Tips for the beginner ?

[Windspren]

I would mess around with planes. Go ahead, fly them into the ground, make an ejector seat, fly them to space, get BDArmory and blow them out of the sky, destroy the KSC. Then you can make ICBMs, and at the same time learn a bit about rockets.

[va1erian]

Thank you, everyone, for excellent advices. Some of them work already now... to a point

[Camaron]

I don't even remember much about being a novice.

Personally Im at the point where my larger ships look like nuclear weapons on takeoff.

All I can say is: learn how to dock efficiently as soon as you're reasonably good at getting your crafts in orbit. The ability to use docking opens up so many infinite possibilities you wouldn't otherwise have.

Oh! and since this is 1.02 where aerodynamic matters, put tail fins on everything! And personally, I think the suggestion of starting with airplanes is backward. I would do the opposite, and leave winged planes alone until you've mastered rockets. Don't even bother with rovers early on, because they have serious proble,s that a novice should not be faced with.

Just for kicks, here's my warhead.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Camaron

[Robotengineer]

I spent the majority of the time I was a beginner somewhat randomly throwing parts on a craft and launching. I never watched tutorials until I failed numerous times at docking. Use the Scientific Method, experiment, fail, succeed! That is the fun part of the game, if you approach it as a checklist game, you will not enjoy it.

[selfish_meme]

Mmm... maybe I should learn the basic game before I move onto mods ?

When I got this game a while ago, I wanted to make an anti-satellite kinetic kill weapon, and deploy it against a satellite. Can I do it ? (I must confess my motivation is low now, and I am not that interested to do it now.)

You can definitely build the device, then you will need a mod like BD Armoury to arm it and aim it. Alternatively install kOS and program it to intercept a satellite.

[chd]

Enjoying KSP is actually more of an investment than just paying for it.

This game can change your perception and understating of space news and missions.

This, definitely -- at least for me. I remember a time past thinking "there's a space shuttle mission up right now, why could't they just stop at the ISS while they're up there anyway, to help with [whatever the minor issue in the news was]." Now, I completely get what the fuel and delta-v requirements for such a thing would be and why it would have been impossible.

On the other hand, I don't do planes in KSP. I have a pilot's license and fly one for real, and I find the limitations in KSPs flying implementation frustrating... but that's okay, I just don't go there.