How do you: train your fresh cadets.

[ajburges]

Most people of course are aware that a flag planting mission to Minmus with a Mun encounter and brief exit of Kerbin SoI will get the FNGs to level 3 in about a Kerbin month.

I just realized today that a mission to fly by all of Jools moons (after a gravity assist from Eve) is worth 62 xp. Use the Mun for a gravity brake on return (2 xp) and you have a single mission that can take a fresh recruit from zero to level 5 with relatively little piloting time on your part. 4-5 km/s should be enough dV for the mission (and then some) starting from LKO. A Mk2 cockpit, cabin, and inline clamp-o-tron could get that with a single nuke and 2 long Mk2 LF tanks! 8 tons of LF (and less than .5 t monoprop) is also trivial to get to orbit for a refuel while you swap crews.

Let's hear what others use to train their little green men (and women).

[keeper]

All of my kerbals came from LKO, there was one from minmus.

For the time being I had done passenger style landers for mass meetings on minmus, get them all their first 2 stars.

That is very interesting going to Jool first, I was looking at Duna next, never got there though. Never set off either lol

[SoWeMeetAgain]

what's it even good for, especially on pilots? just slap on fly by wire and your engineer is as good as the best pilot

[samstarman5]

what's it even good for, especially on pilots? just slap on fly by wire and your engineer is as good as the best pilot

Engineers can only learn to repair items with XP, and the more levels a scientist has gives a bigger boost to science received, for starters.

[Superfluous J]

I don't bother training. I use KerbalStats so they don't have to come back home for everything they learned to suddenly apply. Usually by the time they get where they're going, they're able to do whatever I need as quickly as possible.

[ajburges]

Pilots and engineer abilities cap at lvl 3, but both scientist research and engineer drilling continue to scale through level 5. More science (funds) and faster drilling could be worthwhile.

I will grant pilots don't offer many unique benefits,. Maybe levels 4 and 5 should give them commander bonuses that improve other crew members performance. Anything a pilot can do, a probe core should be able to do as well, so the pilot needs to be more than a pilot to have a niche. Either that or an ability to selectively unlock the safties on equipment. Nukes get higher ISP (via increased thrust), but generate much more heat (to the point you need radiators to use them). Reaction wheels produce more torque, but sudden control jerks can break them like rover wheels. Probe cores can't exceed the flight envelope, but Jeb defines the flight envelope (often on the wrong side)

Edited July 9, 2015 by ajburges

[samstarman5]

I don't bother training. I use KerbalStats so they don't have to come back home for everything they learned to suddenly apply. Usually by the time they get where they're going, they're able to do whatever I need as quickly as possible.

That is all well and good, but actually defeats the point of kerbal XP. However, since that is not something adjustable in custom difficulty, can understand the need for such a mod.

[Geschosskopf]

Let's hear what others use to train their little green men (and women).

By the time it's time to get serious about interplanetary ventures, the tech tree is long over and done with. Pilots haven't been on the roster since the OKTO probe core became available and the single scientist used to unlock the tech tree has gone on to teach at a universtiy. Only so-called engineers (really, unrated strikers for machinistmate) are needed any more to fix the odd flat tire, pump gas, and other such menial labor. As such, these Kerbals need no formal education before entering the program and can easily be trained to do their simple tasks by watching training videos en route to the other planets.

Problem is, nobody volunteers to pump gas on Vall for all eternity so conscriptive measures are necessary.

A belaying pin to the head, a quick ride to the launchpad, and they're already outward bound for Jool before they wake up .

[PB666]

Most people of course are aware that a flag planting mission to Minmus with a Mun encounter and brief exit of Kerbin SoI will get the FNGs to level 3 in about a Kerbin month.

I just realized today that a mission to fly by all of Jools moons (after a gravity assist from Eve) is worth 62 xp. Use the Mun for a gravity brake on return (2 xp) and you have a single mission that can take a fresh recruit from zero to level 5 with relatively little piloting time on your part. 4-5 km/s should be enough dV for the mission (and then some) starting from LKO. A Mk2 cockpit, cabin, and inline clamp-o-tron could get that with a single nuke and 2 long Mk2 LF tanks! 8 tons of LF (and less than .5 t monoprop) is also trivial to get to orbit for a refuel while you swap crews.

Let's hear what others use to train their little green men (and women).

Fuel deliveries and data pickup and Kerbin returns.

[samstarman5]

By the time it's time to get serious about interplanetary ventures, the tech tree is long over and done with. Pilots haven't been on the roster since the OKTO probe core became available and the single scientist used to unlock the tech tree has gone on to teach at a universtiy. Only so-called engineers (really, unrated strikers for machinistmate) are needed any more to fix the odd flat tire, pump gas, and other such menial labor. As such, these Kerbals need no formal education before entering the program and can easily be trained to do their simple tasks by watching training videos en route to the other planets.

Problem is, nobody volunteers to pump gas on Vall for all eternity so conscriptive measures are necessary.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GqnFM7-5oPs/UgO9MYYVSoI/AAAAAAAAIEw/3XOx4LlRpzM/s1600/press+gang.gif

A belaying pin to the head, a quick ride to the launchpad, and they're already outward bound for Jool before they wake up .

That is actually just about the approach I see rescuing kerbal contracts as. What if not all of them are actually stranded, and instead the KSC and its partner companies are putting out contracts under false pretenses in order to press kerbals from other companies into their service?

[Superfluous J]

That is all well and good, but actually defeats the point of kerbal XP. However, since that is not something adjustable in custom difficulty, can understand the need for such a mod.

Honestly I don't really agree with Kerbal XP as a thing. I don't need extra science, drilling faster is only important because drilling is way too slow, and a tiny probe core eliminates anything a pilot can do. Fixing things should be possible from everybody at every level.

I understand the need to have some sort of RPG elements, I just don't care about them for myself. It was fun sending guys on the training tour the first time. The second time I did did it begrudgingly. The third time, I decided I'd never do it again.

My next career, I made a config so everybody could do Engineer stuff and Engineers could do pilot stuff.

[kiwi1960]

You....train...your Kerbals?

Meh, I play sandbox. I either send them on a mission or else.... or else, they know where the door is... usually, when they are half way to wherever they're going.

[AbacusWizard]

I usually use the Spacebus III to send rookies up to Starbridge Station (in low Kerbin orbit), where they await the next orbital skiff to take them to Minmus Orbital Command or Mun Orbital Command. While there, they will operate the laboratory and go on at least one descent to the surface before eventually rotating to the other station to do the same, then returning to Starbridge Station and thence back home.

Any vacant seats on the Spacebus III are of course available for tourists. Gotta pay the bills, y'know?

[ArmchairGravy]

Orbit Kerbin, plant flags on Minmus, use a gravity assist from Mun to get home.

[NJP]

In one of my hard career games I sent multiple missions to the Mun and Minmus, each time I used a fresh crew to train them up at least to 2 stars, and that would be enough to send them on interplanetary science missions.

[Sharpy]

Give them basic, cheap but efficient equipment like Laser Rifles. Send them to assault the alien base. Of course they are bound to fail, but when things start to turn sour they pick up whatever alien tech and wounded comrades they can and retreat to Skyranger. Survivors are accepted as seasoned soldiers.

Oh wait, wrong game.

[Geschosskopf]

Honestly I don't really agree with Kerbal XP as a thing.

Same here. But if we're doomed to have it, then it needs to be totally blown up and rebuilt from the ground up. I had some ideas along those lines.

My next career, I made a config so everybody could do Engineer stuff and Engineers could do pilot stuff.

I did the same thing, making it so all classes have all skills. I've also tried making my own classes with various combinations of skills. But I ran into HUGELY annoying problem in that the game and mods like KAS/KIS key off class names instead of the presence or absence of specific skills. Not all the time, but enough to defeat the purpose of having "multi-class" Kerbals.

All Kerbals can be made to fix flat tires, which is good. But it doesn't matter if you have the science skill, you can only reset experiments if you're officially a "scientist", not a "pilot", "engineer", or any player-made new classes. Nor can any but official "engineers" nail things together with KAS/KIS.

That right there, if nothing else, MUST go. The whole "union shop, craftline-limited" Kerbal class system is a huge, ugly, block on productivity and creatitivity (just as in real life). KSP is an open shop and all Kerbals thinking of starting a union are immediately fed to the Kraken.

[Superfluous J]

Same here. But if we're doomed to have it, then it needs to be totally blown up and rebuilt from the ground up. I had some ideas along those lines.

I did the same thing, making it so all classes have all skills. I've also tried making my own classes with various combinations of skills. But I ran into HUGELY annoying problem in that the game and mods like KAS/KIS key off class names instead of the presence or absence of specific skills. Not all the time, but enough to defeat the purpose of having "multi-class" Kerbals.

All Kerbals can be made to fix flat tires, which is good. But it doesn't matter if you have the science skill, you can only reset experiments if you're officially a "scientist", not a "pilot", "engineer", or any player-made new classes. Nor can any but official "engineers" nail things together with KAS/KIS.

That right there, if nothing else, MUST go. The whole "union shop, craftline-limited" Kerbal class system is a huge, ugly, block on productivity and creatitivity (just as in real life). KSP is an open shop and all Kerbals thinking of starting a union are immediately fed to the Kraken.

I found the same thing. I thought about submitting a bug report

I haven't tried it, but I suspect if you name the "Pilot" class "Engineer"s then they'll be able to work drills, along with the "true" engineers. then you'd have 2 classes of Kerbal, 1/3 of them are Scientists (who can pilot and/or change tires in addition to getting the science bonus if you'd like) and 2/3 of them are Engineers (who can pilot, change tires, and/or get the science bonus if you'd like). Best of all worlds!

[Sharpy]

It could be done a'la AD&D Multiclassing. You need X exp to advance a level, X grows exponentially. Whether you put that level into your current class or another doesn't matter: the same (making up the number, I don't remember the actual values) 8000 exp can give you three level advances, and advance your level 1 Ranger to Level 4 ranger, or make him level 3 Ranger with 1 level of Wizard, or a level 1 Ranger, level 1 Thief, level 1 Cleric and a level 1 Warrior.

So, the current trip that gives you 3 stars could allow you to distribute the stars among various skills, and each new star costs exponentially more than the previous.

[juanml82]

I mix space station and bases contracts within the Kerbin system with training - I just load the vessel with untrained kerbals and send them on a tour to fulfill those contracts. Usually, the complete tour should be: LKO - Mun orbit/landing - Minmus orbit/landing to refuel - just outside Kerbin's SOI - back home.

But I think Kerbal XP is one of the reasons to play in sandbox or science modes

Here's my standard no lab/no cupola station/base. Landing legs are from MRS, carrying a command pod with KAS

Edited July 9, 2015 by juanml82

[Geschosskopf]

I found the same thing. I thought about submitting a bug report

Do it. Even if it's working as intended, it's still broken .

I haven't tried it, but I suspect if you name the "Pilot" class "Engineer"s then they'll be able to work drills, along with the "true" engineers. then you'd have 2 classes of Kerbal, 1/3 of them are Scientists (who can pilot and/or change tires in addition to getting the science bonus if you'd like) and 2/3 of them are Engineers (who can pilot, change tires, and/or get the science bonus if you'd like). Best of all worlds!

That would be great if it were possible. However, it wouldn't surprise me if this somehow made the game choke because of Jeb and Val always existing and always supposed to be "pilots". But only one way to find out.

[mrclucks]

If I'm at least halfway through the tech tree then I'll send them with tourists wanting to land on both minmus and the mun. I really only need pilots that can hold prograde and retrograde since once I can go interplanetary I'll send a few kerbals on an expedition to duna or eve loaded up with all science experiments and just fly by the planets collecting science (bonus for also flying by their moon) and returning. When they arrive back they have plenty of stars(I think 4) and if I've done eve and duna then I've completed the tech tree.