About Mods....

[AGalvao]

Hello,

I am new at the game (still trying to put a rocket on orbit).

I was looking at some SS that people show theyr creation, and i had a doubt,

Do i need to get some Mods to make cool stuffs ? Like bases in others planets or put SS on orbit and all this things...

Ty

[killer420]

No you don't have to at all. It just enhances your options on what to build with.

[Javster]

There are many mods available. You can do close to anything with a vanilla (unmodded) game. Mods can make it easier to do these things, or offer alternative options.

[Eric S]

It depends on how you want them to look and what you want them to do. Outside of maybe a dozen mods like Kethane, ISA_MAP, Damned/Infernal Robotics, Hooligan Airships, and Kerbal Attachment System, most mods are about improving the interface or providing parts that look different or are differently balanced rather than adding something that just can't be done in a stock game.

[PringleMan]

Indeed. Some mods like LackLuster's pack or the Wayland Corp stuff or Bobcat Industries or KSPX are pretty much just part packs. Some of the parts may do really cool things, but it is still just a part that looks nice. Other mods like FAR or Deadly ReEntry change the way the game works. For example FAR changes the entire aerodynamics system of the game. There are also mods that add functionality to the editors and stuff. And then the third big group of mods are content addons that add whole areas of the game in terms of things to do. The primary one for this right now I think is Kethane which adds resources you can harvest and convert into other stuff.

As Killer said you do not need any of these to do cool things. Go watch Scott Manley's videos on youtube, that is a perfect example.

[Schweehog]

Indeed. Some mods like LackLuster's pack or the Wayland Corp stuff or Bobcat Industries or KSPX are pretty much just part packs. Some of the parts may do really cool things, but it is still just a part that looks nice. Other mods like FAR or Deadly ReEntry change the way the game works. For example FAR changes the entire aerodynamics system of the game. There are also mods that add functionality to the editors and stuff. And then the third big group of mods are content addons that add whole areas of the game in terms of things to do. The primary one for this right now I think is Kethane which adds resources you can harvest and convert into other stuff.

As Killer said you do not need any of these to do cool things. Go watch Scott Manley's videos on youtube, that is a perfect example.

Congrats you are the 10,000th poster in this thread. (I have a picture of 9999 as well)

Edited July 16, 2013 by Schweehog

[TerrificToby]

If you want decent aerodynamical efects, you might want Farram aerospace research.

[SRV Ron]

Here is a design to get you started with satellites and maneuvering.

Redstone Probe

Probe Stage;

1. Stayputnik

2. ASAS controller

3. 2 2100 battery packs placed on Stayputnik

3. Set of the four instruments placed on top of the ASAS Controller.

4. FL-R25 RCS Fuel Tank

5. Set 4 RV-105 Thruster pack placed near base of the ASAS Controller

6. 8 fixed solar panels.

7. Stack Decoupler

Second Stage

1. FL-T400 fuel Tank

2. LV-909 engine

3. Stack Decoupler

First Stage

Stack of;

1. FL-T200 fuel tank

2. FL-T400 Fuel Tank

3. FL-T800 Fuel Tank

4. LV-T45 engine

5. 4 Delta winglets place as low as possible.

6. 2 Launch Stablizers.

This design will not only get you into orbit with fuel to spare, it will allow you to play with the thruster pack to see what it can do in maneuvering. It is easy to launch into orbit with no rolling or shaking. You may also be able to orbit Mun or Minmus but may need the thrusters to complete the orbital insertion.

Want to go to Mun or Minmus with this design and land your probe there? Add a set of four TT-38K radical decouplers and attach a set of 4 RT-10 Solid Fuel boosters. Start the Gravity Turn after the boosters burn out, are dropped, and the first stage engine powered up. To land on Mun or Minmus, descend with the fuel in the second stage and ditch it when you have killed all orbital speed at about 3,000 meters. Use the probe thrusters to control landing as well as to kill all horizontal movement. Be sure Window's Sticky Keys are disabled. Land in daylight where shadows are present so you can tell when to slow down to 3 m/s or less and kill all horizontal speed to land. My second attempt was successful placing a probe on Mun.

Edit;

This basic design has probes in orbit around Kerban. The booster design has a probe on Mun and one orbiting Minmus ready to land. An Onion Design using the basic rocket as stage 3 and 4 is currently orbiting Ike with fuel left in stage 3 after doing a Duna flyby. A similar design is orbiting Eve. On that design, an added thruster fuel tank is needed to aid in maneuvers since this rocket in orbit is too large to orientate on the ASAS alone.

Edited July 16, 2013 by SRV Ron

[ZenViolence]

SRV Ron,

Just out of curiosity, at which altitude would you start your gravity turn with this design, and how aggressive are you with it?

[SRV Ron]

SRV Ron,

Just out of curiosity, at which altitude would you start your gravity turn with this design, and how aggressive are you with it?

I start about 5* when the boosters drop off. That is usually about 5,000 meters. Then another 5* at 7,500 meters, more at 10,000 meters and finish up at 45 to 55* around 20,000 to 25,000 meters before switching to map view to check apogee. I will shut down at 100,000 meter apogee, the design submitted will be staging about then, set up a maneuver node or just eyeball the paragee, point the rocket to the horizon or maneuver marker, and complete the burn to orbit. There will be fuel left for maneuvering and on the booster design, plenty left for a probe landing on Mun and Minmus.

You do the turn in small steps rather then all at once.

[Lieber]

Absolutely no mods are required to enjoy the game to it's fullest. I myself prefer playing "the way it was intended to be played" in quite a few games, but the quality of the mods and the support that the developers give is worthy of downloading one mod or two.

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager