Finally finished Tech tree for the first time. PS4

[GrouchyDevotee]

PS4 Enhanced Edition, 1.01, default controls, normal difficulty, career mode.

I haven't messed around with any settings at all, I have only ever played Kerbal on my PS4 console.

Lots of useful chatter going on here. I'm glad to see the KSP community and Dev's are still actively pursuing the Kerbal Space Program for Console.

I'm thrilled that the EE 1.01 patch fixed so many of the problems that were plaguing the console version.

I have now for my first time, completed the science tree in Career mode, Year 2 and 50-ish days. Was really expecting some sort of party, but research is never really finished. 

My first interplanetary sortie to Duna was a partial success.  I was able to get there with two space probes, deploy some comm satellites, and attempt landings on both Duna, and Ike. Unfortunately I didn't install proper relay (any relay comms ) so, yeah. Partial success. Duna has a new crater with some litter around it, Ike has a lander that only occasionally wants to talk with Kerbal Space Command. My Probes currently enroute to Jool will no doubt have the same success rate... if I'm lucky.

Right now my Kerbals and I are learning to spell the words efficient launch profile, and I have discovered a couple of different ways of how not to do interplanetary transfers. Also found out how to level Kerbals skills up, way, way, way late in the game.

The Space Tourism market seems to be a reliable source of Income , so hopefully I'll eventually be able to land a fuel rover on Mun and Minmus for less cost than the Kerbal Space Hotel I'm currently assembling in orbit.

I love this Game.

Current gameplay concerns;

-Physical Time warp, sounds like the nuke and Ion engine crowd want this. I've only been using chemical rockets so it haven’t bothered me... yet.

-Since I started playing early on in the console release phase, I do not like the new throttle arrangement, because it's backwards to how I learned. Console controller is very busy and could use some work eliminating overlapping command button combinations.

-Something needs to be sorted out with the trim setting being so easy to accidentally turn on, HAL keeps trying to crash my spacecraft. I suppose somebody might want to set the trim while making a burn in space, But I sure haven't wanted to.

-Kerb-net remains a complete mystery to me. I haven't even accidentally landed on an anomaly yet. If I turn it on, I need to escape back to the space centre to get it off the UI.

-Kerbal skills and abilities, I have landed bases on Mun and Minmus, I have Space Stations orbiting Kerbin, Mun, and Minmus, and I'm building a 40 room space hotel, I have docked , clamped, landed, recovered, rendezvoused, transferred, rescued, space walked, Mun walked,  drilled and refined... while the pilots have gained useful skills, and the scientists have gotten faster, the engineers have only learned how to pack a chute or to fix a flat tire.

-Seriously, the contracts need a proof reader. Please. For real.

-The Admin building... just... why? I guess it might add something to the game, I just don't know what it is. Haven't used it at all, until recently I didn't bother opening the screen. I'm done the tech tree now so I guess I'll sell some science...

-Interplanetary travel, Console Career players need some sort of alarm clock. and some sort of rough transfer planner.  Unless I'm suppose to attempt all my interplanetary stuff in sandbox mode, the game needs some sort of alarm clock.

- Haven't touched an asteroid and I don't want to.... yet.

-VAB I haven't made any use of the advanced tabs, subassembly seems to be a mysterious method of telling me I can't attach things I might want to save.

-I hear that console players can use a keyboard and mouse, haven't tried. If this is true, great, if it's not the game should have this option.

-Flight controls for planes, I've read that there is an option for using a  joystick, this is a must have for flying aircraft. I haven't tried yet. I like the idea of building and flying my own planes, and I have built and flown a few planes in KSP, but I mostly avoid it because I personally don't enjoy atmospheric flight with a controller and I abhor flying with a mouse.

My suggestions for the console version,

-Kerbal Alarm clock, add this function to the admin building ( even as a paid level unlock )..."Admin wants a mission to Duna, the transfer window is in three weeks." this will give console players an in game transfer planning resource that is sorely needed. Same for an interplanetary course correction Alarm clock, " Admin wants you to know your TPS reports are out of date, and Duna 1 is due for a course correction..". Or alarm reminder "That Duna 1 probe should be hitting the atmosphere by now, did you turn it on yesterday like we planned?"

-Kerb-net, turn on this power hungry application and anomalies will show up if and when they do, also acts as a science reminder, "we're over Mun pole, should probably take a picture or something..", "Admin wants to know what this anomaly is on the front page of the newspaper", have Kerb-net show console players the Biomes and the places they haven't explored.

-Kerbal skills, seriously. Engineers need to be able to scavenge parts from one craft to another, that's kinda how engineers become engineers in the first place. Science guys should be able to find/identify biomes and anomalies in the game. Pilots should be able to make a guess as to where they will land on a given trajectory, I'm talking about trying to land a pod at KSP. By level 3 these skills should be completely possible.

-Contracts. Really really need to more clear. I can't stress this enough, they need some proof reading. If I'm continually missing a specific biome or science objective, you could offer a contract and show me what it is I'm missing. Same with Historical records and milestones. Also,  If I have a Space Hotel, don't ask me to build another, ask me to fill it.

As I suggested, Flight Joystick is something I'm missing in this game.

I offer these suggested changes to the console game, mainly because it's a console game, not a computer game that has a readily accessible google tab I can refer to. I can and do play this console game without Kerb-net, um, without internet connection.

That's all I have for now, I'm sure most of the problems I'm having are mostly because of me. I just wanted to add my input thus far as a console gamer.

I'm looking forwards to any expansion or DLC for this Fantastic game!!!

Cheers all!

[bfreestone2002]

Hey! I am one of the few console players as well. The thing I would really love to see is mouse support. Keyboards work and it’g great but adding a  mouse will just make it so much better. I also agree with all your ifeas as well.

[Pthigrivi]

Just curious, how long abouts did it take you to go from zero to a complete tech tree? How did the progression feel? What bogged down and what seemed too easy? 

[Gargamel]

Missed this the first time you posted it GD, grats man!   I just can't wait for the first time you get to play KSP on a PC, "OH MY GOD, IT'S FULL OF MODS!" 

Couple notes, and I'm not sure hwo the PC answers will translate to console, but here goes:

On 4/21/2018 at 2:59 AM, GrouchyDevotee said:

-Physical Time warp, sounds like the nuke and Ion engine crowd want this. I've only been using chemical rockets so it haven’t bothered me... yet.

There is a physics time warp (upto x4), but not sure how to activate it on console.  I'd say hit random button combinations of the default warp, but save first :D.

On 4/21/2018 at 2:59 AM, GrouchyDevotee said:

-Seriously, the contracts need a proof reader. Please. For real. 

There's a mod that..... oh sorry, nevermind.   I think it was just translation errors from Spanish (Squad is based out of Mexico IIRC), and they just never fixed them. 

On 4/21/2018 at 2:59 AM, GrouchyDevotee said:

-The Admin building... just... why? I guess it might add something to the game, I just don't know what it is. Haven't used it at all, until recently I didn't bother opening the screen. I'm done the tech tree now so I guess I'll sell some science...

Depending on the strategy you select, you can alter how the game plays somewhat.  Early on I like to trade a bit of rep for funds and science, later in the game, I trade most if not all of my science for rep. 

On 4/21/2018 at 2:59 AM, GrouchyDevotee said:

-Kerbal Alarm clock, add this function to the admin building ( even as a paid level unlock )..."Admin wants a mission to Duna, the transfer window is in three weeks." this will give console players an in game transfer planning resource that is sorely needed. Same for an interplanetary course correction Alarm clock, " Admin wants you to know your TPS reports are out of date, and Duna 1 is due for a course correction..". Or alarm reminder "That Duna 1 probe should be hitting the atmosphere by now, did you turn it on yesterday like we planned?"

Yes, KAC should be in stock.  But till then, there a couple transfer window planning websites (Check the add-on utilities sub sub forum) that can help you.  This is assuming the stock console game has the same planetary alignment on day 0 as the PC does....

 

But most of your suggestion, while console specific, are also needs the stock game needs overall.   Good post. 

[Superfluous J]

On 4/21/2018 at 2:59 AM, GrouchyDevotee said:

-Seriously, the contracts need a proof reader. Please. For real.

The stuff at the top is SUPPOSED to look like that. I don't think it's right either, but that's the way it is. It doesn't need a proof reader, it needs a redesign.

The contracts themselves could in places be more (and in some cases less) clear, precise, and specific so they're easier to understand. In particular the "Materials Bay" should really be referred to by it's actual name of "Science, Jr." and when you're looking at waypoints in flight they should tell you what the contract wants of them (Take a bla bla bla reading bla bla bla meters above or below x thousand meters") instead of just an icon that nobody remembers and the least useful piece of information out of the contract: The name of the company that gave it.

I like your idea of giving contracts to go places you've not gone. I frequently take survey contracts on the off chance that I've not been to that biome yet. And I'm often disappointed that I have.

[GrouchyDevotee]

20 hours ago, Pthigrivi said:

Just curious, how long abouts did it take you to go from zero to a complete tech tree? How did the progression feel? What bogged down and what seemed too easy? 

I bought KSP for my PS4 soon after it became available, learned the basics of design and launch systems, manoeuvre nodes and docking procedures came next.

Valentina was the first Kerbal to Orbit, ( original release ) and she still flies with the Enhanced space program, her last long-term assignment was as Commander of Minmus Orbital Station.

When Enhanced Edition came along and it's first patch got to my machine, ( February ) the PS4 console version was finally able to run Career mode successfully.

So three months real time to complete the tech tree in Career Mode, normal difficulty. -But keep in mind I was already proficient at many Kerbal skills by this point.-

Two Years and 50- ish days in Kerbal time.

I'm not sure how to check game time for hours played on a PS4, but I did waste some time and resources a couple of times when I built and launched some ridiculous creations thinking I was in sandbox mode.

I really liked most of the progression, but because I had played some already I was able to side-step some of the problematic contracts. Testing various components at such and such a speed at certain altitudes, and specific science measurements at certain places at certain altitudes. I just ignored those contracts almost completely. Game developers need to have a real look at the workload and controller manipulations required to perform some of these tasks  on time.

Could easily just be me and my own clumsiness, but learning to fly sub-par space-craft as well as perform some of the more dexterity intensive monkey paw manipulations were at times their own mini-game. I also didn't spend much time building aircraft, It's a very neat design and build system, but I'm not much of a fan of flying with a controller. I have built many different aircraft in other saves, just isn't necessary in career mode.

I did almost as many rescue missions as they could offer, so I didn't need to recruit any Kerbals, but I am low on Scientists.

I would have liked to see some more space station oriented missions. Returning a sample of Mun and Minmus to the Kerbin Space Station Lab is something every KSP player should do.

I massively overbuilt almost everything. A few advanced contracts with a limit for total launch weight, or total orbital vehicle mass might have been neat.

Docking is tough to learn, the tutorials for console players should be more descriptive, and specific. I learned by watching Scott Manley videos.

I've really enjoyed this game, I'd like to see it become more accessible to others without making it easy.

KSP for PS4 is a great game exactly as it is right now, difficult to learn, but great.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2018 by GrouchyDevotee

[Gargamel]

On 5/23/2018 at 5:04 PM, GrouchyDevotee said:

A few advanced contracts with a limit for total launch weight, or total orbital vehicle mass might have been neat.

Or perhaps a contract to launch a payload of a known mass, with a limit on cost (minus the payload cost).   This would simulate real world launch contracts for satellites and such.