Career mode and early steps.

[LN400]

I have started a new career after a long time off KSP and once again I find myself grinding for hours for bits and scraps of science points as well as cash. Realizing I am far from the only one who find it tedious, it got me thinking:

How about a topic where we collect hints and tips and plain directions to get the game going sooner rather than very much later. The idea is that anyone who has found a way to speed up the science/money collection process, and who wouldn't mind sharing, can post their hints, tips and tricks here. Mods are ok, just make it clear if your method is mod dependent and if so, which mod(s). What some consider cheating, others don't so I'll just say if you consider something to be cheating, that's fine, just don't use that method yourself and move on with the career play. This topic will solely be about various methods to get those fast cash and science points. No bickering and argueing about this or that mod or this or that is cheating.

 

Now, to most players, many of these tips will be known but to others, especially new ones, the tips are not known. Don't worry if your tip seems like unworthy to mention. Post it, it might be of help to someone else.

NOTE: This topic could very well end up with spoilers for those new players and possibly old players who would rather not know, but find out for themselves. If you don't mind spoilers then go ahead and read on.

Ok, I'll start to kick this one off (and hopefully, others will post their tips).

Science on Kerbin:

Spoiler

Your home base, KSC, is really a number of biomes, science points wise. Experiments can be performed in all these biomes for loads of science points even before you launch your first rocket. A quick way to determine if you are in a new biome is to attempt an EVA report. In any case, the new report (which you may choose to discard or keep) will tell which biome you are in). Early on you can either build a very simple rocket to move around, or just walk around. Don't forget the VAB has 2 biomes! One is the area close to the VAB, the other is right next to it (or on the roof top).

Spoiler

Using the Sounding Rocket Mod. The Sounding Rocket mod comes with 4 extra experiments you can do in each biome. They might not give a lot each but it all adds up to something worth grabbing.

Spoiler

Each biome on the ground has a corresponding biome in the lower atmosphere and lower space above. Don't forget to write reports and collect science here. KSC is different here in that it does not have a corresponding biome above ground.

 

[Madscientist16180]

It's been a while since i played vanilla ksp, i use lots of mods.

One of them is "unmanned before manned". Not only does it change the order in wich you unlock part, it also make data transmission return much more science than normal on certain experiment.

I unlock just enough science on Kerbin, than i build a rocket carrying 4 micro landing probe and send them to minmus. Those 4 probes are normally enough to hit all Minmus biome, transmiting the data at a 100% rate. When they are almost empty, you can have fun crashing them on the surface, no return trip necessary. 

Add to this mods that add science part (i use DMorbital science and Umbra industry exploration pack) and this can net you an early 1000/2000+ science point depending on the game setting. If you use those particular mod, some of the experiment are biomespecific in orbit, having the patience to hit them all is also vastly rewarding.

 

Than i normally have the basic parts needed to more or less go where i want, and i rank up my science by diing the same, with mutliple probes going to Duna.

 

[Foxster]

I've used the ForScience! mod for all my play-throughs recently. 

It runs all the possible science experiments automatically as you enter a new biome. Saves a load of tedious clicking, especially if you've done it all several time before. It doesn't make any extra science you couldn't do manually if you wanted to spend the time, so I don't feel it is overly cheaty. 

[foamyesque]

For faster exploration of the KSC grounds, build a stack of four command pods, put your default starting crew in them, and roll around. You can get four crew reports and much faster EVA reports that way. Material bays and thermometers are also usable in this way.

[Rocket In My Pocket]

My suggestion is to not waste time and effort farming science around the KSC unless you really need just a few more points to unlock something in the tech tree. I don't even bother going for the biomes around the KSC until I have surface samples/most of the science parts unlocked, might as well do it all in one go.

Getting to Low Atmo/High Atmo and then Low Orbit/High Orbit should be your primary goal, there is so much more science available and it's actually less time consuming. Once you can get to the Mun and back you can pretty much fill out the entire tech tree based on the science you can get there alone.

As far as general tips; get science labs early and learn to use them. Even just one lab in orbit around Kerbin can be filled by two trips to the Mun and then produce almost 10 science a day.

[foamyesque]

4 minutes ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

My suggestion is to not waste time and effort farming science around the KSC unless you really need just a few more points to unlock something in the tech tree. I don't even bother going for the biomes around the KSC until I have surface samples/most of the science parts unlocked, might as well do it all in one go.

Getting to Low Atmo/High Atmo and then Low Orbit/High Orbit should be your primary goal, there is so much more science available and it's actually less time consuming. Once you can get to the Mun and back you can pretty much fill out the entire tech tree based on the science you can get there alone.

As far as general tips; get science labs early and learn to use them. Even just one lab in orbit around Kerbin can be filled by two trips to the Mun and then produce almost 10 science a day.

 

This depends a fair bit on what your tech multipliers on. A Mun mission is pretty tricky without access to the Terrier; all the other engines before that are way too large for a Mun lander, or are solids. It's possible but I'd not want to try. Also, KSC science is free, which is important in earlier career where even a single Hammer booster can be a major chunk of your savings.

 

At least, if you play like me and turn the reward sliders all the way down... :v

[LN400]

Some good points have been brought up. Not only can methods be mod dependent but also dependent on your personal game difficulty settings. Great to see alternative methods for various game settings!

[Rocket In My Pocket]

1 hour ago, foamyesque said:

This depends a fair bit on what your tech multipliers on. A Mun mission is pretty tricky without access to the Terrier; all the other engines before that are way too large for a Mun lander, or are solids. It's possible but I'd not want to try. Also, KSC science is free, which is important in earlier career where even a single Hammer booster can be a major chunk of your savings.

At least, if you play like me and turn the reward sliders all the way down... :v

If we're giving generic advice to newer players, I'd say we should assume default career settings, wouldn't you? A discussion about the best early game strats with all the sliders turned down would be a completely different topic.

I do agree that a Mun landing really only becomes realistic once you have access to the Terrier. However it's pretty early in the tech tree, and since it's one of the best vacuum "workhorse" engines in the game it should be a priority to research anyways.

I find that I have more funds in KSP than I have time in which to play it, so my suggestions are mostly about avoiding any kind of long, boring, grinding so you can get right to the fun stuff! Personally I would call farming all the KSC science first thing in career mode instead of focusing on atmospheric/orbital science "stepping over dollars to pick up dimes."

[foamyesque]

13 minutes ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

If we're giving generic advice to newer players, I'd say we should assume default career settings, wouldn't you? A discussion about the best early game strats with all the sliders turned down would be a completely different topic.

That's fair, I suppose.

I'd do it mostly to help get the first science nodes (matbay+goo), the Stayputnik (tourism, sats, etc) and the T-200 tank + Swivel engine, all of which are vital for further progress in the tree. Once you've got those life becomes a lot simpler.

Edited August 1, 2016 by foamyesque

[Spricigo]

I feel we are kinda missing the point there,  if you find the 'early game'  too grindy just skip it,  raise the reward sliders,  get starting science/funds or just  go play sandbox.  It's so simple: don't expect to have fun by boring yourself. That it's exactly the opposite of having fun. 

 

 

[LN400]

13 minutes ago, Spricigo said:

I feel we are kinda missing the point there,  if you find the 'early game'  too grindy just skip it,  raise the reward sliders,  get starting science/funds or just  go play sandbox.  It's so simple: don't expect to have fun by boring yourself. That it's exactly the opposite of having fun. 

 

 

I can only speak for myself but when I first started playing Falcon 4.0 Allied Force, I spent weeks tearing my hair out, days and nights on end trying to figure that beast out  Some just prefer to jump into the deep end and stay where all the bells and whistles are. Anyway, back on topic:

On available contracts for cash:

One mod I use (not one for science and cash) is RemoteTech. This mod makes it quite challenging to send up unmanned probes early on when cash is low and hard to come by without sending out unmanned ships/parts-test-rigs. Catch-22. It gets even harder by the fact that it takes quite a lot of cash to get past the 30 parts limit at the start of the game making scientific explorations of Mun/Minmus rather inefficient, costs-wise. Another Catch-22.

In the current game, I can pick among 2.5m-parts-into-escape-trajectory and low altitude surveys. The parts tests are the most profitable and I have therefor started building the communication hub around Kerbin with cheap short range (2.5Mm) antennas for sending out disposable test rigs with as many of those tests I can fit within the 30 parts limit. The cash should allow me to expand the VAB for a greater parts limit for the exploration of the moons. Guess the point is priorities. The surveys look easier but the reward is much lower and each survey takes one rocket with low cash return. Beside, the more contracts you can pack into one launch, the lower the cost per contract, for a greater profit.

[bewing]

The very most non-intuitive thing about KSP is that for some of the structures at KSC, you have to touch them in order to collect experimental samples.

It is fairly easy (after only a few days of collecting science points, doing contracts, and upgrading structures) to launch a big rover to Minmus that can quickly visit every single biome and return thousands of science points to LKO. Minmus is much easier to mine for science than the Mun, because of the Flats and the low gravity. (You only have to be really careful driving over the edges of the Lowlands cliffs.)

Find this lake:

Spoiler

Find this lake:

Spoiler

Find this crater:

Spoiler

Find this pond:

Spoiler

 

[DD_bwest]

ive played alot of careers, finishing the tree many times.  i really dont find it a grind anymore with just about every mission bringing back considerable science for upgrades. but then again ive got a heck of alot better.

the acadamy upgrade for eva is the most important first uprade you buy. and youll wanna before the second launch.  cause that should have 4 science labs to pull the data from and ditch before rentry.

almost every mission should be manned,  to get the full valur when you recover upon return.

take time to remember to eva while orbiting above biomes.  this is especially useful the first time you orbit any body.

first trip to minmus surface, should be multi biome.  its also not hard to make a command ship/lander combo that carries enough fuel to refill the lander 8 times, and bring a scientist to reset the lab and goo can each time you return to orbit.

 

edit: first launch should get you the jr labs among other advances, the second should get you the thermometer,  third should get you the barometer.  each subsequent launch should have multiple sensors to make sure you grab as much science as you can.  like the 3rd launch will be your first orbital launch, should bring atleast 2 thermometers so you can grab the atmo ones while on the way up.  and once in orbit, go around a few times grabbing eva reports over waters, shores, grasslands, highlands, deserts etc. and 

Edited August 2, 2016 by DD_bwest

[Hodari]

4 hours ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

My suggestion is to not waste time and effort farming science around the KSC unless you really need just a few more points to unlock something in the tech tree. I don't even bother going for the biomes around the KSC until I have surface samples/most of the science parts unlocked, might as well do it all in one go.

Basically. this.  Usually, my first "mission" will be just a command pod with a goo unit stuck on it, get the sample, crew report, 2 eva reports, and recover.  That gives enough science to unlock the first couple nodes.  After that, it's much faster to get more science by actually going to space and doing real missions as soon as possible and only use the kSC biomes when you need a couple more points to unlock something. 

The other important thing to consider is making sure you choose the nodes in the right order so that you CAN keep getting more science without needing to grind too much for it.   The exact best path for this will depend on what mods you're running, but probably better engines and nodes which unlock more science experiments will be the main priorities.  Bigger fuel tanks are also very important early on until you can afford to upgrade the VAB and not have to worry about part count.  And of course, you'll probably need solar panels for anything beyond LKO.

[DD_bwest]

ill add more.  first mission should be multi stage, the solids will simply explode when the one abovr it fires, so a decouple isnt necesary. 4 boosters should be enough.  4 goo cans on the back if the pod.  

crew report then eva, remove it and eva report on the pad.  then goo can the pad.  launch west bound, try for an ap of 30k. goo can in both high and low atmo. and crew report from high. when you land, goo can again for the 4th and last one. eva and remove report from upper atmo,  and do eva report for flying anove where you landed.  go back in and crew report where you landed, eva then get a report from outside  on the ground.  return to your vessel and recover it lol thatll get yiu started off well lol

 

 

you may have trouble slowing down for your chute, if you put your rocket in fast tumble, its drag will be much higher, and should slow you down enough lol

Edited August 1, 2016 by DD_bwest

[CSE]

If you're considering mods, you could try KEI - Kerbin Environmental Institute, which automates the gathering of science around KSC.

[scola_p]

If you want a bit of extra cash early in the game, I would recommend stage recovery. 

 

You get money back for any stagespecial that fall back to Kerbin, just by adding parachutes. 

[Blaarkies]

On 8/2/2016 at 0:51 AM, DD_bwest said:

ill add more.  first mission should be multi stage,

... launch west bound, try for an ap of 30k. goo can in both high and low atmo. and crew report from high. when you land, goo can again for the 4th and last one. eva and remove report from upper atmo,  and do eva report for flying anove where you landed.  go back in and crew report where you landed,

Remember, you cannot EVA anywhere else than landed/splashed down on Kerbin until you upgrade the Astronaut Complex(since a few updates ago...0.90 ?). So I dont think it is viable to EVA in upper atmo in the first mission

[DD_bwest]

1 hour ago, Blaarkies said:

Remember, you cannot EVA anywhere else than landed/splashed down on Kerbin until you upgrade the Astronaut Complex(since a few updates ago...0.90 ?). So I dont think it is viable to EVA in upper atmo in the first mission

you are right, no EVA while launched for the first mission.   I said eva when you land so you can take out the crew report you got from Upper, so that you can grab another one for where you landed.

3 crew reports -   launch pad,  upper atmo and  grasslands/highlands depending on where you come down.

3 eva reports - flying over launch pad, flying over your landing point,  and walking around where you land.   (while holding onto the pod, it usually has your set as "flying" lol

4 goo cans -  launch pad, low atmo, high atmo,  landed

[Blaarkies]

2 hours ago, DD_bwest said:

you are right, no EVA while launched for the first mission.   I said eva when you land so you can take out the crew report you got from Upper, so that you can grab another one for where you landed.

3 crew reports -   launch pad,  upper atmo and  grasslands/highlands depending on where you come down.

3 eva reports - flying over launch pad, flying over your landing point,  and walking around where you land.   (while holding onto the pod, it usually has your set as "flying" lol

4 goo cans -  launch pad, low atmo, high atmo,  landed

sorry i misunderstood your mission plan...it sounded like you wanted to do an quick Ap eva

[DD_bwest]

42 minutes ago, Blaarkies said:

sorry i misunderstood your mission plan...it sounded like you wanted to do an quick Ap eva

you know.. it may be possible if played on easy lol i cant remember if you get enough cash to upgrade after you accept the starting contracts lol i may check tomorrow

 

edit:  actually i went ahead and checked and you can upgrade your complex before you launch if its set to easy lol  this means that youll be able to not only eva in the upper at,  but since you can take the upper at crew report out at the same time, youll be able to grab another crew report in the lower when you parachute back down.   it could be done in either order, but thats probably the easier one lol

Edited August 4, 2016 by DD_bwest

[magnemoe]

On 4.8.2016 at 11:43 AM, DD_bwest said:

you know.. it may be possible if played on easy lol i cant remember if you get enough cash to upgrade after you accept the starting contracts lol i may check tomorrow

 

edit:  actually i went ahead and checked and you can upgrade your complex before you launch if its set to easy lol  this means that youll be able to not only eva in the upper at,  but since you can take the upper at crew report out at the same time, youll be able to grab another crew report in the lower when you parachute back down.   it could be done in either order, but thats probably the easier one lol

Yes, if you do an crew report, eva and collect data you can store and do another. 

Tend to not mess around to much with science on KSC outside of recovering pods with material science and goo from runway and launchpad, if I need more I tend to make an roller two pods with two material labs in center can be rolled off the runway and up on the crawlway to get more science. 

 

[capi3101]

The topic of how to start going about your early career has come up before, of course - and for my money, I recommend Streetwind's strategy here:

...and follow it up by going into Geschosskopf's strategy here.
 

Between the two, cleaning out the tech tree can be done pretty quickly. Note that even though the advice is a few versions old, it still applies. Further, it applies whether you use mods or not. Overall a sound set of strategies, in my experience anyway.

[Bombaatu]

The KEI mod will run every science experiment you have unlocked for every KSC biome available:

If you combine this with Stragegia (see below), there is a Strategy called "Local Science" that gives bonus science for KSC.

 

Edited August 30, 2016 by Bombaatu

[Chiron0224]

as for getting cash fast I have one word: SATELITES!!! actually let me make it two words: FREAKING SATELITES!!!  Here's what you do.  Step 1) accept every satellite contract available.  Step 2) build a satellite that has the required modules for all of them.  Step 3) launch that one satellite and have it complete all those contracts Step 4) roll around on your giant pile of cash.