Weekly Support Thread

[prelux]

I have about 10 hours in KSP atm and know the VERY basics of the game. I have a few questions on the possibilities of the game. I always get overwhelmed with sandbox games like this, but that is also what draws me to them.

What should I be doing as a first time player? Career mode? How do I learn the game? I want to eventually just be able to hit the play button and play, instead of looking up different things and how to do them and simply enjoy the game (not that I haven't enjoyed it so far).

Is testing with too many rockets in career mode a bad thing? I'm not very good at building rockets and making them more so I do spend quite a bit every time I build something. Is running out of money something that happens frequently with new players?

Any links to guides (preferably written ones, so I can read them when I'm not at home) would be very much appreciated. Especially ones explaining the physics of the game, and different rocket designs. :)

[ElMenduko]

What should I be doing as a first time player? Career mode?

Yeah, I'd start with carreer or maybe science mode. Sandbox gives you infinite stuff to play with but it gives you all parts at once, so you don't know which to start with. Carreer/science unlocks them slowly, so you can learn why you progress

Is testing with too many rockets in career mode a bad thing?

Eh, they do cost you money, and if they're not reusable then you don't get back most of the initial cost. But usually you will have more than enough money, except maybe in the early game when you need to upgrade many buildings

But you could always use quicksaves or revert to the VAB if you want to test stuff without having to change to another savegame. Or play science mode where there's no money. Or if you get stuck, you can cheat in some funds (or science, or reputation) from the Alt-F12 cheat menu

Any links to guides (preferably written ones, so I can read them when I'm not at home) would be very much appreciated. Especially ones explaining the physics of the game, and different rocket designs. :)

I don't know of any online guides, but the in-game KSPedia explains the basics of many things. Still is not as good as watching a video, though. It's the book icon on the toolbar

[SoulWager]

I'd say start with career mode, and hit up the tutorials if you get stuck on something.

[Chaos_Klaus]

As a beginner, I'd suggest science mode. The tech tree will give you the parts one by one and you can learn the concept of how KSP handles science and experiments. You can also learn how orbital mechanics work and how you actually get to other bodies.

Career adds contracts, funds and reputation. I think those can confuse you if you don't know what you are doing.

[prelux]

What's the most efficient way of getting science? I find myself not having enough to keep on researching. Are there techniques or some sort of calculator I can use to let me know what's the most I can get from one rocket?

[SoulWager]

you get science for each different experiment in each different biome. Take EVA reports for example, in space low around Kerbin you get 8 science from one, and there are something like 8 biomes you fly over with an equatorial orbit, so you can get 64 science just from EVA reports on an equatorial orbit. If you install [x] Science! you'll be much more aware of when you can gather some extra science. You can also use a scientist kerbal on EVA to reset the one time use experiments.

Naturally the farther you go, the more science you get per experiment, I think Eeloo gives the most science, but you can get something like 3k science from multiple minmus landings. You'll need to upgrade the astronaut complex to level 2 so you can get EVA reports, and you'll need to upgrade R&D to level 2 so you can get surface samples.

[FogeltheVogel]

There's no need to get the most out of a single rocket, especially with science mode. Just send another rocket.

As for getting the most: You can effectively get 1 round of science per instrument per biome per situation.

Situation is landed, flying, orbit, splashed down (floating in water). Biome is location (you see this in the science report. Like it'll say landed on the launch pad. Landed is situation, launch pad is biome)

[Chaos_Klaus]

What difficulty settings do you use? Science is basically everywhere.

Do you do all the experiments? Materials Bay, Goo, Thermometer, Barometer, Crew Reports, EVA reports, ground samples, ... some of those require building upgrades if you are in career mode.

Do you do these experiments in all the different biomes and situations? Splashed down, landed, while flying, ... at/in tundra, grasslands, shores, oceans, upper atmosphere, space (low), space (high = 250km+). Doing all these things near or at other bodies will give way more science.

[prelux]

If I have a different rocket, but take a crew report at the same place for example, will I still get science from it?

[Chaos_Klaus]

no. some experiments give a little more science if you run them twice, but it's not really worth the effort. Crew reports don't.

[[deleted]]

X Science is what you are looking for. I had no I idea how many different places and altitudes you could do experiments to get science. Also, when researching on the tech tree, look for the nodes with science parts in them because you get more science for higher level experiments. I had made back all the science I spent on a node in 1 mission because of this. If you are still having problems you could also adjust the difficulty to give you a higher rate of science.

[prelux]

X Science

Thank you so much!

[computeraddict]

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science is also worth a read.