After what milestone should you be able to call yourself an expert at this game?

[cpt_nosh]

Docking a good looking SSTO to an orbiting station. (Even though I did not try to go further than minmus yet, with recovering the vessel afterwards)

[TimePeriod]

Nobody is an expert in a field of groundless fiction, where people build monstrous rockets and the crew go for years without any kind of nourishment.

An expert is someone educated and a sense of rational and logic, so pardon me Whackjob.

[Levelord]

If you are all really that concerned about being experts, go enroll in a university, get a physics PhD and then you can call yourself an expert. Otherwise don't waste my time trying to compare e-peens over a video game.

[cpt_nosh]

"After what milestone should you be able to call yourself an expert at this game?"

As said in the title... nobody said something about expert in physics or anything.

[Javster]

I like how the bars for each poll answer are related to the question: red for Duna, blue for SSTO (atmosphere), pink for Eve etc.

[Javster]

WOOOO Rank 3! Although docking isn't that hard for me anymore, i was surprised to see it unmastered all the way down to rank 2

Rank 5 for me. I have played 350 or so hours though, so it might not be so impressive. I've spent quite a few of them messing around with mods.

[78stonewobble]

I'd never call myself an expert at kerbal spaceprogram, but I do love mjeb for allowing even naturally born clumsy people like me with crappy keyboards and stuck "ddddd" buttons to enjoy the game alot more than we'd be able to without it and people with greater skills to concentrate on what they enjoy.

[Riftmann]

I'd never call myself an expert at kerbal spaceprogram, but I do love mjeb for allowing even naturally born clumsy people like me with crappy keyboards and stuck "ddddd" buttons to enjoy the game alot more than we'd be able to without it and people with greater skills to concentrate on what they enjoy.

Ditto. I'm far to old and clumsy and panic far to easily and often to do all but the simplest of things without MechJeb. I'm amazed at the people that can rendezvous with a cattywampus orbit manually. I have a fair amount of college level mathematics and orbital mechanics under my belt, so I understand what MechJeb is doing. It just doesn't cover its eyes like I do when something goes wrong... I did get to Duna and back on stock parts and no MechJeb, and a SSTO probe is simple. But building a spacestation without MechJeb... forget it. I'll never be confident enough to call myself an expert like some of the other amazing players are, with feats that just boggle my mind that they did it. I'm far to impatient and panicky and would have given up out of frustration if it weren't for MechJeb. I'll readily agree I 'cheat' but I have fun, not harming anyone, and surely I'm not comparing myself to those other fantastic players.

[Robotengineer]

On the poll you left out station building, or is that supposed to be under the 'harder' section? I would say you need to do multiple things such as land on Duna and return, and build a station/base on/around most planets.

[spikeyhat09]

I actually have a scale of KSP mastery I cooked up a while back, based on the Dwarf Fortress skill level system.

Rank 15: Dabbling Player

Notes: Brand new to the game. Don't know anything about anything yet. At this point, getting the capsule to land safely after you've ignited the engines is a huge achievement.

Rank 14: Novice Player

Notes: At this point, you can usually salvage the command pod without too much trouble when things go wrong. And things still go wrong a lot.

Rank 13: Adequate Player

Notes: At last you can handle a sub-orbital hop and live to tell about it! Still having some problems with getting to orbit, but baby steps and all that.

Rank 12: Competent Player

Notes: Once you've successfully attained orbit, you can be called competent. It's not exactly an irrelevant accomplishment!

Rank 11: Skilled Player

Notes: By this point, you've started experimenting with getting more fuel into orbit, and are working on your orbital mechanics. Launches should start feeling a lot more smooth.

Rank 10: Proficient Player

Notes: This rank is notable for being able to make a proper Munar or Minmus encounter. Possibly not getting BACK from it safely, but you can't be expected to get everything right away.

Rank 9: Talented Player

Notes: You're good enough now that you can get out to the Mun, get into a stable orbit around it, and maybe even land... sorta. Crashing still counts as landing, right?

Rank 8: Adept Player

Notes: It takes some finnangeling, but you've got this whole "land on another celestial body" thing down now! Getting off it isn't too hard either, as it turns out, and getting back to Kerbin... well, that's doable.

Rank 7: Expert Player

Notes: Refining your techniques, you're able to get out to the Mun or Minmus efficiently, circularize properly, and make an Apollo-style landing without too much of a headache. Getting back from either body is no problem.

Rank 6: Professional Player

Notes: Getting to orbit isn't a problem, and the Kerbin system bends to your will (ie. you can get anywhere in it and do anything in it without problems). Interplanetary operations and more complex orbital operations might still be a bit hard, though...

Rank 5: Accomplished Player

Notes: At last, the art of interplanetary missions! It's a bit rough just now, and you're wasting a lot of delta-V getting things done, but you get the gist of how it's done now... mostly. At least you can get to other planets and stay around them.

Rank 4: Great Player

Notes: Your interplanetary technique has gotten better! Far less wasted fuel now, and landing is no problem on any of the bodies (except maybe Tylo; hardly anyone can handle that even at this stage of skill!). Getting back to Kerbin is generally doable, as long as you have enough fuel.

Rank 3: Master Player

Notes: Functionally speaking, you can get anywhere in the KSP solar system. Likely some things are still quite challenging (like getting on and off Tylo, or Eve), but overall you have a solid grasp of the game. Likely you have some pretty glaring weak points in your skillset in spite of that.

Rank 2: High Master Player

Notes: Certain aspects of the game can still trip you up (probably spaceplanes and/or docking; most have problems with one or the other), but other than that you have the game mastered and are thoroughly capable of just about any task you can think up. You may well quickload a few times during not-quite-routine missions, but usually you don't need that unless you're trying to get an absolutely perfect maneuver done.

Rank 1: Grand Master Player

Notes: Not much about KSP still flummoxes you. Orbital maneuvers are easy, getting to orbit is easy, missions almost always go off without a hitch, etc. Maybe some reliance on quicksaving and quickloading, but it's not really necessary for you.

Rank A: Legendary Player

Notes: Absolutely nothing is challenging to you about Kerbal Space Program. Getting to orbit is an afterthought. Planning missions is relatively quick and painless, and always works out right. Quicksave and quickload are completely unnecessary outside of bug avoidance. You are one with the Kerbal Space Program.

Rank S: Ultimate Player

Notes: You're taking things above and beyond the norm. Even the legendary players are awestruck by your skill. Challenges on the forums and Reddit don't even faze you. Complex mega-missions like grand tours are a breeze. Very few players ever reach this level of skill.

So going by those titles, I guess a player hits Expert level when they're able to run missions in the Kerbin system without problems.

In between "Rank 1" and "Rank A" for me.

[iDan122]

I'm rank 2 I'd say..

[LethalDose]

I actually have a scale of KSP mastery I cooked up a while back, based on the Dwarf Fortress skill level system.

Rank 15: Dabbling Player

Notes: Brand new to the game. Don't know anything about anything yet. At this point, getting the capsule to land safely after you've ignited the engines is a huge achievement.

Rank 14: Novice Player

Notes: At this point, you can usually salvage the command pod without too much trouble when things go wrong. And things still go wrong a lot.

Rank 13: Adequate Player

Notes: At last you can handle a sub-orbital hop and live to tell about it! Still having some problems with getting to orbit, but baby steps and all that.

Rank 12: Competent Player

Notes: Once you've successfully attained orbit, you can be called competent. It's not exactly an irrelevant accomplishment!

Rank 11: Skilled Player

Notes: By this point, you've started experimenting with getting more fuel into orbit, and are working on your orbital mechanics. Launches should start feeling a lot more smooth.

Rank 10: Proficient Player

Notes: This rank is notable for being able to make a proper Munar or Minmus encounter. Possibly not getting BACK from it safely, but you can't be expected to get everything right away.

Rank 9: Talented Player

Notes: You're good enough now that you can get out to the Mun, get into a stable orbit around it, and maybe even land... sorta. Crashing still counts as landing, right?

Rank 8: Adept Player

Notes: It takes some finnangeling, but you've got this whole "land on another celestial body" thing down now! Getting off it isn't too hard either, as it turns out, and getting back to Kerbin... well, that's doable.

Rank 7: Expert Player

Notes: Refining your techniques, you're able to get out to the Mun or Minmus efficiently, circularize properly, and make an Apollo-style landing without too much of a headache. Getting back from either body is no problem.

Rank 6: Professional Player

Notes: Getting to orbit isn't a problem, and the Kerbin system bends to your will (ie. you can get anywhere in it and do anything in it without problems). Interplanetary operations and more complex orbital operations might still be a bit hard, though...

Rank 5: Accomplished Player

Notes: At last, the art of interplanetary missions! It's a bit rough just now, and you're wasting a lot of delta-V getting things done, but you get the gist of how it's done now... mostly. At least you can get to other planets and stay around them.

Rank 4: Great Player

Notes: Your interplanetary technique has gotten better! Far less wasted fuel now, and landing is no problem on any of the bodies (except maybe Tylo; hardly anyone can handle that even at this stage of skill!). Getting back to Kerbin is generally doable, as long as you have enough fuel.

Rank 3: Master Player

Notes: Functionally speaking, you can get anywhere in the KSP solar system. Likely some things are still quite challenging (like getting on and off Tylo, or Eve), but overall you have a solid grasp of the game. Likely you have some pretty glaring weak points in your skillset in spite of that.

Rank 2: High Master Player

Notes: Certain aspects of the game can still trip you up (probably spaceplanes and/or docking; most have problems with one or the other), but other than that you have the game mastered and are thoroughly capable of just about any task you can think up. You may well quickload a few times during not-quite-routine missions, but usually you don't need that unless you're trying to get an absolutely perfect maneuver done.

Rank 1: Grand Master Player

Notes: Not much about KSP still flummoxes you. Orbital maneuvers are easy, getting to orbit is easy, missions almost always go off without a hitch, etc. Maybe some reliance on quicksaving and quickloading, but it's not really necessary for you.

Rank A: Legendary Player

Notes: Absolutely nothing is challenging to you about Kerbal Space Program. Getting to orbit is an afterthought. Planning missions is relatively quick and painless, and always works out right. Quicksave and quickload are completely unnecessary outside of bug avoidance. You are one with the Kerbal Space Program.

Rank S: Ultimate Player

Notes: You're taking things above and beyond the norm. Even the legendary players are awestruck by your skill. Challenges on the forums and Reddit don't even faze you. Complex mega-missions like grand tours are a breeze. Very few players ever reach this level of skill.

So going by those titles, I guess a player hits Expert level when they're able to run missions in the Kerbin system without problems.

I think I'm around a 5 on this (I think I could be higher, just not getting a lot of game time in right now), but to stay on target, I think a 3 would be where I'd call a player an "expert".

[Robotengineer]

I actually have a scale of KSP mastery I cooked up a while back, based on the Dwarf Fortress skill level system.

Rank 15: Dabbling Player

Notes: Brand new to the game. Don't know anything about anything yet. At this point, getting the capsule to land safely after you've ignited the engines is a huge achievement.

Rank 14: Novice Player

Notes: At this point, you can usually salvage the command pod without too much trouble when things go wrong. And things still go wrong a lot.

Rank 13: Adequate Player

Notes: At last you can handle a sub-orbital hop and live to tell about it! Still having some problems with getting to orbit, but baby steps and all that.

Rank 12: Competent Player

Notes: Once you've successfully attained orbit, you can be called competent. It's not exactly an irrelevant accomplishment!

Rank 11: Skilled Player

Notes: By this point, you've started experimenting with getting more fuel into orbit, and are working on your orbital mechanics. Launches should start feeling a lot more smooth.

Rank 10: Proficient Player

Notes: This rank is notable for being able to make a proper Munar or Minmus encounter. Possibly not getting BACK from it safely, but you can't be expected to get everything right away.

Rank 9: Talented Player

Notes: You're good enough now that you can get out to the Mun, get into a stable orbit around it, and maybe even land... sorta. Crashing still counts as landing, right?

Rank 8: Adept Player

Notes: It takes some finnangeling, but you've got this whole "land on another celestial body" thing down now! Getting off it isn't too hard either, as it turns out, and getting back to Kerbin... well, that's doable.

Rank 7: Expert Player

Notes: Refining your techniques, you're able to get out to the Mun or Minmus efficiently, circularize properly, and make an Apollo-style landing without too much of a headache. Getting back from either body is no problem.

Rank 6: Professional Player

Notes: Getting to orbit isn't a problem, and the Kerbin system bends to your will (ie. you can get anywhere in it and do anything in it without problems). Interplanetary operations and more complex orbital operations might still be a bit hard, though...

Rank 5: Accomplished Player

Notes: At last, the art of interplanetary missions! It's a bit rough just now, and you're wasting a lot of delta-V getting things done, but you get the gist of how it's done now... mostly. At least you can get to other planets and stay around them.

Rank 4: Great Player

Notes: Your interplanetary technique has gotten better! Far less wasted fuel now, and landing is no problem on any of the bodies (except maybe Tylo; hardly anyone can handle that even at this stage of skill!). Getting back to Kerbin is generally doable, as long as you have enough fuel.

Rank 3: Master Player

Notes: Functionally speaking, you can get anywhere in the KSP solar system. Likely some things are still quite challenging (like getting on and off Tylo, or Eve), but overall you have a solid grasp of the game. Likely you have some pretty glaring weak points in your skillset in spite of that.

Rank 2: High Master Player

Notes: Certain aspects of the game can still trip you up (probably spaceplanes and/or docking; most have problems with one or the other), but other than that you have the game mastered and are thoroughly capable of just about any task you can think up. You may well quickload a few times during not-quite-routine missions, but usually you don't need that unless you're trying to get an absolutely perfect maneuver done.

Rank 1: Grand Master Player

Notes: Not much about KSP still flummoxes you. Orbital maneuvers are easy, getting to orbit is easy, missions almost always go off without a hitch, etc. Maybe some reliance on quicksaving and quickloading, but it's not really necessary for you.

Rank A: Legendary Player

Notes: Absolutely nothing is challenging to you about Kerbal Space Program. Getting to orbit is an afterthought. Planning missions is relatively quick and painless, and always works out right. Quicksave and quickload are completely unnecessary outside of bug avoidance. You are one with the Kerbal Space Program.

Rank S: Ultimate Player

Notes: You're taking things above and beyond the norm. Even the legendary players are awestruck by your skill. Challenges on the forums and Reddit don't even faze you. Complex mega-missions like grand tours are a breeze. Very few players ever reach this level of skill.

So going by those titles, I guess a player hits Expert level when they're able to run missions in the Kerbin system without problems.

I would say I'm a Rank 3 player who is good at docking. Though not to good at landing on distant planets/moons such as Eeloo or moons in the Jool system.

[NecroBones]

That would put me around rank 2. I usually manage to get things to work the way I want. I have docking down to a science, but can't do a space-plane to save my life.

[Liowen]

There needs to be a Rank L - Legen....wait for it.... dary!: You have not only done all the above, but you have also put one of every class of asteroid around every planet, including the sun, and moon using one tug to do all the work without refueling or enabling cheats and have at least 3 Kerbals on each asteroid. For added style point all asteroids should have been moved as one unit, with life support. There if you have done this, and ONLY this, should you consider yourself an expert in this game. This should end the thread as i is nearly, though not entirely, impossible.

[Rusty6899]

Rank 2. I haven't bothered to really try spaceplanes yet. Not properly anyway. My docking recently has been inelegant, but effective (I have had problems with poorly placed RCS thrusters so I'm only using SAS and the H and N keys).

Trying my first Tylo landing at the moment, I have used up a couple of quick saves, gonna refine my technique and try again fairly soon. I also had a nightmare trying to land on Laythe (aiming for the islands is tough and with a very heavy lander the ground had to be completely flat).

[The Jedi Master]

I choose Tylo, but then I realized that a Grand Tour would be much more appropriate. Even Scott Manley hasn't done a Grand Tour (to my knowledge--I haven't watched his videos lately). Ultimately, though, you are an expert when you decide you are.

Also, I think I'm Rank 5.

Edited April 13, 2014 by The Jedi Master

[Marclev]

"after what milestone can you call yourself an expert"

When you find yourself spending more time reading and posting in the game forums than actually playing the game.

[Tw1]

I felt pretty competent when I proved I could get a kerbal to orbit with a ladder, ten struts, and a probe core.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/70180-Attempting-to-go-to-space-the-Kerbal-on-ladder-engine-An-experiment-report?p=980474&viewfull=1#post980474

Most of those things are a case of more boosters, though smarter boosters help. I think expertise might be better measured in the basic skills, like docking, rendezvous, payload lifting, landings, SSTO design.

Though completing an Eve return is quite a display of skill.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Tw1

[quasarrgames]

Well, there's only one thing left to do...

EEEEVE RETUUUUURN! =======================)]]]]]]>

i also wonder what people mean by HARDERZ! must see!

[Liowen]

i also wonder what people mean by HARDERZ! must see!

Asteroid train to every planet and moon without using KER, cheats, refueling, and you must have life support and 3 Kerbals on every asteroid. If any Kerbal dies you fail. If any asteroid become undocked you fail. If you use more than one tug you fail. If you move more than 1 of every type in the same payload you fail. If you detach anything after it has been hooked to the asteroid you fail. If you have any engines on anything other than the tug you fail.

For added fun you should limit yourself to 1.25 meter parts (since the new parts are "op"), and must be done in one launch.

I await Whackjob's submission to this....

[Jouni]

Well, there's only one thing left to do...

EEEEVE RETUUUUURN! =======================)]]]]]=]=>

i also wonder what people mean by HARDERZ! must see!

Eve landing tests a only a subset of basic skills. It's essentially an engineering challenge. For another kind of engineering challenge, try building a spaceplane that can carry useful cargo to orbit. For yet another engineering challenge, launch reusable stuff to orbit and see, what you can do with them, if you can only launch fuel tankers after that. For a piloting challenge, try landing on Tylo. For a navigation challenge, try getting around efficiently using gravity assists. For a logistics challenge, try managing multiple complex missions that are happening at the same time.

[roosterr]

Landing on Eve and return is beyond expert. Expecially if manned.

[NecroBones]

"after what milestone can you call yourself an expert"

When you find yourself spending more time reading and posting in the game forums than actually playing the game.

I think this is the best one so far.

[Madrias]

When you can give advice on the forums and people benefit from it.

OR

When you no longer find a need to use quicksave, even in a moment of caution. You are confident in your ability to land on just about any world or dock with any craft without fear.