What makes you feel like a pro at KSP?

[vixr]

A "puller" tug with a station half and a large lander in tow which was an evil wobbly mess... I kept it on course during a very long burn to encounter with Duna and nailed a good encounter... Felt like a pretty decent pilot after that. That and hardly ever using F9 anymore...

Edited March 17, 2015 by vixr

[tetryds]

This, kind of.

That does not make me feel like a pro, but people got impressed, so...

[forenci]

Nailing a landing attempt on the first try and not having to quick save as a result.

Also, designing a new rocket and having all the staging work perfectly on the first attempt (almost never happens).

Or is that just me?

[impyre]

There's a lot of awesome answers here, it makes me smile. Mastery is a great feeling, (which is why I said "feel pro", which is quite subjective) and that's one thing KSP has provided a lot of for me... those triumphant moments. And failure makes them much sweeter for me.

@loch.ness: I agree, early career mode on hard settings can be quite a challenge.

@Kerikbalm: Yeah, that doesn't happen often for me. I still struggle with timing launches to rv with ships/stations in LKO. I usually have to put stations in a slightly higher orbit and launch into a lower orbit to make it easier to get a good intercept without having to waste fuel. The added benefit of higher time warps being available usually means I usually use higher orbits for stations and such anyhow.

@Johno: That's what it's all about! Keep challenging yourself.

Even mechjeb can't fly a brick (though I'm certain it would try). I don't use it, but the object is to have fun first and foremost... I certainly won't look down on players who find it more fun with mechjeb than without. They just prefer to focus on other aspects of the game.

[Slam_Jones]

Mostly flying my VTOL around KSC, getting as close to buildings/ground as possible without hitting. That, and coming to a stop mid-air, unloading armaments at an objective, then blasting away again.

Things like precision landings (not-atmo) and rendezvous/docking are too easy for me at this point to be fun :\

[Loligoat]

I haven't been everywhere in the Kerbol system yet, but I did just manage my first manned orbital flight in Realism Overhaul. His parachute fell off and he died, but that's not important.

[impyre]

I haven't been everywhere in the Kerbol system yet, but I did just manage my first manned orbital flight in Realism Overhaul. His parachute fell off and he died, but that's not important.

lol... small steps right? Any success, no matter how small, is progress.

[Hannu]

When I decide to make mission to somewhere, I have already working plans in my mind and I have experience from that kind of mission. It is more boring than fine for me. I want to make somewhat "realistic" ships and missions and not very fantastic constructions.

Fortunately, realism overhaul and RSS gives more challenge and sometimes I play that. However, there is not very good planning tools for these mods (for example the ascent is much more complicated than in stock KSP) and it gives most piloting challenges and guessing. I like most to plan missions with small tolerances and engineer ships with detailed physical infromation.

[Yemo]

I haven't been everywhere in the Kerbol system yet, but I did just manage my first manned orbital flight in Realism Overhaul. His parachute fell off and he died, but that's not important.

Gagarin had to get out of the capsule (after reentry) and land with his personal parachute. And that was the way the mission was planned.

So you might give your Kerbals parachutes, and performing this "stunt" for the first time will make you feel like a pro...

[SickSix]

I finally mastered docking and rendezvous! That frustrated me for a long time.

[michaelhester07]

What makes me feel like a pro at KSP:

What makes me feel like a nub first: not visiting Jool or Eeloo with a stock spacecraft. Currently only heavily modded craft in my game have made it that far.

What makes me feel like a pro: Assembling a cruiser in orbit from stock parts with multiple docking ports producing reinforced attachments.

-edit- Also being able to nail pretty much any satellite contract within the kerbin SOI.

What makes me feel like a pro modder: Being able to come up with decent mods and make them in a week.

What makes me feel like a nub modder: Not having decent panel textures or colors on my parts.

Edited March 17, 2015 by michaelhester07

[Gargamel]

Building Aesthetically pleasing 900t lifters.

[rodion_herrera]

Manual docking (purely visual) without using RCS. I developed this as a skill, during times when I underestimated how much monoprop I should carry. I ran out, but...as Cooper said, "It's necessary."

[Engineer of Stuff]

Flying under the R&D walkway.

edit: I HAVE 2 REP BLOBS!!!!! (yay, more internet rating.)

Edited March 19, 2015 by Engineer Of Stuff

[AbacusWizard]

Putting together enormous space stations in orbit feels so good.

[Freshmeat]

I think a well executed docking maneuver is when I feel the best.

[Ozzallos]

Keeping my kerbals alive through disasters. I build serious redundancies into my descent vehicles and aircraft.

I very rarely lose a crew to inflight disaster. Stranding them somewhere, on the other hand...

[Francois424]

Watching all these great Youtube videos by Scott Manley, 5th Horseman, Hazard-ish, HOCgaming, LPingwithardvick(sp?), Tyler Raiz, and to some extent Bob Fitch... And realizing:

- I could do that...

- I betcha he's going to do something like "X" (and he does)

- Hadn't thought of that but no problem I can make it with my parts and fly it fine

- Why is he doing it that way when way "X" is better ?

- Posting suggestions on how to make/drive a rover (last year I was the one desperately seeking advice on these forums/youtube)

It is really gratifying watching these videos and realizing you "leveled-up" to a point that you can match the pros no problem. Oh I cannot program/customize my games the way Bob Fitch does it, but just about everything else goes.

And also, planning my Jool-5 from plenty of little 3x4 inch notepads sheets while at work, making the ship/assembling it at home then setting off (rule: no resupply, if I am missing something, I make due with it), and then accomplishing the mission no problem on the very first try. That was immensely gratifying and put a broad smile on my face for days.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Francois424

[Overland]

for me its the feeling when a train returns home to KSC and all the little things that happen after a 60km round trip to a local station winds down..

its usually dark so the end marker runway searchlights appear suddenly and I find without thinking ive lined up the train perfectly in the center of the runway

running on a single engine at low rpm generating enough power to keep the headlights lit and maintain coasting speed..I give the throttle a nudge to pull the train over the lip of the runway threshold then shut down the engine once the wagons are clear

the chugging of the diesel settles back down to idle

then with a grunt and a spark number 1 engine shuts down for the night

The trains now coasting under her own weight..headlights dim to half way.. as the train does a perfectly timed slow 90 degree turn off the runway to the taxiway heading to the stabling spot near the stuffed capsule statue

Air brakes hiss..the train bunches up slightly then stops

Abort button triggers the ladders..

the missions over.. the train stabled for the night til the next run

I love KSP

[Merinsan]

I did something yesterday that made me feel like a pro. I landed a base on Ike. Then the Kerbal EVA'd and went back into orbit with the jetpack, rendezvoused with the ship left in orbit and get into the pod there.