Am I the only indecisive one?

[Kyrt Malthorn]

I thought I knew what I was getting into, when I comprehended that KSP is under active development. I was very, very wrong.

See, I haven't been playing that long. I started with 1.0.4. Now I'm excited for 1.1... heck, I'm excited for the new features in 1.0.5! It seems that one's right around the corner.

Which leaves me wondering what to do with myself. I've played mostly stock. Then I played with a few choice mods. I'm just starting to experiment more and more, there's so many potential directions I could go with a new career! But I'm not sure which mods will ever be updated for the new versions. And it's turning into a horrible struggle to decide what I want to do next, and whether to invest (on a separate installation that won't be updated) or refrain until updates, or play all stock so there won't be comparability issues.

Maybe it's just me. Or maybe it's common. Or maybe KSP veterans used to be like this but have settled down with some personal policy for handling it.

And don't say "play something else until 1.1", because I'm new, very much obsessed, and I'm not putting this game down. Even without mods I love it. (Though if I have to play without KER I may have to break down and relearn some math.)

[Kelderek]

I suggest you check out the challenges forum, there are all sorts of good ideas there for things to do - many of which are... wait for it... challenging!

You can also make your own personal challenges. For example, back in 0.90 I decided to play a career where all my missions away from Kerbin had Jeb, Bob and Bill all together everywhere they went -- I had no solo missions to any of the moons or planets, it was always at least the 3 orange suit guys (before Valentina arrived) and sometimes a few extra kerbals too. I took 9 kerbals to Moho and back, I took 3 to Eve in one trip and returned back to Kerbin. It was tons of fun.

You can also try a new game and customize the starting settings to mix it up and make it interesting. Mods can be lots of fun, but it can also be fun to try to stick with stock parts (just watch some DasValdez twitch streams to see some of the amazing things that can be done with only stock parts).

[RocketBlam]

My experience has been that all the mods I used were updated for new versions. I've been playing since (I think) 23.5, and the modders have been pretty good about keeping it up.

The mods I have used, which are still updated, include MechJeb, Engineer, Infernal Robotics, EVE, aircraft lights, surface lights and FASA.

[Alshain]

I often have a lull before updates that I know are going to contain content that I want to restart my career for. In this case the contextual contracts. I usually deorbit my worthless satellites because they clutter the map, but it sounds like I don't want to anymore. Problem is, I'm so far into the career now, I don't launch them much more anymore (and I'm sure as heck not moving my RemoteTech satellites). So, I feel the new feature warrants a restart (my opinion of course) and I haven't wanted to play a career I'm going to stop playing soon.

However, I can usually find something in game to do. Recently, I've been improving my pre-built lifter sub-assemblies, which I have yet to re-build for 1.0 at all, since I don't think anything about those components are going to change. If you haven't already, you should check out Kerbal NRAP if you want do something similar. I build my lifters for various Tech Tiers and Masses (usually starting with tier 5, maybe a tier 3 and a tier 4 or two for early career) so I can make sure they fly well and then I don't have to spend as much time re-inventing the wheel later.

As far as mods go, 1.0.5 will break very very few of them. I'm almost certain of it. On the flip side, 1.1 will break very very many of them.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Alshain

[78stonewobble]

Nooo, you're not the only one.

Possibly there's a middle ground. A modded installation that isn't updated until all the mods are compatible? As far as I know mods, crafts and saves are just files, that can get moved around?

[psychopoak]

^ This!

I realized I had 30+ mods installed at the moment, and I spent enough time in my carreer for not willing to start all over again. and as stated, I would be more concern about 1.1 than 1.05 when it comes to update compatibility.

the best way in my opinion is to copy your whole KSP folder to a safe place just before 1.1. then you can play you copied version waiting for your mods to be updated

[Terwin]

I have at least half a dozen install directories for KSP in my games folder.

One with Interstellar on 0.90(not yet started, but perhaps some day)

A couple that I managed to mess up with manually adding/removing mods(before I found CKAN)

a 1.0.2 career upgraded to 1.0.4(returned from Gilly/Eve upper atmosphere, Moho and Duna/Ike with one craft, then Vall, Pol, Bop, Dres, Duna/Ike, and Eeloo with another, lots of Atmic Age and Near Future engines used to accomplish this)

A stock 1.0.4 where I did my Caveman Challenge

A copy of the caveman challenge game where I added in Rover Dude's Colonization and life support mods, along with Extraplanetary launch pads (currently taking a bunch of Kerbals on a training mission where I leave the Kerbin SOI for the first time, no super engines to make things more interesting)

Probably one or two others I have forgotten.

Just copy your game directory before you attempt to update it to a new version so you always have a working version with all your favorite mods.

[FyunchClick]

Just copy your game directory before you attempt to update it to a new version so you always have a working version with all your favorite mods.

^ This. If you bought through steam it'll steamroll the new version right in, and you may be looking at a week or two, three of downtime untill your mods are updated, and if you have a copy of your install you can just keep on playing 1.004 untill you've got all the mods you wanted on 1.005.

[psychopoak]

^ This. If you bought through steam it'll steamroll the new version right in, and you may be looking at a week or two, three of downtime untill your mods are updated, and if you have a copy of your install you can just keep on playing 1.004 untill you've got all the mods you wanted on 1.005.

I am not sure of that, but isn't there a way to disable auto-update on steam client? this will prevent any bad surprise in case of a surprise 1.05 release, and let some time to do a copy of the directory while enjoying a brand new version of the game on the other hand?

[jlcarneiro]

I am not sure of that, but isn't there a way to disable auto-update on steam client? this will prevent any bad surprise in case of a surprise 1.05 release, and let some time to do a copy of the directory while enjoying a brand new version of the game on the other hand?

I would like to know that too!

[Alshain]

I am not sure of that, but isn't there a way to disable auto-update on steam client? this will prevent any bad surprise in case of a surprise 1.05 release, and let some time to do a copy of the directory while enjoying a brand new version of the game on the other hand?

No, you can stop it from downloading spontaneously, but it will still download the next time you trry to launch.

[NuclearNut]

Having had this game since... wow, 0.17.1 I have to say, the best way to not get bored is to do three things.

1. Optimize existing mission designs.

2. Go to the challenges portion of the forum. Even if you do not enter in any official capacity due to deacceleration sickness when landing, a sub optimal engine exhaust-fuel tank interface, spontaneous reactor core containment ejection phenomena, spontaneous kerbal liquefaction due to sub optimal ground interface, or any other such minor incident.

3. Make challanges yourself.

[Caelib]

I suggest the following:

- land on every celestial body in the system (except Jool and the Sun)

- after you've done that, start a career mode game and adjust the settings to your liking except set the settings to OFF for "quickload" AND "revert" (this is extremely challenging, but extremely rewarding when you make big accomplishments - I don't have any metrics, but I would be surprised if more than 1% of the KSP player base has ever successfully landed on Tylo with these settings off)

- land on every celestial body in the system (except Jool and the Sun)

If that doesn't tickle your fancy, experiment with extremely efficient rocket designs. I highly suggest using Kerbal Engineer mod to see delta-V for hard-mode career or efficient designs.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Caelib

[regex]

I am not sure of that, but isn't there a way to disable auto-update on steam client?

KSP will never update automatically on my Steam client after I turned off the option.

Besides, if you're so paranoid about auto-updates just make a copy of the game to somewhere else on the computer to play and mod; it's not like KSP has DRM or anything. Unless you're vain about "hours" in which case I can't help you.

[moogoob]

I just did a manned Duna mission in Career because I hadn't done that yet. What haven't you done yet? When I run out of places to go, there's always space plane development, or recreating the Mercury/Atlas again for post-1.0

[xendelaar]

You could also start a new career game (with any settings to your liking)where you're prohibited to retrieve any science from minmus and the mun.. the mobile lab is also a no go.

[1of6Billion]

Last time I was 'bored', I retreived all active kerbonauts back to Kerbin and decommissioned all active sattelites, stations and bases. Kept me busy for 3 weeks

[LostOblivion]

I've been playing since 0.23.5, and for me mods came along slowly, one at a time. After a while I became happy with the mods I use, and settle with them. Now, it's probably a year since I added a new mod to my save.

[FyunchClick]

KSP will never update automatically on my Steam client after I turned off the option..

Are you sure? The option I found when I searched a while back is broken and it still updated.

[Aloriel]

Steam auto-update solution in 10 easy steps:

You must make changes in both Steam and Windows for this to work.

In Steam:

1) Right click on the name of the program in the left hand column

2) Select properties from the pop-up menu

3) Switch to the "updates" tab

4) Under "auto-updates" click the list box and select "Only update this game when I launch it"

5) Click "close"

In Windows:

1) Go to your steam folder for Kerbal Space Program. (Typically, C:\Program Files x86\Steam\steamapps\Common\Kerbal Space Program)

2) Right click "KSP.exe"

3) Select "Create Shortcut"

4) Place this shortcut where ever you would like. (Ideally, your desktop, so that you can find it)

5) Rename shortcut to "KSP - NO UPDATE"

When you want to run KSP and not have it update, use this shortcut. Otherwise, use your regular play button in Steam. Pay close attention in Steam where it says "Update Required" in blue text. This is when you don't want to click play in Steam!

Done!

I use this for ARK, because ARK updates before the private server I play on updates. Sometimes it's been days between. Dinosaurs get hungry, you know...