Time Vs Space: Getting back into KSP

[TheAlmightyOS]

Right off the bat I want to say what this is about cause I tend to meander in my posts: I am having a hard time finding the time to play KSP due to the number of mods available. Personal issue right? Why am I posting here in General Add-on Affairs? If you care to know, I will explain myself.

The primary issue for getting back into KSP is the mods. Obviously I could play vanilla KSP and it is fun to do so. But when I know I could make an ultimate battle cruiser and supporting Mun base using B9, NFT, nearly everything from roverdude then vanilla gets old quick. And you just can't go without Firespitter and of course Hooligan labs and KAE for messing around in the planets atmosphere. If you are building anything from B9 on the ground you need Snjo's hanger extender. Can't forget Novapunch and KW rocketry. Did I mention all the space station mods? Annnnd I just passed the ram limit for windows so time to set up a linux install. While I am at it I find about ten other mods I just have to have and install those too.

I am not saying the Mods are a bad thing. I love them (too much, it might seem) as I pointed out above. However, both when I first started playing with mods and currently as I am trying to get back into the game I find myself tweaking and installing more then I am actually playing and it is not an enjoyable thing. I am not advocating for an easier way to install or find Mods. That has been done to death here, no one wants to hear about it and some good projects are currently active and addressing these issues. I suppose I just want to play more and install less. Obviously that would mean stop looking for and installing mods. However, that would also mean missing out on some cool stuff like Roverdude's Alcubierre Warp Drive that I just found a few moments ago. How do you guys handle "Mod Overload" if you suffer from this condition and are there any suggestions to help me play more and tweak mods less?

[regex]

How do you guys handle "Mod Overload" if you suffer from this condition and are there any suggestions to help me play more and tweak mods less?

Install and tweak less. Seriously.

Right now I'm running a "stock-FAR" install with RSS to correct for reduced delta-V (I made the config a long time ago) and a few mods that I can't live without: TacFB, Engineer, PWings, PFairings, DRE, KAS, KAX, RealChute, Stock Revamp, Universal Storage. I haven't tweaked any of those mods. Considering how much time I've put into playing and modding this game over the last year and a half, that's about as crazy as I want to get for the moment, although I'm certain I'll put together a proper RO install at some point.

[RainDreamer]

Well, I have been getting your problem as I learn more about module manager and personalize my mods even more, and sometimes I spend a day just writing MM cfg for KSP instead of actually playing.

So I tell myself, well, what do I really want to do with my stuff? Once I got an answer, I get right on it instead and start building. A mun base? Time to pull out those MKS parts. A satellite network? lets launch a bunch of satellites with RT2 dishes. If you let yourself wander around with all the mods, you would be overwhelmed by it and not getting things done. So start something, make that design concrete. Tell yourself you can upgrade it later with new mods, and launch things up to space.

Another thing that would help, is make an actual list of mods you use the most, that you can't play without, then start playing with just those mods first. More interesting things can be added later on. Also would help with troubleshooting when you have a list of mods (preferbly with versions number) when things go wrong.

[TheAlmightyOS]

Install and tweak less. Seriously.

This is true and I suppose I knew it before I even pressed the submit button for this thread. I just don't have the discipline that you have. If I did, I would not have this problem . May I ask what you mean by "RO" Install?

Well, I have been getting your problem as I learn more about module manager and personalize my mods even more, and sometimes I spend a day just writing MM cfg for KSP instead of actually playing.

So I tell myself, well, what do I really want to do with my stuff? Once I got an answer, I get right on it instead and start building. A mun base? Time to pull out those MKS parts. A satellite network? lets launch a bunch of satellites with RT2 dishes. If you let yourself wander around with all the mods, you would be overwhelmed by it and not getting things done. So start something, make that design concrete. Tell yourself you can upgrade it later with new mods, and launch things up to space.

Another thing that would help, is make an actual list of mods you use the most, that you can't play without, then start playing with just those mods first. More interesting things can be added later on. Also would help with troubleshooting when you have a list of mods (preferbly with versions number) when things go wrong.

What you say makes a lot of sense. Especially about choosing what you want to do. Before I took a break from KSP I was doing the same as you: making MM cfg's and creating my own fuel mod (electroplasma). Seemed I spent more time retrofitting parts to accept the new fuel type and engines to use it than actually playing. Never got a single ship into space that wasn't for testing the new engines / generators. However, I think choosing a goal, planing out the actual missions and deciding what mods are needed for those missions one at a time then it becomes less cumbersome and focused on gameplay. Thank you for the advice.

[regex]

This is true and I suppose I knew it before I even pressed the submit button for this thread. I just don't have the discipline that you have. If I did, I would not have this problem . May I ask what you mean by "RO" Install?

A full "Realism Overhaul" install. There are a lot of mods involved.

[TheAlmightyOS]

A full "Realism Overhaul" install. There are a lot of mods involved.

I could imagine. Seems you and I are on different paths. While you are going for realism I am trying to live out my sci-fi daydreams.