Tech tree suggestions

[Matt77]

I play using various mods including FAR, DRE, TAC-LS, and RemoteTech, and Kerbal Construction Time. Others too, but those are the main gameplay ones.

On my 0.90 career, which took a while! This happened.

Everything was great and a little slow. I had an orbiter at each of Kerbin's moons equipped with a lander and enough fuel to land at almost every biome. I was also doing contracts to raise cash. I maxed out the level-2 science building very quickly, then it became a grind to attain the cash to build it up to level-3. I used policies to convert as much science as possible to cash, but when I finally could afford to upgrade the building, I had attained enough science to easily unlock all remaining nodes, with thousands of science left over.

I don't think a single Kerbal has reached level 3 - none of them have done more than 2 - 3 missions. My two Duna probes are still 200 days out from Duna. Yet, in a way, the game is "complete" - my motivation is unlocking stuff.

If anybody can suggest a way to extend the game without breaking my save, I'd like that. The only thing I can think of is KSP Interstellar, but I'm not really into the future-tech. I also noticed a couple of tempting tech trees that require adding multiple mods for parts etc. I am already near the RAM limit.

In my opinion the stock tech tree should be more like the real story of rocket development from the V-1 to the near future. Gradually improving parts over time. The way it is, I'm unlocking the most powerful engines in the game before construction is complete on my first Poodle-powered ship...

I also considered tweaking the science income down and the funds income up, but that would make the early game painfully slow.

I'd just wait for 1.0, but I think that's a long way off...

Edited April 5, 2015 by Matt77

[sam.johnson841]

Build a colony on Gillie or something crazy, anything crazy will do, you could look in the challenge sub forum for ideas?

Sam

[Starhawk]

Interstellar might be the way to go. I think that most of it isn't future tech, although I'm not certain of that.

It looks like you won't have to wait too long for 1.0. Many of us are eagerly anticipating the newly rebalanced career mode.

Happy landings!

[Matt77]

Thanks, if there are no more suggestions before I get home in a few hours, I'll install Interstellar and report back. From the amount of work Scott Manley had to do to reach warp capability, I don't suppose I'll manage it before 1.0 arrives and EVERYTHING changes :-)

[Yemo]

The stock career is horribly unbalanced, especially in terms of science rewards.

So if you want a balanced gameplay, consider using balance mods, especially regarding contracts and strategies.

Since mixing tech trees during a game is generally a bad idea and you already accumulated lots of science from the unbalanced contracts, a new career is your best option for a balanced gameplay.

The SETI-BalanceMod in my signature would provide that (with better progression, it starts with probes) when using the CommunityTechTree. If you do not want that, there are recommendations for other balancing mods under INSTALL and at the end of the second post.

[celem]

Unfortunately career mode is still not a fully-fledged and balanced game in this respect.

I tend to play much like you, if you want any other planets in the Kerbol system to be relevant then you must ban yourself from Kerbins moons. Its a spectacularly easy task to max out the entire tech tree within 2-3 game days with only vague ability to actually design and fly.

For instance i dont need minmus, its a 4day flight, why would i do that when i can strike 8 mun biomes in 24 hrs inc transfer and return?

Answer of course is just dont visit them, or make 1 token landing on each for the progression contracts but refrain from biome hopping or putting stations in orbit. Either pretty much completes your game directly, since you start reaping 2-4k sci per mission

If you want to do contracts, scale the sci rewards way back, i use 20% and they still contribute a big chunk.

Also ban yourself from 'Test-part' contracts or remove them entirely from the game, they areway too easy and offer broken amounts of sci. Its often possible to 'launch' something with no engines and/or fuel, recover it 15 seconds later and scoop 100 sci for launchpad part tests. Broken balance-wise.

Mods, as you mention can help, either they add more parts, or redistribute what is available. If you are already sitting close to the RAM cap then you will absolutely require the ATM mod to add anythign else (compresses textures, i use it even on otherwise vanilla installs since Squad's stock textures are bloaty)

Finally, I did once play a carer back in 0.24 where I tripled the cost of every node in the tech tree. Game is still easy but takes a little longer at least and its less viable to max out inside Kerbin's SoI.

Edited April 3, 2015 by celem

[TheXRuler]

Interstellar is a really good idea. Most of it (except for antimatter and FTL-Drives) aren't even that far away, many are just in very early stages of development. Either that or development was stopped due to cost to efficieny factor. Things like fusion aren't that far off, and things like microwave beamed power are possible, but since we don't have fusion we don't have enough energy to make it useful etc. I really like the mod because it doesen't feel OP since it is a helluva lot of work to set up say a reliable beamed power network.

Also, I can strongly reccomend the [thread=79588]MKS/OKS[/thread] by Roverdude (also check out his other mods, they're awesome), especially combined with kethane or karbonite they add a whole new level of complexity to the game.

My self set goal is to havea fully self sufficient spaceprogram with in situ refuelling and mining operations, self-sustaining life support systems for all stations and bases, bases and orbital stations around every body, a fleet of FTL-capable shuttles and rescue ships and a gigantic self-sustaining FTL-Cruiser with landers, skycranes and rescue ships for all bodies in the kerbin system.

Also concerning your RAM problems I can strongly reccomend [thread=59005]Active Texture Managment[/thread]. That enabled me to more than double the amount of mods I can use, and my install was already heavily modded. I am currently using MKS/OKS, KW-Rocketry, KSP-Interstellar, Freight Transport Technologies and B9-Aerospace, all of which are rather part heavy. Plus a ****load of plugins and I still have space to go

[sisyphean]

there's a mod called contract reward modifier by Dmagic which enables you in game at any time to alter the rewards payouts from contracts. so you could start of with the standard science income until you get, say, docking ports then scale it back to 0% science rewards from then on. as long as you can refrain from cranking it upto 1000% income on each contract and you can prevent yourself doing more than 1 landing on mun or minmus you should be gravy. i find it particularly useful to get more cash in the mid point of the game where the only way to make cash is by launching hundreds of satellites, though fun for a while it does get a bit tedious.

also i use realistic progression 0 on my realism overhaul install and it definitely makes things a bit more balanced on the tech tree and science side (for example there is no surface science on kerbin, you must take off to progress and you don't start with manned capsules) not sure if there is a config for it without the other realism overhaul mods though but it would definitely be more of a challenge for you if it did.

Edited April 3, 2015 by sisyphean

[Matt77]

Thanks for the replies - I wrote a nice reply then closed the tab accidentally!

Yemo, the SETI mod looks good but it doesn't really suit my play style - I only use stock parts, aside from those required for the realism mods I use. I like the idea, but it makes too many changes for my liking. You made a good point about balance though - it isn't the tech tree that's the problem, it's the overall game balance.

Celem - I'm actually going to forget contracts exist between now and 1.0! Although they were absolutely required to get my science centre up to level three - I think the tiers increase in cost much too rapidly. I'll have to increase the default funds income a lot though, or the same thing will happen...

Realistic Progression seems to require RSS?

[Tw1]

I don't think a single Kerbal has reached level 3 - none of them have done more than 2 - 3 missions. My two Duna probes are still 200 days out from Duna. Yet, in a way, the game is "complete" - my motivation is unlocking stuff.

.

And this is the #1 flaw in career. mode. By only giving the player a set of finite set of gaols, they've given a save a much shorter period of maximum engagement.

Had they thought things through and made it more about keeping a productive space program going, saves could last for ages.

[Matt77]

I think once development is "complete" (hoping for many more upates yet!) I'm going to need a fair few mods to make it the game I'd like. Having said that, I have spent more hours on KSP than any other game...

In the end I installed Mod-Oriented Tech Tree (unmanned) and Sounding Rockets. I also reduced science rewards to 50%, and left the funds at 100% because I need to upgrade those buildings! I've spent an hour or two launching silly hobbyist rockets and then crashed, I'm guessing it was the RAM limit - so no real news on whether I fixed the pacing, or created even more grind!! I'm waiting for ATM to do it's thang...