TheVille

I know a couple of folks around here have mentioned playing this, but I didn't see a thread more recent than last year, so figured I'd start another.

Just installed and started playing for the first time today. Having heard it had a bit of a learning curve, I decided I would make a go at it without using the tutorial or looking anything up. Results were predictably lol-worthy:

First attempt at flight of any kind:


First attempt at fixed-wing flight:


I am pleased to report that with minor adjustments (figuring out how staging works on the first, and a wider rear wheel configuration on the second) I was able to get both initial designs working without significant modifications. Both made successful flights and safe landings shortly after these were recorded. Safe flights aren't that interesting though - it's all about the hilarious consequences of failure!

I highly recommend looking at tutorials on youtube - particularly those by a guy called Scott Manley: http://www.youtube.com/user/szyzyg

They'll take you through some basics.

I love this game. I'm starting a new save file for the latest update, the changes to the SAS system (which stabilize a rocket) are fantastic!

I have one video to share which is the very first time I managed to land on the Mun without help from any mods etc. I utilized an...unorthodox method for getting my rover onto the ground (best viewed full screen and HD):





Speaking of mods - MechJeb is great but try and avoid using the autopilot for the best experience (you'll find the game more rewarding). http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/sho ... lot-v2-0-9
Engineer does a lot of the same stuff as MechJeb without auto pilot: http://kerbalspaceport.com/0-18-1-kerba ... edux-v0-5/
Procedural fairings is fantastic for generating something of more or less any size that can contain your payload. http://kerbalspaceport.com/procedural-fairings/
Lazor docking cam is great when you get the point of trying to dock together 2 items: http://kerbalspaceport.com/lazor-docking-cam/

If you're looking for something to do, the following are good steps for learning:
1) Get something into a more or less circular orbit
2) Rendezvous with another object (the Mun makes a good target)
3) Land on the Mun (rover or astronaut)
4) Land on the Mun, then come home again!
5) Build a space station (you will not *believe* how difficult it is to rendezvous parts in orbit and connect them together)


If anyone is interested, we could start posting challenges for others to do...?



I'm really looking forward to where they're going with career mode with this game:
http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/sho ... viewfull=1

As far as mods go, I'd really recommend Kethane : http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/sho ... August-15)

From the wiki:

The Kethane Pack introduces surveying and mining as new gameplay mechanics to Kerbal Space Program via the resource kethane. Kethane is a substance found throughout the universe unique for its ability to be converted to any number of useful products or be used as a fuel source directly. To harvest kethane in one of its many forms, one must first scan planets and moons using survey units, mine the discovered deposits with specialized extracting tools, and store it in the proper kethane storage apparatuses

Adds a really interesting objective to the game.

I have the Kentnational space stations in orbit of Kerbal. I have two because I burned all my maneuvering fuel before I could figure out how to dock my two segments decided 1 space station in orbit is a great feat by great nations, but 2 space stations in orbit are done by only the superior nations, lead by superior and loved leaders

Marf, Taco, and myself played the heck out of it for awhile. Marf still plays quite often. I tried to get a youtube series going at one time called 'Kerbal Space Problems" but I cancelled after two videos.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... GlBpwKKAvs

*** (Looking back at my two videos, they were actually poorly done)

I really oppose mods in this game. Many people won't play without them but I think having to do these small calculations and guesses is a major role in the fun of the game.

the only mods I use are just parts mods...I need more to design with!

So, the only thing I have done, notably, is get a space ship into orbit around Jool, inside the orbit of all it's moons as well. Otherwise, I have nothing to say. I have failed countless space walks, crashed into closer planets, etc. Never have I returned a spaceship back home. And ya know, I'm pretty sure I got really lucky by getting to Jool. I got some gravity assist from Mun and one other planet. Boy was I lucky that day. I crashed a lot of other spaceships.

All I ever do is abuse the infinite fuel cheat and go exploring (Alt-F12 brings up a debug menu); even with infinite fuel it's a lot harder to go on interplanetary flights than TV makes it look. I flew a rocket to Eve and managed a landing, but I botched the landing and can't leave. I also didn't bring a rover of sorts so exploring the planet (which has similar gravity to Kerbin; too much for EVA thrusters) is slow and boring.

That said, I successfully went to Minmus and back with infinite fuel. Don't get me wrong, I've played without cheating, but the best I've done is get a lone Kerbal stranded in orbit. I've yet to break orbit without cheating.

I have orbited both kerban moons, failed to land on Mun, got a probe in orbit around eve, and sent another probe on an escape trajectory outside the kerbol system (it's gonna take a long time to get there)...Ion Thruster Engines FTW!

ADevilishPotato wrote:Ion Thruster Engines FTW!

It sounds better if you word it as "nearly infinite and constant acceleration engine"

I definitely have no interest in mods for now, and certainly not mods that make the game easier. It's already a sandbox with infinite resources and multiple undo buttons

I like the challenge of doing it the "right way" - same reason I refuse to mod vanilla Minecraft with mini maps, high-vis textures, or other silliness.

Alizée Fan wrote:I definitely have no interest in mods for now, and certainly not mods that make the game easier. It's already a sandbox with infinite resources and multiple undo buttons

Pretty much...I just trial and error with some scott manley help, and if in doubt BUILD BIGGER ROCKET!

ADevilishPotato wrote:and if in doubt BUILD BIGGER ROCKET!

If that don't work, use more rocket.

What's the saying? The solution to all your construction problems is more boosters or more struts, depending on your issue?

Let's see, what have I done?

I decided to work my way up like a real space agency would. My first test flights just got a rocket out over the water, testing staging. Soon after, I had my first rocket up at the edge of space, before I sent it back to burn up in the atmosphere.

I created a multiple satellite array orbiting Kerbin.
I sent an orbiter to the mun, followed by a rover. It was able to travel about a kilometer away before flipping and exploding in the low gravity.

Aaaaand that's the extent so far. Everything else has been met with brutal failure.

Today I made my first couple of escape velocity flights. I sent a pair of probes out on a pair of giant rockets, fired off in to deep space at 90 degree angles. I also tested out my Mk II fixed wing jet, and managed to make a safe emergency landing with no fuel after burning it all to recover from an inverted flat spin 35m above ground. Those were the successes. Failures included a variety of tip-over-on-the-pad incidents, some severely broken stabilizers leading to predictable lols, and one case of a lovely and successful sub-orbital shot out to around 70km, which went beautifully until 500m off the ground on the return, when the nose cone (with parachute attached) decided to rip off of the rest of the rocket, letting the all-important instrumentation and controls plummet to the ground. The Kerbals were glad that was an unmanned mission.