How quickly do you unlock the tech tree?

[CaptainKipard]

More specifically I'm curious how quickly you reach Specialised Construction in which the 1.25 Clamp-O-Tron Docking Port is located? Do you try to reach it quick, or is it not more special than the rest?

And also generally speaking are there any tech tree nodes that you try to unlock as soon as possible?

[Hannu]

I can not say times but I try always to unlock tech tree as soon as possible. Therefore nodes which give scientific devices have highest priorities. I left aerodynamic things last, because I use only rockets. I think that real game begins when I have all tech.

[Bambi]

Yet i didn't count times

[Carraux]

I too play with rockets only, so the whole aero branch has the least importance for me.

My priorities are on electrical power and additional scientific devices (like Hannu). While trying to get all these I go parallel for radial decouplers (they are a must).

With this I can go to Mün. First orbital, than landing. After that, I have enough points to obtain fuel lines and solar panels. Radial decouplers and fuel lines enabling the whole variety of rocket design and solar panels make my rocket power indipendent. After this, unlocking the rest of the branch is easy. Usually I make 2-3 landing trips to Mün and after the first orbital mission arounf Minmus I am able to unlock the science lab. With this I am then generating tech points like hamster poo.

Except for aero I unlock the more-or-less whole tech tree without ever going beyond Minmus...

<Edit>

Docking is needed for me for the science lab (although I could go w/o it). This one I try to get after the fuel lines...

Edited November 11, 2015 by Carraux

[Hary R]

I take my time, no need to hurry is my philosophy. In fact, and due to limited play time, since 0.25, none of my career have achieved full tech tree.

And also generally speaking are there any tech tree nodes that you try to unlock as soon as possible?

the solar panel one, no far beyond fly without it.

[oglommi]

First I get some decent fuel tanks and solar panels, after that it's about aiming for the gravioli detector. Aero I leave behind

[magnemoe]

I too play with rockets only, so the whole aero branch has the least importance for me.

My priorities are on electrical power and additional scientific devices (like Hannu). While trying to get all these I go parallel for radial decouplers (they are a must).

With this I can go to Mün. First orbital, than landing. After that, I have enough points to obtain fuel lines and solar panels. Radial decouplers and fuel lines enabling the whole variety of rocket design and solar panels make my rocket power indipendent. After this, unlocking the rest of the branch is easy. Usually I make 2-3 landing trips to Mün and after the first orbital mission arounf Minmus I am able to unlock the science lab. With this I am then generating tech points like hamster poo.

Except for aero I unlock the more-or-less whole tech tree without ever going beyond Minmus...

<Edit>

Docking is needed for me for the science lab (although I could go w/o it). This one I try to get after the fuel lines...

Same here, however I will unlock the solar panels before the first Mun landing, I usually do an Mun orbit without first, need eva before Mun orbit to do eva reports and, surface samples for landing. I then do an Minmus landings with an ship with around 2000 m/s at Minmus, this will let me land on most biomes and gather an boatload of science.

The Mun rover and second Minmus mission will have all the science equipment and will fill out the tree.

These missions tend to have docking port and refuel from transfer stage getting all science around Minmus and 2-3 high biome areas on Mun.

[Moh1336]

Very slowly.

I tend to play the game in my own controlled manner. I'm not a grinder, and I like to take my time with tech. For example; when I start a new career I don't just shove Jeb on top of a flea and launch him.

I will raise the fuel and thrust and progressively rather than go all out in the first launch. Mostly due to the fact when I was playing the demo I had the Kerbal Protection agency on my back for mass murder through negligence.

[Alshain]

I unlock through to the Skipper and Sepatrons as fast as possible because that opens up my lifter selections (sepatrons just cause I hate leaving garbage in space). My tier 4 lifters only go up to 5 tons cause I don't really need anything else, but that means I have to get the higher ones unlocked before construction can start.

Keep in mind, I don't feel my game really starts till I finish the tech tree, so I power through the bulk of it in a handful of missions. I'm usually doing a free return around the Mun by mission 4.

[Streetwind]

More specifically I'm curious how quickly you reach Specialised Construction in which the 1.25 Clamp-O-Tron Docking Port is located? Do you try to reach it quick, or is it not more special than the rest?

And also generally speaking are there any tech tree nodes that you try to unlock as soon as possible?

*looks up what else is in Specialized Construction* Uuhh... bi-coupler... radial attachment port... girder adapter... stack separator...

...Yeah, umm. I probably wouldn't even bother buying this tech node at all if it didn't eventually lead to Meta-Materials and Large Volume Containment two steps later Basically, unless I run a mod that adds something to Specialized Construction that I want, I skip it completely until I am ready to unlock the two aforementioned high-end fields. There's a high chance that I will never use a single one of those parts in an entire career run. I mean, docking ports are important for many people, but my designs just don't rely on them. About the only things I assemble in orbit are stations, and for those I generally use the larger senior docking ports. Or the high-strength ports added by Stockalike Station Parts Expansion, if I have that installed.

Otherwise I operate much like Carraux described. I push for the terrier, then develop science and electrics; once that is well covered, I push for the 2.5m engines and tanks, since they are so much better than the 1.25m ones nowadays. After that I usually focus on getting started with whatever mods I happen to have installed, and choose my parts depending on what tasks contracts ask of me to do.

[Superfluous J]

When I want a tech-tree-based challenge, I unlock each level fully before the next. Particularly harsh is to start at the top and work down on each level.

When I actually want stuff, usually I drill to:

Jr. Docking port

Solar Panels

Octo

Fuel Lines

Struts

Not in that order, or any particular order really. And the stuff below that is not unimportant, I just get it while powering through to that stuff. I usually get all those before leaving Kerbin's SOI, which is usually my 3rd or 4th mission.

To answer your specific question, I don't. I rush the Jr docking port but IMO that is fine for most any purpose. If it weakens the stack, a few struts do fine to hold it together on launch.

Edited November 11, 2015 by 5thHorseman
Minor wording changes

[CaptainKipard]

This is all very interesting.

It looks like people don't care about docking ports that much.

[WinkAllKerb'']

tried a few approach here since we have the career mode either slow or fast depending:

- go go docking and science tools

- go go science lab and experience farming over times and mutliple stations lot of scientist

- go go strategies combo and mission

- go go caveman stuff

- go go full rocket

- go go full planes

- go go as far as possible quick

- go go stay on kerbin as much as possible

- go go etc. xDr

latest career is kinda relax mode mode with strategies combo to generate sciences from both credits and rep and tiny plane stuff.

Edited November 12, 2015 by WinkAllKerb''

[Robotengineer]

I haven;t played career often enough to develop those sorts of preferences, but in my current career I went for aero parts first to do location based contracts.

[Mitchz95]

I try to take it slowly overall. Usually just go for nodes I'll need for my next planned missions and go from there. Aerodynamic parts are usually the last nodes I unlock.

[eddiew]

Slowly. In 1.0.4 I had my science set to 20% and reduced Mun/Minmus multipliers so's force myself to go out and explore the solar system for my science.

I find the low return means I build a new vessel and try out a new thing on every trip

[Warzouz]

This is all very interesting.

It looks like people don't care about docking ports that much.

Yes I do as I feels compelled to explore planetary bodies using a space station.

Priority

- Rocket tech (to go to LKO in good condition)

- Science tech

- Docking ring

Then I send quick a dirty space station to Mun and Minmus and strip science from there. This should unlock everything before the first Duna Window.

[cantab]

Well, in my current save I've done over 60 missions across 13 "programs", and still not finished the tree. Science Mode, 60% gains, DMagic and ScanSAT parts offsetting that. I'm playing ironman too, no quickloads or reverts except for bugs, and that's the big one - it means caution with Kerbals and a lot of probe work, as well as repeating the whole mission if something goes wrong. I haven't necessarily tried to just grab science either, I've done several programs where the goal was just to do something else and any science was incidental.

As far as tech tree progression goes, well I obviously got solars as soon as possible. I remember leaving the 2.5m engines until late, before then I was putting Reliant+Swivel clusters under my 2.5m tanks and that worked well enough. With DMagic the science parts were spread around the tree more so I couldn't rush science in the same way I would with stock parts. And then when I had a bunch of science I rushed the spaceplane parts because I wanted to make a spaceplane.

[Brainlord Mesomorph]

Just started a new career.

Made a bee-line for the Mk1 Passenger Cabin so I could spam tourism. with the money I plan to build out the KSC. Then go back get the science tech, go to the mun, and race through the rest of the tech tree.

Then with all the parts, go interplanetary.

EDIT: am now deliberately postponing my 1st orbital flight so I can continue to exploit *suborbital* tourism. As soon as Jeb makes orbit, tourist aren't satisfied with anything less.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Brainlord Mesomorph

[tranenturm]

My priority list:

1) Basic Solar Panels

2) Science instruments

3) Control elements

4) Getting to 2.5m rocket parts

5) Getting Mk2 plane parts

I'm an odd duck. I'm a rocket guy, so I'm not getting the Mk2 plane parts for planes. I just like their looks better for my Mun base. (Plus the fairings are there which really help certain rockets)

[cantab]

PS: On docking ports I had the Jr, that's enough for Apollo style missions. When I came to build a space station the only standard-sized ports I had were the Mk 2 ones, so they were what I put on In the event I never docked to them though, I only ever used the Jrs. I think a big part for me is I hate the 3-Kerbal pod, it's hugely overweight, so I got a mod 2-Kerb pod instead. When I update to 1.0.5 I'll probably roll something with the 1.25m cabin assuming it has decent crash tolerance.

[JedTech]

I aim for Solar as soon as possible to enable longer missions.

Then I try to get science parts early to increase science gain for my missions.

I avoid the Aero tree all together as I don't use those parts.

[paul23]

I play at a science level of 10% - so that means I'm very hard pressed to actually get science.

Makes everything more fun though: having to figure out how to get to duna with only 1.25m parts.

[Kuansenhama]

In the early game, the first solar panels and the LV-909 are quintessential to my play.

In the mid game, I really need the lab and the larger solar panels to grind out science.

Once I get the late game, (L3 R&D) I usually beeline the IRSU converter and create reusable spacecraft.

[Tomycj]

My last game I completed the tech tree with kerbin system exploration (a mun mission and several to minmus) + a mission to Duna and back (visiting 1 biome) + a mission to Ike and back (Landed in 2 biomes). Now I think the tech tree can be unlocked only by exploring minmus, mun and kerbin very well.

I focused on: science tech + bigger rockets > probe tech. I also think science experiments are a priority.