If that only worked in 2 of the 3 game modes there are. I'm not very interested in sandbox for now.
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@swayde said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
@JazzyJosh said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
@swayde http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:_How_to_Get_into_Orbit
If that only worked in 2 of the 3 game modes there are. I'm not very interested in sandbox for now.
It's highly unlikely you'll achieve orbit with base tech given the limited parts, limited mass and limited part count. Unlock the first tier or two, perform a couple upgrades, and it gets a lot easier. I don't even like to do münar missions until I have maneuver nodes unlocked.
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@Groaner said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Unlock the first tier or two
problem is, how do i gain science?
My first launch worked, and i got 5,next launch got me 0.8, next 0.2.
Now i've been "into orbit" (my ui said that, but i fell down again). No science from either of those.
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@swayde said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
@Groaner said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Unlock the first tier or two
problem is, how do i gain science?
Contracts. Missions reports. Science experiments (take temp readings, use the science modules, etc.).
You get the idea.
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@abarker said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Missions reports.
I seem to have to quit and re-enter my games before i can claim the science associated with this ( i'd claimed all my ships, but after restarting the game i claimed them all again, now with more science)
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@Groaner said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Install Mechjeb/Kerbal Engineer and Kerbal Alarm Clock.
Mods are cheating.
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@swayde said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
problem is, how do i gain science?
This thread contains screenshots demonstrating how to get approximately 50 science.
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@blakeyrat thanks.
I've done the same as you + been into orbit. So mines is bugged somehow.
Just to be sure, are you playing science only, or the full campaign?
I've got 5 science since buying both t1 upgrades.
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@blakeyrat said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
MISSION THREE
I didn't visit the science lab after mission two, because I was annoyed at the relatively poor performance of zoom rocket 2. So let's build a zoom rocket 3.@blakeyrat said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
MISSION THREE FAILED.
Guess you should've visited the science lab after mission two.
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@blakeyrat said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
@Groaner said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Install Mechjeb/Kerbal Engineer and Kerbal Alarm Clock.
Mods are cheating.
What about making a spreadsheet totaling the wet/dry masses of each stage, the Isp of each stage and plugging the results into the Rocket Equation? That'll get you the Δv without using mods.
I'll concede using Alarm Clock for launch windows and flight tracking, but that could be replaced by any of the following:
- using [this tool](https://alexmoon.github.io/ksp/) to plan departures
- building another ~1km/s into craft for suboptimal transfers
- extra refueling stops from ISRU fuel depots in strategic places
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@swayde said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
I've got 5 science since buying both t1 upgrades.
You actually have to right click on the science modules and perform the experiments at various stages of the flight. Same for getting a crew report - right click on the command module. The previously-linked wiki has an article about how to get science quickly. You also have to recover the science module at the end of the flight, unless you extract the science from the module (either by EVA or a transmitter).
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@Groaner You play how you want, and I'll play how I want.
Also feel free to make your own thread if you don't want to talk about my specific campaign, it's not some magical executive permission I have, I just clicked the "new thread" button.
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@swayde said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
I've got 5 science since buying both t1 upgrades.
Running the Science Jr. experiment on the launch pad nets 7.5. You can see I did that during mission 2.
Are you doing the flights without running the experiments? That's all I can think of. Or not adding any science modules to your rockets?
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@reverendryan said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
You actually have to right click on the science modules
@blakeyrat said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
re you doing the flights without running the experiments? That's all I can think of.
:doubleplusfacepalm:
yes that's exactly what i did.
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MISSION FOUR
Well, Jeb hasn't come back from the dead yet, so let's see how Valentina does.
I once again didn't visit the science lab because, DAMNIT, Zoom Rocket 3 is a fine design it just needs more...
Fins! Gobs of fins! Fins up the wazzoo!!!
Launch went smoothly, let's see how high we can get this sucker.
Now we're cookin' with gas...
Now we're kicking some ass...
This is Valentina, reporting space around Kerbin being very space-like. Lots of nothing out here, over.
We didn't have enough thrust to get into a stable orbit, but we're doing pretty good on this flight.
Ok, Valentina, you also get to be the first Kerbal to attempt re-entry in this crate of shit...
It all seems to be working ok. Not even ablating the heatshields, but I did major overkill heatshields, so.
Splashdown!
How did we do?
That is 84.5 science, suckas, without even entering a stable orbit.
MISSION FOUR COMPLETE.
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So... now are you going to visit the science lab?
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@Scarlet_Manuka I am doing mission five right now. PREPARE FOR SURPRISES.
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@blakeyrat
WE DEMAND A LIVE STREAM OF VALENTINA'S ALMOST SURE DEATH
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MISSION FIVE
T-t-t-t-tech tree?!
Is that what I think it is? AVIATION!? Don't mind if I do.
Here's the weird thing: you get a 1-meter normal cockpit, but the only jet engines and air intakes are 2/3 meters. SO HOW THE HECK DO YOU DESIGN A JET LIKE THAT? Even more annoying, I don't even have a structural fuselage to shove my jet nacelles onto. I just have that dumb 2/3 meter girder. So here's what I ended up making:
PRETTY FUNKY. Guess what else I don't have? That data-collecting nose-cone which is the main science producer on jet flights. But I have thermometers, damnit, so I crammed 4 of those on that jet. I also added a decoupler and parachute on the cockpit, sort of an ejection seat.
Let's fly. Like a kerbird.
For a first attempt, it flies pretty good really. Huh!
It even performs pretty well, considering it's tiny engines, wide-ass wings and non-retractable landing gear. Huh!
Do pass over the abandoned airfield:
Then turn back over the space center:
Fly over the mountains, ok I got temperature readings for 4 different biomes, let's land this sucker. Landing's always fun in Kerbal Space Program, the universe's worst flight simulator!
Huh. Well. Any landing you can walk away from, eh Valentina? (I love the expression on her face there.)
How'd we do:
Pfft. Lost two thermometers during the rough landing. But hey, Valentina's alive, and I got a bit of science. I call that success.
MISSION FIVE COMPLETED.
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It just occurred to me how to design a better jet with the parts given, kinda like the Kerbal version of a ME-262:
EDIT: Oh yeah, that flies a lot better:
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@blakeyrat i have an almos identical plane in my current kerbal campaign. the differences: only one fuel tank per engine, and control surfaces on the wings.
that damned thing flyes like an acrobatic mosquito
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@blakeyrat she does look quite a bit happier too
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@Jarry Not a lot of range with one fuel tank per engine.
That second plane only has control surfaces on the tail. It's small enough that it all works fine regardless. However, less wing area and so a lower ceiling than the first jet. Maxing out at about
90009800 meters. Still a pretty respectable altitude for any plane without retractable landing gear.
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@blakeyrat yeah, but it's not like you're going to get a lot of range anyways.
i only use it for things like "hey, let's see if i can fly below that bridge on the R&D building" or "i bet that i can safely land on top of the VAB without parachutes"the answer usually is no
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@blakeyrat wait! what are those red lights on the nose cone?
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@Jarry Apparently the latest patch added those when they redesigned all the cockpits, they turn on when you turn on the cockpit lights.
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These posts are way more entertaining than the game itself.
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@CHUDbert Yes, I know. I posted it in ANOTHER THREAD, a concept which seems to be beyond the majority of idiots who post here.
I give up on the Kerbal thing. Between the images not working, and the morons posting off-topic stuff in my thread, I'm done.
Apologies to @xaade
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Shit, this was rad.
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:(
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Gah ... still, that was pretty cool - thanks @blakeyrat!
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@svieira He does know how to make some entertaining threads when he wants too, but looks like he always stops early, I think he gets bored easily.
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@Sentenryu said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
@svieira He does know how to make some entertaining threads when he wants too, but looks like he always stops early, I think he gets bored easily.
The trick is to pretend you don't like them. Then he keeps posting out of spite.
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@cartman82 said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
The trick is to pre
The trick is: if you want to start a new thread, use the "new thread" button. Instead of just taking one of my threads and posting your random shit in it anyway, because you're somehow terrified of the "new thread" button and the very thought of pushing it gives you a cold sweat. Apparently.
The other trick is: images are broken right now, so there's no point posting this shit here when half of them won't load.
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@blakeyrat they all load for me, but they take some time/scrolling, are half of them not loading at all for you?
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@Sentenryu What, you think I lied about the images I took the time and effort to create and post not loading? Seriously?
Look, the mass of shitheads who hang around this forum waiting for me to post a topic so they could then ruin it have (fanfare) ruined the topic. That'd be true even if the images worked. Sorry. Move on with your life.
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@blakeyrat nope, I was just wondering if it had anything to do with user, browser or something local.
As one of the developers actually comes here from time to time, finding the source of the problem might actually get it fixed.
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@blakeyrat said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
Look, the mass of shitheads who hang around this forum waiting for me to post a topic so they could then ruin it have (fanfare) ruined the topic. That'd be true even if the images worked. Sorry. Move on with your life.
Trying to be helpful.
If you want a sandbox that let's you control the replies more, maybe you'd find a blog to be a better fit?
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@xaade said in Blakeyrat's Kerbal Campaign, why not:
maybe you'd find a blog to be a better fit?
You could call it the blakeyblog! Host play-along savefiles!