Help with Career Mode

[Chano]

I've started to play KSP a lot lately, mucking around in Sandbox mode making missiles and wacky spacecraft, but I've never really gotten on to playing Career mode. I'm not so sure about how to gain science efficiently or making sound rockets with very basic parts since I'm used to playing in sandbox. Could any of you experienced players share some tips, tricks and knowledge to help out? Thanks.

Please note: I'm still kinda new at KSP, so learning the fundamentals would be great for me.

[GoSlash27]

Chano,

 When you first start out, just "launch" a pod with goo canisters from the pad and runway. Observe the goo, do crew reports and EVA reports. This will unlock the tier 2 nodes.

 Now repeat with the Science Jr. and unlock general rocketry.

You are now ready to go to orbit.

Your first orbital ship should just be an SSTO using the LV-T45. Staging doesn't really buy you anything on the way up with your limited engine selection. Once you've made orbit and successfully recovered, you will be able to unlock more tech.

I like to go after Aviation early so I can build a jet powered rover to collect all the science from KSC. Each building is a unique biome.

 As for building light efficient rockets, I design mine mathematically rather than trial and error.

See here for more info:

Best,

-Slashy

 

[Phil deCube]

It's a bit out of date since 1.0.5 came out but, this is a tutorial I created on career mode.

http://imgur.com/a/85cpa#0

[Tim_the_Plumber]

Get the structural struts as quickly as possible. They allow a lot which is vertually impossible before.

[Geschosskopf]

On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2015‎ ‎2‎:‎30‎:‎46‎, Chano said:

I've started to play KSP a lot lately, mucking around in Sandbox mode making missiles and wacky spacecraft, but I've never really gotten on to playing Career mode. I'm not so sure about how to gain science efficiently or making sound rockets with very basic parts since I'm used to playing in sandbox. Could any of you experienced players share some tips, tricks and knowledge to help out? Thanks.

Please note: I'm still kinda new at KSP, so learning the fundamentals would be great for me.

Well, the important things are to maximize the amount of science points you get per mission, and to design missions to present the most science-gathering opportunities for the technology you have.  So every vehicle should have every instrument you already own, and the ability to use them as often as possible during the mission.  Most experiments are worth more returned than transmitted so always try to get back safely on the ground somewhere to recover the ship and data (don't worry about how close you land to KSC, just don't land in mountains).  But some experiments (crew reports) need to be transmitted before you can do them again, so be sure all ships have an antenna and enough batteries (plus solar panels later on) to transmit several times during the flight.

On the tech tree, don't worry about airplanes to start with.  Focus instead on unlocking bigger rockets, more science instruments, the OKTO probe core, and the OX-STAT fixed solar panel.  More instruments means more data per mission, and rocket parts will take those instruments further afield where the experiments are worth more science parts than closer to home.  The OX-STAT solar panel is pretty much required for a round-trip to Mun (you can run out of power without it) and also lets you transmit more times during the mission.  And the OKTO probe core is the 1st one that has SAS.  This allows doing 1-seat capsules with a scientist instead of a pilot, and scientists really increase your ability to gather science points per mission.

When faced with a choice of what to unlock next, go for the OX-STAT first, then the OKTO.  You only need bigger rockets when your existing instruments have exhausted all the science points they can gather for the "situations" (see below) that your current rocket parts can reach economically.  So basically, get some instruments to get science to unlock rockets to take the instruments to new places, to unlock more science to unlock more instruments, repeat.  Airplanes and rovers are hardly worth getting at all, at least not beyond the very baseline starter parts, until you get near the end and just need to spend excess science on something,  The only real reason to invest in airplane nodes is to unlock aerodynamic stuff useful on rockets, such as fairings and movable control surfaces.

Scientists have the ability to re-arm Goo and Material experiments while on EVA.  This means your ship just needs one of each, which can be used multiple times during a mission.  Run the experiment, EVA the scientist, have him take the data out of the experiement and reset it, then return to the capsule.  While he's outside, have him take data from all the other experiments, too (thermometer, etc.).  This puts the data in the capsule for full science value upon return to Kerbin and also allows the experiment to be used again during the mission.  Also, with all the data in the capsule, you only need to return the capsule, not all the experiment parts.  Note that any Kerbal can take data, but Goo and Material experiments become useless thereafter unless a scientist rearms them.

The other key concept is the "situation" of science.  Most experiments can be used in multiple "situations", and the ship will probably pass through a number of different "situations" during the course of a mission.  This is why you need to collect data in the capsule or transmit it (and re-arm Goo and Materials), so you can use them again in the next "situation".  Within each "situation", a given experiment can only gather a limited number of science points, after which you have to take it to another "situation" before it will give you any more points.  Most experiments get the full amount of points with 1 use in a "situation", but some take 2 uses to get the full amount, although the 1st use gets like 90% of the total so often it's not worth bothering with the rest. 

The "situations" are as follows:

Surface (per biome of planet).  All planets have a number of different biomes (and KSC is divided into many itself, one per building).

Splashed Down:  Only planets with liquid oceans, and only 1 such situation per planet because even if there are separate lakes and oceans, they're all the same biome.

In Flight Over (BiomeName).  Only on planets with atmospheres You're in atmospheric, not orbital, flight at fairly low alittude.  One such situation per biome.

In Space Just Above (BiomeName):  Only on airless planets.  Can be hovering, suborbital, or actually in low orbit, anything that's not touching the ground but still close to the surface.  Once such situation per biome.  Only works for some experiments, including EVA report.  Note that you can get this situation for an EVA report while the shp itself is landed but the Kerbal is hanging on a ladder, not touching the ground.

Upper Atmosphere:  Only on atmospheric planets.  Only one "upper atmosphere" sitatution for the entire planet.  This can be done in high-altitude flight or during areobraking passes through the upper atmosphere (a recent change).

Low Orbit:  both airless and atmospheric planets.  Only 1 "low orbit" situation per body.  For airless bodies, this only happens for the experiments that don't give per-biome results "In Space Just Above".

High Orbit:  any planet.  Only 1 "high orbit" situation per planet.

So, a simple, early-career suborbital rocket goes through the following situations:  Surface of Launchpad (a small biome).  In Flight over Kerbin's Shores (immediately after liftoff), In Flight Over Kerbin's Water (shortly later in the flight), Upper Atmosphere, Low Orbit, Upper Atmosphere again, In Flight Over whatever biome is downrange, and finally either Surface on some distant biome or Splashed Down.  Provided you've got the battery for it, you can at least transmit a crew report at each stage of this flight, although you won't be able to remove data from experiments for most of the flight so probably won't be able to get all the other experiments in each situation.

In general, a given experiment is worth more points the further away it is from KSC, whether on Kerbin itself or another planet.  Also, being on the surface is worth more than being just above it, or in low or high orbit.  So if you can't re-use your experiments, pick the situation that yields the most points and use them there.

 

 

[Chano]

13 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Well, the important things are to maximize the amount of science points you get per mission, and to design missions to present the most science-gathering opportunities for the technology you have.  So every vehicle should have every instrument you already own, and the ability to use them as often as possible during the mission.  Most experiments are worth more returned than transmitted so always try to get back safely on the ground somewhere to recover the ship and data (don't worry about how close you land to KSC, just don't land in mountains).  But some experiments (crew reports) need to be transmitted before you can do them again, so be sure all ships have an antenna and enough batteries (plus solar panels later on) to transmit several times during the flight.

On the tech tree, don't worry about airplanes to start with.  Focus instead on unlocking bigger rockets, more science instruments, the OKTO probe core, and the OX-STAT fixed solar panel.  More instruments means more data per mission, and rocket parts will take those instruments further afield where the experiments are worth more science parts than closer to home.  The OX-STAT solar panel is pretty much required for a round-trip to Mun (you can run out of power without it) and also lets you transmit more times during the mission.  And the OKTO probe core is the 1st one that has SAS.  This allows doing 1-seat capsules with a scientist instead of a pilot, and scientists really increase your ability to gather science points per mission.

When faced with a choice of what to unlock next, go for the OX-STAT first, then the OKTO.  You only need bigger rockets when your existing instruments have exhausted all the science points they can gather for the "situations" (see below) that your current rocket parts can reach economically.  So basically, get some instruments to get science to unlock rockets to take the instruments to new places, to unlock more science to unlock more instruments, repeat.  Airplanes and rovers are hardly worth getting at all, at least not beyond the very baseline starter parts, until you get near the end and just need to spend excess science on something,  The only real reason to invest in airplane nodes is to unlock aerodynamic stuff useful on rockets, such as fairings and movable control surfaces.

Scientists have the ability to re-arm Goo and Material experiments while on EVA.  This means your ship just needs one of each, which can be used multiple times during a mission.  Run the experiment, EVA the scientist, have him take the data out of the experiement and reset it, then return to the capsule.  While he's outside, have him take data from all the other experiments, too (thermometer, etc.).  This puts the data in the capsule for full science value upon return to Kerbin and also allows the experiment to be used again during the mission.  Also, with all the data in the capsule, you only need to return the capsule, not all the experiment parts.  Note that any Kerbal can take data, but Goo and Material experiments become useless thereafter unless a scientist rearms them.

The other key concept is the "situation" of science.  Most experiments can be used in multiple "situations", and the ship will probably pass through a number of different "situations" during the course of a mission.  This is why you need to collect data in the capsule or transmit it (and re-arm Goo and Materials), so you can use them again in the next "situation".  Within each "situation", a given experiment can only gather a limited number of science points, after which you have to take it to another "situation" before it will give you any more points.  Most experiments get the full amount of points with 1 use in a "situation", but some take 2 uses to get the full amount, although the 1st use gets like 90% of the total so often it's not worth bothering with the rest. 

The "situations" are as follows:

Surface (per biome of planet).  All planets have a number of different biomes (and KSC is divided into many itself, one per building).

Splashed Down:  Only planets with liquid oceans, and only 1 such situation per planet because even if there are separate lakes and oceans, they're all the same biome.

In Flight Over (BiomeName).  Only on planets with atmospheres You're in atmospheric, not orbital, flight at fairly low alittude.  One such situation per biome.

In Space Just Above (BiomeName):  Only on airless planets.  Can be hovering, suborbital, or actually in low orbit, anything that's not touching the ground but still close to the surface.  Once such situation per biome.  Only works for some experiments, including EVA report.  Note that you can get this situation for an EVA report while the shp itself is landed but the Kerbal is hanging on a ladder, not touching the ground.

Upper Atmosphere:  Only on atmospheric planets.  Only one "upper atmosphere" sitatution for the entire planet.  This can be done in high-altitude flight or during areobraking passes through the upper atmosphere (a recent change).

Low Orbit:  both airless and atmospheric planets.  Only 1 "low orbit" situation per body.  For airless bodies, this only happens for the experiments that don't give per-biome results "In Space Just Above".

High Orbit:  any planet.  Only 1 "high orbit" situation per planet.

So, a simple, early-career suborbital rocket goes through the following situations:  Surface of Launchpad (a small biome).  In Flight over Kerbin's Shores (immediately after liftoff), In Flight Over Kerbin's Water (shortly later in the flight), Upper Atmosphere, Low Orbit, Upper Atmosphere again, In Flight Over whatever biome is downrange, and finally either Surface on some distant biome or Splashed Down.  Provided you've got the battery for it, you can at least transmit a crew report at each stage of this flight, although you won't be able to remove data from experiments for most of the flight so probably won't be able to get all the other experiments in each situation.

In general, a given experiment is worth more points the further away it is from KSC, whether on Kerbin itself or another planet.  Also, being on the surface is worth more than being just above it, or in low or high orbit.  So if you can't re-use your experiments, pick the situation that yields the most points and use them there.

 

 

Thanks for your very detailed response! It did help a lot

[Wanderfound]

Repeating what some others have said: begin by launching a capsule with science gear on it to both the launchpad and the runway. Use this to unlock the basic tech nodes.

Then, break some records and do some contracts so you can make some money. Launch Jeb or Val into a suborbital flight (make sure to give it a bit of angle to ease reentry), use the science and cash from that to unlock more tech. That should enable you to build a basic orbit-capable rocket, which will bring in more cash and science. By that stage, you should have a roll on; just keep doing contracts, preferably more than one per mission.

Your first financial target is to upgrade the Tracking Station, Mission Control and the Astronaut Complex so you can get your patched conics and EVA abilities. Once you have EVA, unlocking the early tech tree is a cinch; just launch into a polar orbit and get "EVA over..." science from every biome.

If you find yourself short of a little science, just load a probe core, parachute and all of your science gear onto a finned SRB. Fire it off in any direction from KSC and you'll hit a biome to grab science from. The only expense is the SRB fuel.

If there's a part you need that you haven't unlocked yet, see if there's a part testing contract for that part. This is actually the main purpose of the part test contracts; emergency access to higher tech parts. You keep access to it until you fulfil the contract, so if you want to keep playing with that hot new experimental part all you have to do is not run the test. Watch out, though; some tests require you to activate the part, some only require that the part be taken to a certain speed/location.

Don't pay to recruit crew; do "rescue from orbit" contracts instead. Similarly, wait for space station contracts to appear before throwing up your orbital fuel stations.

Unlocking most of the rest of the tech tree can be done with a few Mun/Minmus missions. The trick there is to carry a scientist (to reset goo pods etc) and hit as many biomes as possible in a single trip. It's also a good idea to stack contracts; don't just go to the Mun, get science from orbit/flag planting/satellite delivery/part testing contracts to do on the way.

The last few tech nodes are usually covered by my first interplanetary missions. Send probes to the difficult ones, crewed ships to the easy ones, hit the transfer windows whenever they appear.

If you've only been playing sandbox, you're probably accustomed to monstrously overengineered ships. Less is more; a basic orbital ship should be less than √10,000, a basic Munlander return around √30,000.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Wanderfound

[Wanderfound]

One slight difference of opinion with Geschosskopf's excellent advice: the early aircraft nodes are very useful for low-altitude survey and part testing contracts. The first aircraft node makes it easy to build a twin-Juno subsonic jet that can lug your science gear to any biome on Kerbin that you have the patience to reach, for almost no cost.

And in late game, spaceplane economics stomp conventional rockets. Once you've got a fleet of SSTO tankers refuelling your orbital gas stations, your RAPIER/Nuke spaceplanes can wander all over the Kerbol system at trivial expense.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Wanderfound

[Chano]

8 minutes ago, Wanderfound said:

One slight difference of opinion with Geschosskopf's excellent advice: the early aircraft nodes are very useful for low-altitude survey and part testing contracts. The first aircraft node makes it easy to build a twin-Juno subsonic jet that can lug your science gear to any biome on Kerbin that you have the patience to reach, for almost no cost.

And in late game, spaceplane economics stomp conventional rockets. Once you've got a fleet of SSTO tankers refuelling your orbital gas stations, your RAPIER/Nuke spaceplanes can wander all over the Kerbol system at trivial expense.

Thanks for pointing that out Wanderfound  

[Geschosskopf]

3 hours ago, Wanderfound said:

One slight difference of opinion with Geschosskopf's excellent advice: the early aircraft nodes are very useful for low-altitude survey and part testing contracts. The first aircraft node makes it easy to build a twin-Juno subsonic jet that can lug your science gear to any biome on Kerbin that you have the patience to reach, for almost no cost.

And in late game, spaceplane economics stomp conventional rockets. Once you've got a fleet of SSTO tankers refuelling your orbital gas stations, your RAPIER/Nuke spaceplanes can wander all over the Kerbol system at trivial expense.

Yeah, airplanes are a bit more useful now in 1.05 than in the past.  I'm still in the habit of writing them off as worthless in career mode.  But the new Juno engine in 1.05, which you get whether you want it or not simply by pursuing controllable tail fins for your rockets, can come in handy for a brief, shining moment early on now.

The underlying problem with airplanes in career still remains, however.  The main things airplanes let you do science in lots of Kerbin's biomes on the cheap.  They also let you do a couple of survey contracts, perhaps also a couple of "haul part X into flight" contracts, provided they don't require too much altitude (read that carefully before accepting, or be prepared to use some rocket assist to reach high altitude).  And you can use the starter fixed landing gear and the Juno to make a rover to drive science parts to each KSC building, which are also separate biomes.  However, none of Kerbin's biomes pay very much science, you might not see ANY of the survey or "haul part" contracts, and most of KSC's many biomes only appear after you've upgraded all the buildings to max so there's not much there to start with.  And in any case, Kerbin biomes only pay chump change in science points, so only the 1st few nodes are unlockable this way.  Beyond that, nodes require more science than you can reasonably hope to get in 1 airplane mission, whereas by now you should have the rocket parts to get out in space where you can unlock 1 or more nodes per mission.

The bottom line is that unless you're playing with some hard-mode settings that force you into a long, slow grind up the tech tree, airplanes even in 1.05 quickly work themselves out of a job.  Space is where the real science and high-dollar contracts grow and the sooner you're able to get out there, the sooner airplanes lose their utility.

The SSTO thing is a very late-game strategy.  After all, nuclear engines and especially RAPIERs are way out at the end of the tech tree.  By the time you unlock them, there's really not much left to do, if anything, and you should be filthy rich so don't care about money.