Just got the game whish mods to use?

[shea1980]

hi i,i have tryed the demo and loved it,i have bought the game and was just wondering which mods should i use if any,and where do the mods install?thanks all:)

[Markus Reese]

Hiya. If you are comfortable with stock parts. The novapunch and KW rocketry sets are nice to begin with. Allow construction of larger and more complex rockets while also reducing lag since fewer parts. Other bits makes it possible to do really fun stuff. The powertech stuff and dynasat is nice. The last one I cannot remember but is good if you want a challenge, but it is a set of auxiliary forms of energy. Things like Kethane, electrical energy and Xeoxygne are part of it. Make for a bit more challenge as you need to maintain life support essentially. Also allows things like processing new fuel on landings, but haven't used that yet to determine how it works.

[Omega500]

Dont use mech jeb for auto assent land orbital maneuvers ect.

It will take a lot of the fun out the game.

I use it for orbital info and other info as i find it easier then pressing M and back all the time.

[LaydeeDem]

Try flying with stock as well. I cleaned out my parts folder yesterday and made a small craft capable of orbiting the Mun, transfering to Minmus, and then I landed with EVA, rendezvoused with my craft and flew home. All stock.

But if you gotta have a mod, the DEMV and Carts are pretty good. Try KW if you want good rocket parts and payload fairings.

[Qumefox]

Only mods I use are protractor, kerbal engineer redux, (both of which are purely information readout mods) and a few select pieces from the novapunch pack. I'm pretty against things that fly for you. Stranding your kerbals on distant planets is much more enjoyable when you get to do it yourself.

kerbal engineer redux gives you things like TWR, available delta-v in a build/stage, etc. Eliminates a good bit of trial and error, but not all of it. Pretty much the same with protractor.. Gives you readouts of planetary information like current angles, etc.. Again.. takes some of the trial and error out of getting planetary intercepts.. but not all of it.

[Steve Fink]

I like MechJeb, a lot. But, I do share similar feelings with the above posts against MechJeb.

First, I think everyone new to KSP (BTW, get the paid version, its only $20, well worth it) should start WITHOUT MechJeb and understand the basics of launch, control, and orbit. And even afterwards, I still build the beginning stages of every new rocket WITHOUT MechJeb. That way you know you have a stable well balanced craft if you can fly it manually. BUT, after a while the launch procedure gets so routine, you understand it and it is nice to have the autopilot take over so you can focus on the data being fed by MechJeb such as Apo and Peri data, thrust to weight ratios, and more. This info greatly improves your rocket building skills. You can also use it to figure out the optimal flight path, when to make your gravity turns, etc.

Secondly, I am in this "game" for the sim side of things. In a perfect world, I would love a sim like KSP with all real-world parts to use. And in the real world, we would never be able to accomplish what we do in spaceflight without computers and guidance control systems. So adding a high-end computer to your craft that automates things for you is reality. When we watch real launches on NASA TV, what is happening is mostly automated and the dialogue you hear from the control room are just readings sent from the guidance and control systems. If you are the person programming MechJeb prelaunch, you are still controlling the craft. As long as you understand what is going on, and you can and should override the computer in an "event", using MechJeb is justified.

Lastly, MechJeb is modular. It gives you multiple tools and you can turn on or off the ones that are important to you. I initially got it so I could see in-flight data so I did not have to toggle "M" to see my orbital info. Even though I crash land a lot, I have yet to use the landing computer, and wont until I get the landings down manually.

Oh, yeah, and for now, other than MechJeb, I am all stock. Once I get the itch and run out of combinations of craft, I want the NovaPunch Mod to make cleaner looking rockets. For now, going all stock makes for a great challenge.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Steve Fink