You start-up for career mode?

[Pawelk198604]

I considering starting another career mode save, i thinking about starting with some extra science points but i think it would be little cheating

[Guest]

Then don't do it.

[annallia]

Then don't do it.

^^ This.

Though personally I wouldn't consider it cheating. The sliders are there for a reason, use em if you want.

That being said I don't worry much about science, once I get over the initial grind to get steerable wheels (which is early) I really don't worry about science at all... its funds that become a problem.

[legoclone09]

I just start with 30 to not have to do the launchpad science or grindy stuff in the beginning. It's worth it. But you should use SETI tech tree for better progression.

[magico13]

In my career game I just turn off science altogether. I've still got to deal with funds and restrictions added by other mods, so it doesn't feel like cheating at all to me. I unlock as much of the tech tree as I can as soon as I upgrade, but have part purchases enabled to restrict what parts I can use.

So, if something isn't fun for you, then don't do it. This isn't a multiplayer game, there's no cheating if you're having fun. (Except in the case of challenges, or if you're trying to brag about doing something that's normally difficult that you used a mod or whatever to make easier and then didn't mention the mod [don't say you completed the tech tree and omit the fact that you gave yourself all the science, etc]).

[T-Bouw]

You seem like a veteran, therefore you are perhaps used to the old contracts-system which paid more science for missions. I was too you know.

In these new versions science is primarily gained from doing lots of different science activities in different situations at different locations.

Do a Crew report whenever you can, EVA reports for even more science. Mystery Goo is handy in the beginning and the Science Jr. gives tonnes of science once you unlock it.

[FlyingPete]

I got bored of the new career mode last time I tried it. Far too many space tourists who wanted to go to orbit (never mind that I'd only just made orbit at this point) and weren't paying enough to cover the launch costs. Plus a bunch of part-testing contracts that didn't make any sense. No amount of declining contracts made sensible ones turn up. Now going back to science mode

[Bioman222]

What I did was I bumped the science gain up to 200%, as I feel the science gain is much to little.

[Pawelk198604]

What i did wrong? Maybe i shouldn't set heat effect to 120%

[keeper]

When i started career i give myself loads of science to start, and loads of money

Less grind.

Do it. The game is yours.

I think unlimited fuel ,unbreakable parts, and stuff like that is cheaty cheaty

But who would ever do such things right? I dont know.

[Harry Rhodan]

What i did wrong?

You keep using non-pilots as pilots and therefore have no SAS to stabilize your craft.

You are still starting too fast (or too slow). As I told you in another thread: keep your TWR above 1.5 and below 2. You can also tweak down the thrust of the small SRB which makes it much more controllable.

You can put KER in partless mode and remove that KER part.

[Pawelk198604]

You keep using non-pilots as pilots and therefore have no SAS to stabilize your craft.

You are still starting too fast (or too slow). As I told you in another thread: keep your TWR above 1.5 and below 2. You can also tweak down the thrust of the small SRB which makes it much more controllable.

You can put KER in partless mode and remove that KER part.

Watch this

as for non-pilots the need to make some experience, i know that science-kerbonauts can boost science so i used Bob in spite of Jeb dismay

[mikegarrison]

I usually start out with a little bump in reputation. I figure that John Fitzgerald Kerman gave a nice inspiring speech that got everybody fired up.

[Violent Jeb]

Starting with Science or funds just removes some of the early game grind.

I find it to be perfectly acceptable.

For example, in 1.0.4 I decided to start from scratch on normal with no modifier adjustments. It took around 3 mun/minmus operations and about a dozen kerbin operations (orbital or otherwise) to unlock the tech tree to an acceptable minimum for interplanetary travel.

By this I mean;

•attractive pods,

•landing gear,

•NERV,

•Mainsail,

•1*6 solar panels and large batteries.

•Decouplers & Docking nodes

After these ~15 missions my save has been compromised from a rogue mod. On my next play-though (whenever i muster the patience to resume ksp), I will certainly be allocating myself 500k funds and 1500 science to eliminate the grind from the first act of the campaign mode.

The way I have increasingly come to view the campaign is a 3 part venture. Act 1- getting orbital, navigating Kerbin's SOI. Act 2- getting interplanetary, navigating Kerbol's SOI. Act 3- Establishing a functional and interconnected presence in the system. These ventures are not 100% linear and can occur simultaneously.

If you look at it like this, you will see that adjusting the funds or science in the career mode essentially determines the amount of activity you must undergo in the Kerbin SOI.

Ultimately, since you can virtually generate infinite science, even if you were to "beat" the game, there would be no way to definitively tell that you even modified the base parameters (aside from your save being a "custom", rather than normal campaign. Based on my personal stack of hours, "beating" the game in any sense of the word is unlikely to begin with, so it's largely moot to feel bad, or feel like its cheating.

That mentality kept me struck grinding in kerbin's SOI for wayyy too many updates. My advice, adjust those sliders and go explore some far off reaches of space.

TL:DR, if you're already comfortable in the kerbin SOI, there is nothing wrong with buffing your funds and science.

[tranenturm]

I play in Normal. I do a few side missions, but generally only those to where I'm already going. I also am careful to wait for the world record missions to trigger. So I get Mun fly-by, I DONT orbit the Mun as that one is next. Doing it this way means I get extra money.

As for science, once you realize you can land on the Mun with 1.25 parts, you have as much science so long as you are willing to go to the Mun (or Minimus) to pick it up.

[Juicy]

I'd consider career if rocketparts didn't cost any money. I like the unlocking parts of the space center bit, I like the leveling up my Kerbals bit, I like the science (that's why I generally play science mode) but I hate having to watch my money while doing testflights or random oddball constructions. I wouldn't mind having to build rockets within a certain budget for missions, like, "make a vessel capable of orbitting the Mun costing less than 100k" as a mission parameter, but if I want to make something bigger personal toy within that game, I don't want to feel limited by my budget.

[GoSlash27]

All,

Starting career mode doesn't have to be grindy even with the vanilla settings.

Observe how Jouni completes the Caveman Challenge (unlock all tier 4 parts without any facility upgrades) in just 10 flights.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/127795-KSP-Caveman-Challenge!?p=2087722&viewfull=1#post2087722

When he was finished he had all sorts of tech and over a million credits.

Best,

-Slashy

[tranenturm]

I do revert flights for test flights. I'm a flybytheseatofmypants pilot/builder so the revert missions are my testing and "planning" team before money is spent.

As for money, I seem to have plenty left over. By the time the tech tree is finished, I still do sci recovery to convert into cash.

Go NORMAL! The only thing hard mode brings is grinding.

[Evanitis]

Just started a new career with 50% science gain, plane-tech unlocked up to turboramjets. Ahh, and no VAB or Launchpad. I expect to have much fun before I get my hands on rapiers.

[Jett_Quasar]

In my latest career game I've decided not to fully upgrade my tech tree or my facilities. It makes the later stages of the game more challenging and I don't necessarily use all of the tech or facilities anyway...

The last part of career mode (exploring Jool and beyond) tends to be pretty much like playing in sandbox mode for me since I have access to all the parts and enough kerbucks to build anything I want. So in order to keep it fresh I don't upgrade everything. It makes my space port look unique as well

JR

[SkyRender]

Starting with even a token amount of science in Career mode is somewhat pointless since one of the first contracts gives you a nice little dose just for doing a single crew report on the launchpad. Even if that's all your first launch is, you'll still have enough to unlock the two starting nodes right away within less than 2 minutes of starting a new Career save.

[Jett_Quasar]

Starting out in career mode used to be kind of a pain, but I found in version 1.0 it's a lot better. The contracts are better and it gets you out exploring space a lot quicker. Maybe it's because I have some experience now with the contract system, but I think Squad has really improved that part of the game. So basically what I'm saying is that cheating yourself science points at the beginning of the game is sort of pointless now.

JR

[samstarman5]

Starting out in career mode used to be kind of a pain, but I found in version 1.0 it's a lot better. The contracts are better and it gets you out exploring space a lot quicker. Maybe it's because I have some experience now with the contract system, but I think Squad has really improved that part of the game. So basically what I'm saying is that cheating yourself science points at the beginning of the game is sort of pointless now.

JR

I agree with that. However, as someone who usually likes to stick with the rules as they are given, I don't mind giving the KSC the budget that the US govt gives its military. So bumping up funds and fund rewards a bit helps kick things off. I don't just hand myself the victory, however. Reputation penalties get jacked up, as well. That does make me more careful as to what contracts I take on, because if I end up choosing one I can't finish for whatever reason, I can probably kiss a lot of lucrative contracts goodbye for a while. That also gets me to pay more attention to safety for my little green explorers. That does mean more flights for Jeb and Val for a while at the start until I unlock better drone modules and larger cockpits, as flying without SAS raises my blood pressure way too much.

But there really is no need to give yourself a boost in science. I have had some fun missions in Kerbin SOI and am just about to upgrade the R&D to allow for the 500+ science selections, and haven't even landed on Minmus, yet. I can see why you'd want to give yourself the extra challenge for visiting other planets in the system, but I am going to let my kerbals fly in style! (And those big rockets make such a lovely noise, too)

[FlyingPete]

I usually start out with a little bump in reputation. I figure that John Fitzgerald Kerman gave a nice inspiring speech that got everybody fired up.

"We choose to go to the Mun, not because it is easy, but because the other things are too hard"

[Slam_Jones]

It's all up to you. Personally, I usually go for the "advanced start," wherein I start with a large pile of funds, science, and rep to get things going. I try to make it so my first launch is also my first orbit, preferably with wings for a glide/jet-assisted landing on KSC runway.