What should I do next?

[MajorMushroom]

So I'm brand new to career mode, and I'm not sure what I should do next. Recently I've orbited the mun, which has given me enough science to unlock the electrics upgrade for 90, and stability for 45. So far I've unlocked all 45 science upgrades other than the plane one (sorry for my limited knowledge) My current plan is to land a space probe to test if I can get kerbals up there. But the problem is I need ladder upgrade for them to safely get down, but I'm also thinking I might need the fuel upgrade for some good old vegetable staging. Should I just probe to mun and minmus, then send kerbals up? 

Can someone quickly make a nice todo list for me? Thank you

[Aegolius13]

On the 90 science ones. I would prioritize the two engine options,  and the fuel one that adds the larger size fuel tanks.  The big engines expand your capacity hugely, and the Spark and Ant  are great for little craft.   Miniaturization is also good,  since it offers the first docking port.   

FYI, you can do Mun (and Minmus) missions without ladders.   The jet pack has plenty of thrust to get your kernels back up to the hatch,  once you get the hang of it.

[qzgy]

You can design the lander in such a way that no ladder is needed. You could also use the EVA jetpacks just to get to the hatch.

Also, maybe focus on some facility upgrades? VAB and launchpad mainly.

 

[Spricigo]

 As a genetal rule of thumbs get the cheaper nodes first and priorize nodes with scientific instruments.  

Some nodes also unlock "key equipment" for contract types, adding a bit of value to those particular nodes.  On top of my head are solar panels  for satellites, docking ports for stations, grabbing unit for asteroids and drills for mining.

At this stage of the game my priorities are electrics, propulsion system, advanced contruction and miniaturization to better exploit satellite contracts. 

In any case don't expect much of the game in indicating "the next goal" . Is mostly left to the player to decide when, where and how the next mission will be. 

Knowing what you Is doing, is not  dificult to land at the Mun with you current tech. Learning about deltaV and looking at deltaV map may help a lot to design your crafts/missions . While it helps, you don't need to calculate deltaV budget(or instal a mod that does), a basic understanding is enough. 

[Zhetaan]

@MajorMushroom:

I'd give you a to-do list, but honestly, I don't want to imply structure where there is none.  If you can make orbit, then you've reached the point where you can decide for yourself what you want to do next (well, I suppose that's true regardless, but it's still nice to know that you can continue a ground-bound program because you want to, rather than because you have to).  I will echo others and say that no ladder is no problem if you're on Mun or Minmus, but if you want to send a test probe rather than risk your Kerbals on a moon landing, well, go ahead!  It's your game!

If you want to know how to do something, then I and many others here will fall over ourselves to show you every known way.  Then we'll probably argue about which is the best way, but we're usually very friendly about it.  If you want to know what to do, well, the only thing I can realistically say is play the game.

That being said, if you are concerned about ladders and don't want to force yourself to rely on jet packs, I would remind you that you don't need to land on a moon to get good amounts of science from it.  Apollo 8 and 10 went to the Moon but never landed there; 10's lunar module even got down to under 15 km from the surface.  You could easily send a Mun orbiter to get all of the high and low in space science.  There aren't a ton of orbital experiments but there are enough for you to unlock a few nodes if you like.  If you get docking ports, you can also get a World's First for Munar rendezvous and docking, no landing required.  You can do a combined manned-unmanned mission:  take a manned orbiter combined with an unmanned probe lander that you remote-pilot to the surface.  You don't need docking ports for that; you can do just as well with separators.  You can get recovery science from vessels that fly by a body, orbit that body, go suborbital on that body and then back to orbit--none of these require landings.

You can also do contracts and local Kerbin science.  I cannot speak to the contracts, but Kerbin science tends to be sparse (by design--you're encouraged to get out there and explore); however, it is science that you may not already have, so it's something.

[Snark]

My usual priorities in career mode, in order:

1. Science instruments.  New science instrument = new stream of science to unlock stuff.  I prioritize science instruments over pretty much everything.
2. The Terrier.  It's fantastic as an upper-stage engine, is cheap on the tech tree, and stays relevant through the entire game.  You can send a craft pretty much anywhere in the solar system with just Terrier + Swivel + SRBs.
3. OX-STAT solar panels.  Needed for missions that last multiple days, and/or need to transmit lots of science.
4. OKTO probe core.  It's the first "usable" probe core, since it has SAS (I find working with the Stayputnik to be an annoying hassle).  Opens up lots of options, including unmanned probes, and "send a crewed probe that only has a scientist on it".
5. Everything else is gravy.  Pick whatever order you like. 

Things I typically avoid spending science on (at least in the early game), and leave for last:

• Airplane stuff.  (Not that there's anything wrong with it, I'm just not an airplane person).  Exception:  Occasionally I'll spring for the initial 45-point node in early career, just because it allows me to build a poor-man's rover (sits on aircraft landing gear, powered by Juno), which allows tootling around KSC scrounging science from the micro-biomes.
• Ladders.  They're not needed until late game.  Kerbal EVA thrusters are enough to allow flying practically anywhere except for Kerbin, Eve, Tylo, and Laythe-- and those are all late-game destinations for crew, when there's plenty of science to spare.
• Wheels.  (I'm just not a rover guy.)
• The Mk1-2 command pod and Mk2 lander can.  Nothing wrong with them (other than being crazy-overweight), just that they don't really open up new play options, relative to other things I could get instead.

 

My usual financial progression (i.e. the order of building upgrades) usually goes like this:

1. Launchpad.  As soon as I get to LKO and beyond, the 18-ton limit becomes a straitjacket pretty darn quick.  And it's really cheap to upgrade.
2. Mission Control.  The 2-contract limit becomes constraining, plus I'm going to need this for maneuver nodes anyway.  And it's also reasonably cheap.
3. Astronaut Complex (for EVA ability).
   • I usually go for this before the tracking station, because I find I can go to the Mun and back reasonably okay even without maneuver nodes, and having EVA is nice for gathering more juicy science.  Also, this is cheaper than tracking station.
4. Toss-up between tracking station (for maneuver nodes) and VAB (for >30 parts).
   • I tend to go for tracking station first, since I can go to Minmus with <30 parts, but doing Minmus without maneuver nodes is a pain.  But VAB is a pretty quick need after this.
5. Whichever of tracking station & VAB I didn't get in #4, above. 
6. Long, hard slog to get the money to upgrade R&D.
7. Long, hard slog to get the money to upgrade R&D again.
8. Launchpad to level 3.
9. VAB to level 3.
10. Tracking station to level 3.

That's basically it.  I generally never bother with upgrading the astronaut complex to level 3 (no new abilities, and I rescue all my kerbals so I don't need the higher staff ceiling), nor do I ever do anything with whatever-building-it-is that houses "strategies" (since I have no use for that feature), nor do I boost Mission Control to level 3 unless I'm rolling in cash and have no reason not to spend it (since I find 7 contracts to be enough, most of the time).

[dvp]

If you can get the mobile lab, put one in orbit. That's enough science to unlock the tech to get a mobile lab on Minmus or the Mun. That's enough science to unlock the entire tech tree, if you wait.

Travel outside the Kerbin/Mun/Minmus area is a bad idea until you've got advanced communications.

Space tourism seems to be my best revenue generator.

[MajorMushroom]

2 hours ago, Zhetaan said:

@MajorMushroom:

 

 

That being said, if you are concerned about ladders and don't want to force yourself to rely on jet packs, I would remind you that you don't need to land on a moon to get good amounts of science from it.  Apollo 8 and 10 went to the Moon but never landed there; 10's lunar module even got down to under 15 km from the surface.  You could easily send a Mun orbiter to get all of the high and low in space science.  There aren't a ton of orbital experiments but there are enough for you to unlock a few nodes if you like.  If you get docking ports, you can also get a World's First for Munar rendezvous and docking, no landing required.  You can do a combined manned-unmanned mission:  take a manned orbiter combined with an unmanned probe lander that you remote-pilot to the surface.  You don't need docking ports for that; you can do just as well with separators.  You can get recovery science from vessels that fly by a body, orbit that body, go suborbital on that body and then back to orbit--none of these require landings.

That's great, I was in a great rush to get something down on the surface, I'll work some more on flybys and suborbital flybys and stuff.

2 hours ago, Snark said:

My usual priorities in career mode, in order:

1. Science instruments.  New science instrument = new stream of science to unlock stuff.  I prioritize science instruments over pretty much everything.
2. The Terrier.  It's fantastic as an upper-stage engine, is cheap on the tech tree, and stays relevant through the entire game.  You can send a craft pretty much anywhere in the solar system with just Terrier + Swivel + SRBs.
3. OX-STAT solar panels.  Needed for missions that last multiple days, and/or need to transmit lots of science.
4. OKTO probe core.  It's the first "usable" probe core, since it has SAS (I find working with the Stayputnik to be an annoying hassle).  Opens up lots of options, including unmanned probes, and "send a crewed probe that only has a scientist on it".
5. Everything else is gravy.  Pick whatever order you like. 

 

 

 

Excellent, I have them all so I should be good for a while, thanks all!