Sand box or Career?

[AlamoVampire]

DISCLAIMER: I am about to share a rather bluntly pointed opinion that represents a single persons point of view. A point of view that you the reader may choose to: Agree with, repudiate or completely ignore in favor of moar boosters at your own whim and or discretion.

 

I play the only mode that was well thought out. The only mode that gives me a reason to form an emotional attachment to and for our little green space kadets, sandbox. 

Science mode comes close but still lacks substance in terms of long term or EVA science.

Career mode is an absolute farce if you ask me. Contracts do not provide a linear nor logical progression let alone provide any form of cohesive story. 

Manned before probes? Illogical! Lets have you haul this part from way down the tech tree up and use it at an arbitrary height and speed for what practical reason?

To be frank, blunt what ever, career mode has potential if proper logic and thought get applied to make it:

1. Logical and linear.

2. Proper story.

3. Logical.

4. Linear.

5. Sensible. 

DISCLAIMER: I have shared a rather bluntly pointed opinion that represents a single persons point of view. A point of view that you the reader may choose to: Agree with, repudiate or completely ignore in favor of moar boosters at your own whim and or discretion.

time 19:22:30

[Archgeek]

Sandbox.  I spend way too much time testing weird experimental things to ever really get into a career, and one that I did got slightly bogged down by too many atmospheric contracts (testing engines and chutes at...slightly too tight altitude and speed windows).  The solution was to make a little plane with a rocket assist pack to make altitude, but I got distracted by more sandbox shenanigans before I could get to it.

[XLjedi]

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 1:16 PM, Tyko said:

What about Science mode? That's my fav because I enjoy tech progression but not budget management 

I want a mode that doesn't exist...  I want career mode, with an opportunity to "buy" craft that I build in my "Skunkworks" sandbox with a punitively expensive hit to credits/science for each "Voodoo" experimental part I used in the craft that I have not yet unlocked.

Currently working on a "Skunkworks Order" mission script with Contract Configurator that will allow me to do just this.

Basically, I like the gameplay of the missions, unlocking the tech tree, and restraints of cash management...  but I also want some form of access to allow my RAPIER SSTO's to knockout some of these tasks.  I also like the idea of getting one very expensive RAPIER craft that I have to be a little extra careful about not destroying.   ...and it also kinda forces me to park it on the tarmac at the KSC and use a refueler truck!  In addition to having to create some interesting equipment loader devices that I otherwise would not need to make.  

Edited July 5, 2017 by XLjedi

[pandaman]

Almost exclusively Sandbox for me.

Every time I try career it just winds me up.  As much as I like the idea of career mode, sadly, the current implementation just doesn't inspire me.

[Dr.Vulpinus]

On 6/9/2017 at 11:15 AM, adsii1970 said:

The way I play sandbox is actually more challenging - I decide on what the objects of the mission are, then I plan the mission, build for the mission, and execute the plan. And there are enough things in KSP to where it never gets boring and random things do happen.

I absolutely agree with that statement.  Despite being new to the forums, I have been a long time player of KSP (Back in my day, we didn't have no stinkin' Mun!) and I have never gotten bored with sandbox mode.  I especially like planning out big orbital construction projects and assembling large interplanetary ships in orbit.  Also, as an avid programmer I find that I can spend countless hours with kRPC programming various missions and operations to be automatically executed.

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

On 6/9/2017 at 5:49 AM, 5thHorseman said:

Woo hoo I'm in the majority! 100% of the 1 people who answered agree with me!

I mainly play career. Sandbox is generally just for testing things.

Same here, until my career save file crashed and over half my ships got wiped out.

 

No matter. I'm using Sandbox to make cool ships and prepare for an amazing comeback. Not only that, I use Sandbox to film myself for my YouTube channel

[Epicdreamer]

Been playing (a lot) of science career mode for over 2 years now.

With the 1.6 update I've just started a full career save and for the first time I actually enjoy it! The contracts and moneything makes me think differently, another sort of creativity.

[tonimark]

I play sandbox for fun but sandbox is usually for "beginners" to learn how to lunch rocket (and do space exploration) property while a career is space program management which required a big amount of experience to progress in career.

[RealKerbal3x]

Sandbox mainly. I prefer to choose the path of my space program by myself, rather than be restricted by a tech tree and contracts that make little logical sense.

[MaverickSawyer]

Neither. SCIENCE! All the challenge of career, without the budget restrictions.

[Triop]

I have a carreer mode save where I unlocked all the things I need and have a lot of funds.

Fun thing is I can sandbox in this career save and have funds to spare.

I like the idea of paying for my own craft myself, sandbox style and still take on contracts.

I advice it, give it a try.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Triop

[Gapone]

I now have a science mode save, with full tech tree cheated. Did it just because experiments/lab do not work in sandbox.

hmmm... maybe really do a "complete carreer" cheatsave, for funds and rep to work?

[HCF]

As I only use KSP to test fun / interesting things on the side if I am bored of other games, I can proud say SANDBOX!

[maceemiller]

Sandbox for me, always has been. I've tried career so many times and always end up feeling I'm up against a losing battle.....

I tried a new career last week in 1.6 and the contract was to test a decoupler whilst on the launch pad at Kerbin......

After at least 20 goes using different variations of the test it just would not complete...even though every staging condition was met....

At least with sandbox I can go "right....Kerbal to Duna and let's go mining"...

 

[maceemiller]

On 1/4/2019 at 8:22 PM, RealKerbal3x said:

Sandbox mainly. I prefer to choose the path of my space program by myself, rather than be restricted by a tech tree and contracts that make little logical sense.

This....totally...(sorry for double post...I messed up!!)

Edited January 7, 2019 by maceemiller

[Tyko]

@Noud you need a Science mode option

[Geonovast]

On 1/4/2019 at 11:29 AM, tonimark said:

sandbox is usually for "beginners"

I'll have to disagree with that.  I'm certainly no beginner, and I get the most enjoyment out of sandbox.  I find career incredibly tedious and boring.  I've tried many times, but about the third time I have to design a ridiculous one-off rocket just to satisfy yet another get haul or test contract that doesn't achieve any actual goal I delete the save.

Science is a really nice compromise, and I have gotten quite far in a few of those saves.  I still almost exclusively play sandbox.  At this point I mainly set my own goals of doing things that the game wasn't really meant to do.

[Ozymandias_the_Goat]

My preference is to play sandbox with TAC and @Galileo‘s rescale for a sort of RO lite (and it’s compatible with 1.5). I usually set mission budgets, but the constraints set by the mod set, and my predisposition to build realistic spacecraft make the constraints of career mode unnecessary.