Thork

Kerbal Space Program
« on: August 20, 2015, 08:17:24 AM »
So I got this yesterday and started playing. Its the first game I have bought in about 5 years. I haven't played games much in the last 10.

I run a negligent space program with few safety procedures. The Kerbals in my space program need balls of steel and a good life insurance policy. I don't visit the administration hut much, but I'm guessing it is a swarm of paparazzi, crying widows and stacks of legal paperwork.

In memory of those who gave so much, so we could learn so little ...

Jedidiah Kerbal, 27 ... misadventure with a solid fuel booster
Bob Kerbal, 42, ... discovered thermal heating effects of re-entry with his own carcass
Valerie Kerbal, 24 ... taught us about ordering stages properly as she ejected her parachute before releasing the last stage of her rocket
Bill Kerbal, 31 ... missing presumed dead in the first ever orbit without the fuel to get home
Fred Kerbal, 32 ... first Kerbal faster than 1050m/s and never got below that speed ever again
Sam Kerbal, ... gave us all a great view of asymmetry issues, demonstrating rapid autorotation just 100m above the launch pad
Bobak Kerbal ... reached for the moon and missed

May God rest their little green souls.

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Offline xasop

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2015, 10:32:48 AM »
I played this once, ignored what the tutorial wanted me to do and just tried to go as fast as I could in no particular direction. Once I'd run out of fuel and achieved an orbit so large it would take me hours to get back to anywhere useful even on the fastest speed setting, I got bored and gave up. RIP.
when you try to mock anyone while also running the flat earth society. Lol

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Offline Rushy

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2015, 01:10:19 PM »
I played this once, ignored what the tutorial wanted me to do and just tried to go as fast as I could in no particular direction. Once I'd run out of fuel and achieved an orbit so large it would take me hours to get back to anywhere useful even on the fastest speed setting, I got bored and gave up. RIP.

This would be funny if I thought you were joking, but you aren't, and that's terrible.

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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2015, 01:16:41 PM »
I used to play this all the time back when it was in alpha. I haven't downloaded the final game yet, but I probably will when I upgrade my PC.

My biggest achievement was probably my expedition to Moho, which involved a complicated multi-stage assembly in space because the ship was far too big to be launched in one piece from the ground. Basically, the ship was driven by three nuclear engines, with the large fuel tanks being connected in multiple launches. When one tank became empty, it was dumped, but it still left three engines burning. When we got to Moho, the lander went down to the surface, while the interplanetary ship remained in orbit to get them home.




My first big mission was probably Project Budapest, which involved first getting a ship in orbit around Duna, then dropping a manned rover, before sending a rescue vehicle which didn't have enough fuel to get home, so I had to send another ship to collect all 5 kerbals and bring them home.


« Last Edit: August 20, 2015, 01:47:11 PM by Ghost Spaghetti »

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2015, 02:51:36 PM »
Oh, awesome, a new place for me to post KSP after action reports.  Spoiler alert: they almost always end the violent death of the crew krew.  I mean really, who has the time to see every Kerbal safely through to the end of the mission?

Here's a random smattering of some KSP screens I've emailed to people before:

The first solar eclipse I've ever seen in my whole life.  I wish it had been a real one, though...


Bill and Jeb managed to get into orbit around Tylo, but they didn't have enough fuel to land.  Since they obviously didn't have enough to get home, they decided that Tylo was as good a place as any to rest in peace.  Jeb was a little pissed at Bill after their 13-month voyage (something about hogging the Xbox), so he decided to bail at the last moment and watch Bill die just moments before his own death.


This is the first tin can I ever put into orbit using the Real Solar System and Realism Overhaul mods.  Space is fucking hard.
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Offline Particle Person

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2015, 07:42:14 PM »
nerds
Your mom is when your mom and you arent your mom.

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Offline Misero

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2015, 02:37:57 PM »
I decided to play it after SimpleRockets on my IPhone.

It's like an abusive relationship. I just keep coming back.  :'(
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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2015, 03:43:54 PM »
I super duper recommend the CKAN mod manager: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/100067-The-Comprehensive-Kerbal-Archive-Network-(CKAN)-Package-Manager-v1-12-0-30-Jul-2015

It's fantastic.  If you're playing KSP without any mods, then you're missing out on some great user content.  Especially MechJeb and SCANsat.
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Thork

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2015, 08:37:30 PM »
I like it because I can play for 20 mins and then just stop and do something else. You don't get dragged in for hours.

I managed my first orbit and got that Kerbal back home yesterday. I'm playing the career game. I'm now looking towards my first escape velocity ship. It needs a bit more work. I am not able to get back home right now.

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2015, 01:37:14 AM »
I like it because I can play for 20 mins and then just stop and do something else. You don't get dragged in for hours.

wait i thought this thread was about kerbal space program
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Offline Pongo

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2015, 12:32:16 PM »
I decided to play it after SimpleRockets on my IPhone.

It's like an abusive relationship. I just keep coming back.  :'(

How is SimpleRockets?

Thork

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2015, 04:12:55 PM »
Wanted a new avatar. Bit spoiled for choice.

          

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2015, 03:27:13 PM »
I'm playing the career game.

There are a couple of mods that would greatly enhance the enjoyment of your career game, especially if you prefer to play in short bursts.  Science grinding can get super annoying.

  • CapCom: Mission Control on the Go - A contract management window available in all scenes; accept, decline, or cancel contracts without going back to the Mission Control Center.
  • Contract Window+ - A new, more flexible contract monitoring window.  Really useful for showing your progress toward completing mission objectives in real-time.
  • KerbalScienceExchange - Lets you exchange science points and funding.  I often find myself with an abundance of cash and just a few of science points away from my next tech, and it's nice to be able to spend some cash for science over grinding for it.
  • [X] Science - A Science Checklist plugin for KSP.  Basically it gives you a checklist of every science experiment you're capable of conducting and your progress toward them.  For instance, if you haven't yet produced a crew report from a splashed-down command pod, then there will be an item on the checklist for it telling you what to do and how much science you'll earn.  Really, really useful.
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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2016, 05:33:18 PM »
I've finally picked up the release version of this game after buying a PC which could handle it again and I'm surprised by how different it actually is from the Beta versions. Here are some observations:

-The new aerodynamics have completely borked some of my previous rocket designs. It took me the longest time to work out why some basic rockets started tumbling when I tried to turn them.
-The new heat and atmospheric pressure system is brutal, I haven't successfully brought a rocket down from orbital speeds yet - the parachute keeps breaking.
-The missions from the career mode are a mixed bag. Some, like the Milestone ones or the 'go here, do this' missions are all right, but I hate the part testing missions. Trying to fire one specific piece of kit at a specific speed at a specific height is a massive pain.
-The female kerbals are a nice addition - and unexpected since the devs flatly refused to implement them earlier in development.

Thork

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2016, 06:48:18 PM »
I've finally picked up the release version of this game after buying a PC which could handle it again and I'm surprised by how different it actually is from the Beta versions. Here are some observations:

-The new aerodynamics have completely borked some of my previous rocket designs. It took me the longest time to work out why some basic rockets started tumbling when I tried to turn them.
-The new heat and atmospheric pressure system is brutal, I haven't successfully brought a rocket down from orbital speeds yet - the parachute keeps breaking.
-The missions from the career mode are a mixed bag. Some, like the Milestone ones or the 'go here, do this' missions are all right, but I hate the part testing missions. Trying to fire one specific piece of kit at a specific speed at a specific height is a massive pain.
-The female kerbals are a nice addition - and unexpected since the devs flatly refused to implement them earlier in development.
The beta deliberately had bodged aerodynamics because it was free. How do you get all the loyal fans to trade the free version for the paid version? You change the bits that made the game unplayable. They played for free, they enjoyed seeing the game come to fruition ... now it needs to return money to those who invested in its development.

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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2016, 09:01:34 AM »
Except that if you paid the pittance for the alpha, you got the full release game and any future updates free.

legoclone09

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #16 on: February 09, 2016, 02:55:22 PM »
I play this game alot. I've got a good thousand hours on it, and I usually play 64k rescale or Realism Overhaul/Real Solar System. I've sent a probe to Venus in RSS/RO as well as landing a half-ton probe on the Moon. In stock I've sent Kerbals to Vall, I have an imgur album of it, and I've started making a base with Roverdude's Kolonization stuff.

Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #17 on: February 09, 2016, 03:20:13 PM »
eagerly awaiting 1.1
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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #18 on: March 31, 2016, 02:45:30 AM »
the beta version of 1.1 is now available for steam users.  it's pretty amazing.
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Offline BlueMoon

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Re: Kerbal Space Program
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2016, 03:08:20 PM »
the beta version of 1.1 is now available for steam users.  it's pretty amazing.
About time!  I'm getting sick of memory crashes from playing modded 32 bit, and I'm ready to use more cores of my i7 processor.
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