How to succeed in KSP; 5 simple rules

[ionator]

Should you crash..

1. add 1000000000 struts

2. add MOAR power!!!

3. add 1000000000 reaction wheels

4. add 1000000000 fins

5. Consult Scott Manley

[Accelerando]

I'm not sure whether this is meant as an endorsement or a detraction, but it's spot-on. Also,

6. Quit the game. 1-5 is the entire game.

[FancyMouse]

More reaction wheel? Wobble to death!

[Godot]

More reaction wheel? Wobble to death!

That´s why you need the 1000000000 struts

[cantab]

Reaction wheels and fins only give you control. Liquid-fuelled engines with big gimbal ranges give you power AND control.

[nekogod]

Moar boosters!

[Sharpy]

First moar struts,

then moar coolers. On your CPU that is.

[Kuu Lightwing]

No-no-no-no-no!

1) Build a rocket, crash it, fix staging, fail to reach orbit

2) Add more boosters, get it destroyed on ascent because of wobbliness.

3) Add more struts, flip on ascent, fail to reach orbit.

4) Add fins, finally reach orbit, post "My first orbit" link on /r/kerbalspaceprogram.

5) Watch Scott Manley tutorials (or DasValdes bootcamp). Disassemble your abomination and build a normal rocket.

[Frank_G]

I like to play like this:

- plan ahead

- be precise and accurate

- explode anyways

- enjoy the show

[Evanitis]

- Have fun

- Make mistakes

- Limit yourself

- Decide what you need, and find a mod that does it

- If it's stupid but works, it's not stupid

Only no. 1 matters. I only added the rest to be faithful to the thread title.

[Sharpy]

- Plan ahead.

- Make checklists.

- Build and test.

- Launch.

- Orbit

- Wait for launch window.

- Reach the destination.

- Press space accidentally. Oh, that's just the lander engine, no biggie.

- Rightclick the engine to deactivate it.

- Click "Jettison" instead of "Deactivate".

bonus point:

- forget to quicksave

[Gargamel]

That may have worked for the Alpha versions... and probably beta (never played 0.90)... but In 1.x it's easier.

1) Manage your COM, have drag placed appropriately.

2) Don't over thrust, ease into orbit.

[Xyphos]

Did someone say reaction wheels?

[Sharpy]

Centre of Thrust Management?

[Kuu Lightwing]

What is this and why did you build it?

[Xyphos]

What is this and why did you build it?

It's a 100% stock experimental cargo + passenger VTOL SSTO, destined for Eeloo.

it hauls 32 passengers and 4 crew members,

the front cargo bay contains a science lab with every experiment instrument in game (so far),

the rear cargo bay houses a re-attachable ICRU rover that can mine both asteroids and surface.

it even comes with an LV-N for interplanetary travel, so there's no place that this thing can't go.

the (normally disabled) reaction wheels on top act as a structural "spine", as a mounting point for the LV-N, and provides torque while in VTOL operation.

in a nutshell, if Batman or James Bond ever owned a spaceplane, it probably would be something like this.

so far, I've been mostly successful in testing it, but there's still some tweaks I need to make.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Xyphos

[Sharpy]

does it run on fuel hack? Because from fuel-carrying parts, all I see is one medium LF fuselage, five MK3 to 2.5m connectors, one 2.5 to 1.25m connector, 8 precoolers and ...two big monoprop tanks.

So, uh, I don't really see how you could squeeze the 3000+m/s of dV needed for the orbit out of this, with so high dry fraction?

(unless you stuffed the cargo bays with tons upon tons of fuel tanks clipped over each other...)

Edited July 21, 2015 by Sharpy

[Xyphos]

does it run on fuel hack? Because from fuel-carrying parts, all I see is one medium LF fuselage, five MK3 to 2.5m connectors, one 2.5 to 1.25m connector, 8 precoolers and ...two big monoprop tanks.

So, uh, I don't really see how you could squeeze the 3000+m/s of dV needed for the orbit out of this, with so high dry fraction?

And LF wings. and you don't need 3000 dV, I've gotten to 80kM orbit in only 2200 dV. 3000 is escape velocity, IIRC...

but let me re-iterate on the "experimental" part, and capitalize on my "needs tweaking" statement.

oh, and here's an editor shot

Edited July 21, 2015 by Xyphos

[imaspacestation]

http://i.imgur.com/53lWarS.jpg

Did you say VTOL SSTO?

That beast...

Me want...

P.S Have you been successful in transitioning from hover to flight?

[Kuu Lightwing]

It's a 100% stock experimental cargo + passenger VTOL SSTO, destined for Eeloo.

it hauls 32 passengers and 4 crew members,

the front cargo bay contains a science lab with every experiment instrument in game (so far),

the rear cargo bay houses a re-attachable ICRU rover that can mine both asteroids and surface.

it even comes with an LV-N for interplanetary travel, so there's no place that this thing can't go.

the (normally disabled) reaction wheels on top act as a structural "spine", as a mounting point for the LV-N, and provides torque while in VTOL operation.

in a nutshell, if Batman or James Bond ever owned a spaceplane, it probably would be something like this.

so far, I've been mostly successful in testing it, but there's still some tweaks I need to make.

nice! Does it come in black?

[Captain Sierra]

No-no-no-no-no!

1) Build a rocket, crash it, fix staging, fail to reach orbit

2) Add more boosters, get it destroyed on ascent because of wobbliness.

3) Add more struts, flip on ascent, fail to reach orbit.

4) Add fins, finally reach orbit, post "My first orbit" link on /r/kerbalspaceprogram.

5) Watch Scott Manley tutorials (or DasValdes bootcamp). Disassemble your abomination and build a normal rocket.

the new player experience in a nutshell.

[problemecium]

I must be doing it wrong then. Here's my top 5 behaviors:

1. Design efficiently

2. Run test launches

3. Drive carefully

4. Quicksave often

5. Raise eyebrows at people who claim SSTOs are impossible

[Tourist]

1 make sure you have solar panels.

2 make sure you extent your solar panels the moment you are in orbit.

3 no, seriously, the moment you are in orbit extend those panels

4 .... Ok, well at least make sure you open them before you time acc.... Sigh.

5 press revert.

[Jett_Quasar]

Wow a billion struts, fins AND reactions wheels! How laggy would that be?

JR

[zekes]

Should you crash..

1. add 1000000000 struts

2. add MOAR power!!!

3. add 1000000000 reaction wheels

4. add 1000000000 fins

5. Consult Scott Manley

You literally described my shuttle, with the exception of the last point.