Anyone still fly for "fun"

[goldenpsp]

I haven't played a lot of KSP .24 since I'm still on vacation. As such I haven't really seen how many funds I can accumulate yet. But it got me thinking about having enough funds to be able to do non-mission specific flights. things like setting up space stations, or fuel depots etc. Or maybe just a mun/minmus mission to get some science without it being part of a "mission"

So are others finding the missions and funds eventually gives you enough funds for "fun" launches? Or are you so tied to the mission system you pretty much have to base your flights around an actual mission to keep yourself out of bankruptcy?

[luizopiloto]

SandBox is there for this...

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Well... i did some missions so far and I ended up with 460.000 funds after I landed at the mun while the rocket only did cast around 40.000 funds. I think there is enough Money in the game to let you do whatever you want.

Edit: Hi Luizo

[Gojira]

I got a contract that gave me nearly a million in funds.

All I had to do was take an LFB KR 1x2 to orbit and test it.

All I did was strap two to the sides of one, strapped a command pod and decoupler on top, and went.

It went well, and I got a million in funds.

Now I have plenty of excess for all of my missions.

And maybe a couple smaller missions for fun as well.

[Jodo42]

I got a contract that gave me nearly a million in funds.

All I had to do was take an LFB KR 1x2 to orbit and test it.

All I did was strap two to the sides of one, strapped a command pod and decoupler on top, and went.

It went well, and I got a million in funds.

Now I have plenty of excess for all of my missions.

And maybe a couple smaller missions for fun as well.

Just ran across that one myself. Not sure why we get 800,000-some funds for testing the thing in orbit, considering how easy it is to get it up there...

Edit: I should mention that many of the contracts are provided at a time when their goals are something you're logically going to do next: eg, once you get to orbit, the next place you go is probably the Mün. And once I landed from my first orbit, guess what contract was available.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Jodo42

[sickboy]

don't worry about funds, it's hardly an issue, it has you consider what you want to do and plan out a bit more carefully but you can still do non-contracts missions frequently without running out of money

[LethalDose]

Well, it's more fun for me when I have a goal, so contracts are also "for fun" for me.

But yeah, I still fly my little trainer craft for fun.

And space stations and fuel depots can be useful, and almost necessary, if you're maintaining a fleet of orbital vessels, which can be a pretty economic strategy.

[Tidus Klein]

Step one....build plane.

step two....fly plane.

step three... have funnz?

step four....land plane on runway for 100% profit.

step five..PROFIT!

[sardaukar11]

In the worst case, you still have the science campaign mode, like in 0.23.5 (no contracts so no money, but with tech tree)

[goldenpsp]

Thanks so far.

I guess some clarifications.

1. Yes sure there are the other 2 game modes. I figured it would be somewhat obvious I was talking within the confines of the new contracts mode.

2. "Fun" probably wasn't the best word but it was shorter than something like "non directly contract related" flights. I find the contracts fun as well.

I was thinking more in terms of logistics missions. Things like space stations. Or with additional mods (such as kethane or the communication network one) where you will have to do some missions that are not going to have contracts etc.

Primarily I was curious if people found that with enough contract success they were getting enough funds to do that, or if they mostly just scraped by, requiring that you pretty much had to focus on being able to complete a contract every flight. Sounds like as long as you don't fail tons that funds won't be an issue.

Thanks

[Aragosnat]

Yeah. Plus there are some missions that just ask for data to be sent from orbit around x planet/moon. As long as you have a craft in orbit and a way to transmit data (any will do even ones that will net you 0 science) You will get the funds. Which I shall name "Do-Dads". I'm only 6 days in and have made close to $640 K. Dispite thinking I have wasted about $100k + in boosters and other waste full spending I have done testing parts they wanted tested which does not help do what I want to do most of the time.

Edit: At least now stations and satellites have use for being there with the contracts that ask for data being sent from certain orbital locations.

[samstarman5]

And they are bound to have more active uses in time. I got to thinking how the thought of how SSTO's were getting to be rather pointless in the game since you could build a disposable rocket to do the job much easier. Now we have First Contract, and refunds for recovered parts have become rather important in game progression. With an SSTO, the reward is even greater, especially with missions like rescuing a lost kerbal in orbit.

This affirms to me that Squad embraces all aspects of space travel, and stations especially are bound to see more relevance with career mode in the next few updates. Heck, a proper fueling station with a science module could allow for SSTO's to make trips to the Mun and Minmus for the science to be found there with much more affordability. Having enough tech to explore the system with a ton of funds to allow it would definitely give you the flexibility to fly those missions how you want, without having to worry about the bare minimum.

It may seem a bit dry at the start, but with the right approach to the first contracts and building a reusable ship that can get them done, there is no doubt you can have all the "Fun" you want during your space career. Remember, it doesn't actually have to look like a space shuttle, as the Dragon X has taught us.

[HafCoJoe]

Step one....build plane.

step two....fly plane.

step three... have funnz?

step four....land plane on runway for 100% profit.

step five..PROFIT!

Nice :3

I approve

[adge]

Hi all,

I've found my Agency operating in a manner that one would expect a real-life agency to operate in. I'll do a few non-contract missions to further my technology, land on the Mun a few times, etc., and then I'll jump back and do a few test contracts on experimental equipment. As I said, that's how I picture a true agency would run things: they'll go for the scientific discoveries and all that good stuff, but they'll intersperse it with taking contracts for private companies to boost their budget.

So yes, it's more than feasible to fly your own missions, and you're not stuck doing nothing but contracts at all.

[problemecium]

I've paid virtually no attention to the funds. SQUAD did such a good job making it noob-friendly that for an experienced Kerballer like myself, money just rolls in while I go about my usual science-collecting and contract-filling business.

[Frank_G]

Well... i played a few hours until the first Mun Landing was done a few minutes ago... i now have more than 400.000 funds... i guess, like science, funding wont kill the game, it just adds reward and a little more challenge. No problem to fly for fun... even in career after just a few hours of gameplay.

[edit] saw this one too late:

I've paid virtually no attention to the funds. SQUAD did such a good job making it noob-friendly that for an experienced Kerballer like myself, money just rolls in while I go about my usual science-collecting and contract-filling business.

Thats exactly how it goes. Its just even more fun.

[Eric S]

Well... i did some missions so far and I ended up with 460.000 funds after I landed at the mun while the rocket only did cast around 40.000 funds. I think there is enough Money in the game to let you do whatever you want.

Very much this. I've done three missions without trying to recover more than the capsule of each mission, the third of which was a trip to the Mun where I hit four biomes. The craft that did the hopping had 7 Goo canisters and 7 Science Jrs (3 of each on the transfer stage, 4 of each on the actual lander), so it wasn't a bare bones mission by any means. Still, it only cost 57544, and my current balance after that mission is 360874, so even if I didn't do any more contracts, I could pay for enough of those to launch missions to hit every biome on the moon (including the 4 I already hit, since I now have more experiments), and still have enough left over for an even more expensive mission to Minmus.

The only contract I went out of my way to complete was the second mission where I rescued a stranded kerbal from LKO, all the other completed contracts were of the nature of "I'm going that way anyway."

[Col_Jessep]

I'm actually a bit disappointed with .24 because the Mission Controller mod I played with in .22 was superior in almost every way. More of a challenge, less hassle with height and speed unless it's really important for the mission and a much better recovery system (if somewhat buggy at the time). In .24 I'll probably go entirely 'fun' and go back to sandbox. Or maybe get my old career and get that water sample Eve still owes me.

[timsfitz]

Playing full "ironman" mode and I have planty of money. Already getting contracts to explore Jool and I haven't been to Duna yet. Poor Jeb died last night though. I will memorialize him somehow. Maybe a station.

[Idrryl]

To me, the funds don't pose a problem, as i have tons of 'em, but it's a good feeling when you have 96% recovery rate and a completed contract. But I'm sure realism mods will soon emerge to deal with "too much money"

[EtherDragon]

Thanks so far.

I guess some clarifications.

1. Yes sure there are the other 2 game modes. I figured it would be somewhat obvious I was talking within the confines of the new contracts mode.

2. "Fun" probably wasn't the best word but it was shorter than something like "non directly contract related" flights. I find the contracts fun as well.

I was thinking more in terms of logistics missions. Things like space stations. Or with additional mods (such as kethane or the communication network one) where you will have to do some missions that are not going to have contracts etc.

Primarily I was curious if people found that with enough contract success they were getting enough funds to do that, or if they mostly just scraped by, requiring that you pretty much had to focus on being able to complete a contract every flight. Sounds like as long as you don't fail tons that funds won't be an issue.

Thanks

In short, yes! I have made some flights just for the heck of it...

I had a new ship to test, and wasn't sure of it's capabilities after unlocking some parts. I had about 500k-Funds, so I put together a mun-shot to see how close to landing / recovery I could get. I brought the full package just in case (science stuff and a crew member). I set up strict go / no go conditions for each phase based on vessel performance. Turns out - it was more than capable of landing on the Mun. I got a ton of science, all on my dime, and unlocked some more parts to stream-line the design some more.

Then, I immediately grabbed the next Mun contract, and promptly brought in about 100k-Funds profit on the next launch.

Now that I have so much funds (more than 600k) I'm doing missions just for the science.

[waerth]

Although I have been playing KSP for over a year now I never really left Kerbin orbit regularly. Always been to busy in orbit ....

So now I am trying to get to the mun for one of the first missions and lost a couple of boosters sofar so I am now experimenting with my funds earned and earn some more funds on smaller contracts pertaining to testing equipment.

So in a way I am flying for fun!