What's the first thing that you do in KSP? Your first craft? How's it?

[SiriusRocketry]

My first KSP launch was way back in the 0.13 demo, I didn't know what symmetry mode was and just put about 13 wings on a single solid booster pod (all at varying angles.) Anyway, the rocket flipped around at about 2 kilometers up and exploded when it hit the ground.

 

My usual first career rocket is the six-pod Max science mission, a good 60-90 science for the first mission!

 

[Lord Aurelius]

I first played KSP back when it was 0.19, and the demo was 0.18. The first thing I did (after the tutorial) was to start adding more and more boosters, fuel tanks, and engines until I managed to put Jeb on an escape trajectory out of the sun.

In the more recent versions of KSP, the first thing I do with a new version is install MechJeb. For career, if for some reason I've decided to put myself through the pain of the vanilla game progression, the first mission is to launch a command pod to get science from the launchpad. That's enough to unlock the next tier and build a slightly better first real rocket. Otherwise, I spend several hours getting a bunch of mods installed and working together before starting career.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Lord Aurelius

[GarrisonChisholm]

On 12/12/2017 at 9:16 AM, 5thHorseman said:

I don't know but it was probably something to get into orbit, it was probably 10x bigger than you need to get into orbit, and it probably failed to get into orbit assuming it even made it into the air.

Oh dear heavens.  I remember by first Eve orbit and Return probe- over 700 tons!  It was ridiculous.  I don't even remember if the return stage made it back...

[Ultimate Steve]

My very first time playing KSP was on a very bad and laggy computer back in 0.19.

The rocket went like this: Mk16 parachute, Mk1 command pod, TR-18A decuopler, RT-10 SRB.

The flight went well. Jebediah survived an atmospheric flight.

Next, I made a pretty terrible rover powered by two gigantors that pretty much immediately snapped off.

[harrisjosh2711]

My first rocket was pretty successful. What I remember from my first day playing KSP was activating infinite fuel and heading out into the kerbal system to explore. Lol how many of you were like me and thought planetary travel was as simple as pointing and aiming at you designation? What a fool I was. I don't think anything can quite paint a picture of relativity like you can in experience in KSP. I by chance got a rendezvous with Jool, seen laythe, pointed my ship straight towards it and probably spend 10000 dv to get there lol. I don't play that save any more but poor Jeb is still down there all alone. Fortunately this was before I discovered life support mods. Yeah, so don't be like me. It was a great learning experience but I discovered Laythe my first day playing KSP. Oh, then I spent all night practicing the docking tutorial. I think I managed to dock successfully once the whole night. I eventually moved on to mechjeb (lifesaver for a newby). At some point, don't really know when, I didn't need mechjeb anymore.

Edited December 15, 2017 by harrisjosh2711

[Atkara]

Having gotten into KSP on v1.0, I chose to start with career mode and a step by step understanding of which part does what. As a result, my first craft was fairly simple.

A bit later and as I was trying to get into orbit I found myself relying more and more on SRBs. One of these contraptions eventually made it to the mun and back, but not before accidentally getting a mun encounter & flyby, by shooting straight at it -I was that frustrated

Once I calmed down, I watched a number of tutorials, "discovered" DV and downloaded KER. Things improved, kept improving as I learned more and I believe they still do.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Atkara

[GoSlash27]

I honestly don't remember my first rocket. It was too long ago and I am too senile.

I do, however, remember the vehicles I designed in my first program. It was patterned largely after NASA's program. I did all the designs by hand, and all the calculations by slide rule.

My initial one man lifter was dubbed "Moho Bluerock". I learned how to orbit, target a spot for reentry/landing, maneuver in orbit, EVA, and rendezvous. No docking available in the trial version back then.

 

Once I had all those down, I moved on to the Mun with a much different approach, more akin to Russia's plan. I sent 2 rockets, one with the lander and one with an additional reentry pod. Upon returning from the Munar surface to orbit, the kerbal had to EVA to his return pod. What made that mission unique was that I had calculated that RCS quads would provide the most efficient design, as engine selection was very limited and the LV-909 was overkill. The design wound up being a 2 stage twisted candle with the landing legs on the lower stage.

 

After that, I was hooked and bought the full version.

Best,
-Slashy

 

[Geonovast]

1 minute ago, GoSlash27 said:

 

 

Where are those landing legs from?

[GoSlash27]

Genovast,
 Those were the legs in the trial version back then. I don't remember for sure, but I think it was a stripped- down version of 0.18

Best,
-Slashy

[Geonovast]

Drat.  I like'm, was hoping they were a mod.

[GoSlash27]

geonovast,
 Sorry Perhaps you can track down a copy of the old 0.18.3 demo and transfer the file? I checked, and I no longer have it.

Best,
-Slashy

[Corona688]

5 hours ago, Geonovast said:

Where are those landing legs from?

Those are old placeholders.  They looked nice but were actually terrible.  They were so fragile that people would attach them in eightfold symmetry, just in case.

[Red Shirt]

This is a picture of one of the very first rockets I designed from stock parts. This was from the first day or two that I owned Kerbal Space Program. I named it Bob. I failed, and failed, and failed some more to get this into orbit back then - I gave up on it thinking it did not have enough dv to make it to space. Several months later just for fun I put it on the launchpad and hit the space bar. I hit orbit so fast I was amazed. This shows my original ideas weren't all wrong. It also proves practice makes a big difference.

By the way, my son gave me a three minute lesson after he bought me the game. So that put me about a month ahead of being on my own and not knowing Scott Manley existed.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Red Shirt

[Jeb, The Lonely Kerbonaut]

I started to play KSP after i start to watch the series of @Pesterenan, so, when i start to play, i created a carrer save, and i already knows what to do (accept the first contracts and create a basic rocket).

[Piatzin]

This thing:

It was supposed to be an SSTO, even though the SRB's decoupled.....

I don't remember if it flied or not. Probably not

[pandaman]

I started with the v18.3 demo.  Stuck a few bits together to see how stuff worked.  Then started 'lobbing' rockets at the island airfield to get the hang of the controls.

Now when i first open a new version i grab one if the stock planes and fly around a bit.

[Ozzallos]

I usually go big-- Either with a vertical launch jet engine rocket to orbit or an interplanetary ship with a massive ion thrust array-- No less than 30 nodes powering it.

The vertical launch jet is usually picky about fuel ratios no matter how much I give it. It's a hit or miss project.

The Ion ship is easy to build, but getting it into orbit as one piece is a bit tricky.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Ozzallos

[Greenfire32]

First on the docket: geosync comsats. Establish a network of communication.

Second: robotic missions. Look for good ISRU locations, send rovers, map the area. Begin planning manned missions.

Third: start over because the game has updated in a major way and tell Jeb (again) that he won't be going to Duna (again).

[ave369]

When I was beginning to play KSP, my first craft was small solid booster + basic pod + parachute. Nowadays I have grown a fondness for the mod Sounding Rockets, and begin the game with a sounding rocket program culminating with launching of a Stayputnik to orbit. After Stayputnik, Jeb goes.

[Dunas Only Moon]

Late, Very late to the party but here is mine:

I was a console player back in '18 and i didnt know about 3 things. staging, how to open up part menus, and what was a "size", so i tried building a rocket.

i first put on a mk 1-3(?) on top of a fl-200 tank, needless to say i hated it so i got a new rocket and tried adding the same command pod but to a plane fuel tank, and added some radial engines. oh i added a science thing (i think a telescope). i crashed it so many times.

and then i tried the mun launcher.  took years to get to the mun, i saw it as a big rock that was catching me and smashing into me, now i see it as a place to throw bases whenever i have more than one minute of free time