Starting fresh with 1.2

[Boba Kerman Fett]

Hey there forum!

I was introduced to this game through the PS4. What a mess. I went out and bought a computer just to play this game! To my point...

Can you tell me what mods I need? Is a flight stick recommended?

Thanks in advance my friends!

[Red Iron Crown]

Welcome aboard!

No mods are needed. My advice would be to get a feel for the stock game first, then find the things you'd like to improve or change and then start looking at mods.

Flight sticks are nice but not required, I've been playing for years without one. Those who do use them swear by them though, so if you already have one there's no reason not to use it. 

[RX2000]

4 hours ago, Boba Kerman Fett said:

Hey there forum!

I was introduced to this game through the PS4. What a mess. I went out and bought a computer just to play this game! To my point...

Can you tell me what mods I need? Is a flight stick recommended?

Thanks in advance my friends!

I'd go all stock until you learn how to do everything on your own & understand it. From there start adding in mods that you think will make the game more fun for you.

I really like Chatterer. Its amazing how absolutely silent stock KSP is. Also I like Kerbal Engineer, mainly just for the AP/PE readouts without having to go to the map screen (of course the dV readouts when designing your craft are nice, but unnecessary when you are just starting out.)

Edited October 14, 2016 by RX2000

[Curveball Anders]

4 hours ago, Boba Kerman Fett said:

Is a flight stick recommended?

I use an Xbox360 controller for the fiddly stuff (aircraft, rovers, docking).

Since you have a PS4 you can use that controller if you wish.

http://www.howtogeek.com/240152/how-to-use-a-playstation-4s-dualshock-4-controller-for-pc-gaming/

 

[Superfluous J]

I'd like to 3rd the "go stock until you see something you want to change" idea. It's really easy to go overboard on mods.

When you're new, you are going to have a lot of experiences where you don't know if the game's buggy, you're just not understanding something, or you understand it but can't do it well enough. The last thing you need is a mod coming in and adding "is this mod causing the problem? Do I understand the game but not the mod?" and other type questions to the mix.

But when you get stuff down by all means turn to mods to fill gaps you find in your personal experience. Just make sure first that they ARE gaps

[eddiew]

2 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

It's really easy to go overboard on mods.

That, really   It's tempting to pack in all sorts of parts and planets... and then never use them. Worth getting a feel of how you like to play before you decide what it is that you're going to pile up on.

The two exceptions I would name are something to give you a delta-v readout, such as Kerbal Engineer Redux or MechJeb, plus Transfer Window Planner to help you work out the right times to make interplanetary missions. Unfortunately none of them seem to be 1.2 ready yet...

I have never used a joystick and never plan to. The physics just aren't that complicated that they require analogue controls.

[RX2000]

10 minutes ago, eddiew said:

such as Kerbal Engineer Redux or MechJeb, plus Transfer Window Planner to help you work out the right times to make interplanetary missions. Unfortunately none of them seem to be 1.2 ready yet...

KER has a 1.2 release.

[Red Iron Crown]

13 minutes ago, RX2000 said:

KER has a 1.2 release.

Not an official one, it's still an in-development test version and the dV calculator can easily be fooled by the new flow rules.

[Leafbaron]

1 hour ago, eddiew said:

That, really   It's tempting to pack in all sorts of parts and planets... and then never use them. Worth getting a feel of how you like to play before you decide what it is that you're going to pile up on.

The two exceptions I would name are something to give you a delta-v readout, such as Kerbal Engineer Redux or MechJeb, plus Transfer Window Planner to help you work out the right times to make interplanetary missions. Unfortunately none of them seem to be 1.2 ready yet...

I have never used a joystick and never plan to. The physics just aren't that complicated that they require analogue controls.

I think a joystick would make flying planes easier, not sure about rockets. Planes for sure though, right now hitting the keys is all or nothing for control surfaces unless you tap the keys rapidly. A joystick would allow for fine smooth adjustments without having to trim and such. 

1 hour ago, Red Iron Crown said:

Not an official one, it's still an in-development test version and the dV calculator can easily be fooled by the new flow rules.

I have tried the dev version of mech jeb with great success. 

[Regiampiero]

The first thing I did in this game was figure out a way to land on the Mun and come back to Kerbin using the 2014 Demo. No mechjeb, no KER, no manuver nodes, hell no landing gear! That thought me a lot about space flight, that and YouTube. Mostly KurtJmac because Scott Manly confused the hell out of me with all the mods he had/has. 

Edited October 14, 2016 by Regiampiero

[Boba Kerman Fett]

Thanks for all the info! I'm so glad I switched from the console version

[regex]

The only mod you really need is the windowed switch in your game shortcut so you can easily alt-tab. Making a quick spreadsheet to figure out delta-V is very handy and having the internet easily available for reference is a good idea as well.

[Xavven]

8 minutes ago, regex said:

The only mod you really need is the windowed switch in your game shortcut so you can easily alt-tab. Making a quick spreadsheet to figure out delta-V is very handy and having the internet easily available for reference is a good idea as well.

I also play with a delta-v spreadsheet instead of KER (personal preference really, I know many will disagree with me.) As for a flight stick and throttle, I recommend it but it's not required -- and don't knock it 'till you've tried it. You can get much better precision with hovering and landing with a quality setup, especially because of the throttle. I can't land on Mun with a vertical velocity of < 0.2 m/s with the keyboard only, but I do that regularly with my HOTAS.

[regex]

1 minute ago, Xavven said:

I also play with a delta-v spreadsheet instead of KER (personal preference really, I know many will disagree with me.)

i only do it because KER isn't updated to use the new fuel flow system, but it's not nearly as odious as people opposed to spreadsheets make it out to be. Quicker than my cellphone calculator for sure...

[eddiew]

43 minutes ago, Leafbaron said:

I think a joystick would make flying planes easier, not sure about rockets. Planes for sure though, right now hitting the keys is all or nothing for control surfaces unless you tap the keys rapidly. A joystick would allow for fine smooth adjustments without having to trim and such. 

IMHO there just isn't anything in the game that requires a level of piloting that isn't available with just keyboard taps though. I'm a big spaceplane fan, I've done rough landings on Kerbin, Duna and Laythe, and I never thought "man, I wish I could just pull up by only 50% here". I do sometimes adjust my control authority during flight, e.g. 150% for takeoff, but unless you're intentionally flying acrobatic circuits, as long as your plane is designed well, a joystick isn't required.

Whether a player chooses to get one anyway is their own affair though, and I'm not saying it's wrong to do so   If it's more enjoyable for someone with a stick, then they should use a stick - it's just not necessary to go out and buy one if you don't have one and aren't struggling with flying.

[Leafbaron]

2 minutes ago, eddiew said:

IMHO there just isn't anything in the game that requires a level of piloting that isn't available with just keyboard taps though. I'm a big spaceplane fan, I've done rough landings on Kerbin, Duna and Laythe, and I never thought "man, I wish I could just pull up by only 50% here". I do sometimes adjust my control authority during flight, e.g. 150% for takeoff, but unless you're intentionally flying acrobatic circuits, as long as your plane is designed well, a joystick isn't required.

Whether a player chooses to get one anyway is their own affair though, and I'm not saying it's wrong to do so   If it's more enjoyable for someone with a stick, then they should use a stick - it's just not necessary to go out and buy one if you don't have one and aren't struggling with flying.

I totally agree with you, I was just pointing out the perks of using a stick but they are no way necessary to fully enjoy the game. I've been playing since 2013 and have never, as you stated, thought "oh man i need a stick right now" either. BTW Eddie I thoroughly enjoy the work you post in "what did you do in ksp today"

I have a basic dV spreadsheet I'd post but I can't figure out how to upload an excel spreadsheet.