Starting in KSP :D

[Berghi]

Hi! I really find this game interesting and want to play it too, and here comes the stupid question that I want to ask:

Do I need to actually know physics and space related science and things like that? Because, you guessed it, I don't.

[The Amazing Popsicle]

Hopefully this game will teach you about this stuff (because this game tought me a lot) also you should watch Scott manly.

[Papa BullDust]

You don't need to know much more than anyone does at the outset. There are extensive in-game tutorials to teach you the basics like controlling your craft, taking off, landing and the like; y'know, the gamey aspects of the game. The physics comes in to explain WHY you're doing what you do. Believe it or not, you know more about physics than you realise. Like for example, to get to space you launch upwards. However, in order to stay 'up' you need to know what an orbit is for example (always falling towards the planet, but travelling so fast SIDEWAYS that you always miss), which teaches you WHY rockets lean over more the higher they go; i.e. the physics of it all.

 

Don't worry, you'll pick up loads of tips, just immerse yourself in the game and the community. They're a REALLY helpful bunch

 

Good luck brave adventurer on your (pretty awesome) journey. o7

[Geonovast]

Everything I know about the game I learned here.

Welcome!  No foreknowledge is needed.  Really all you need is patience.  Your first rocket will blow up, almost certainly.  Your first plane won't take off.  The first plane to take off won't land.  When you get to orbit, you'll be stuck saying "Ok, now what?"

Just ask, and we'll help you figure it out.  I had this game for a good week before I even found the map view, and it was still a blast.

Edited October 19, 2018 by Geonovast

[Greenfire32]

You don't need to know it, but it will help.

However, KSP is very good at making physics intuitive so even if you don't get it now, you will in time.

[theJesuit]

7 hours ago, Berghi said:

Hi! I really find this game interesting and want to play it too, and here comes the stupid question that I want to ask:

Do I need to actually know physics and space related science and things like that? Because, you guessed it, I don't.

Welcome to the Forum too.

Peace.

[Magzimum]

Physics you need to understand before starting the game:

• Basic gravity: Stuff falls down back to a planet or moon unless you put a big engine on it.
• If it falls from higher, it will splash harder when it hits the ground.
• Moar Boosters!

Physics you do not need to understand because you will slowly learn it in the game:

• Orbital mechanics
• Rocket designing

The game is really good at teaching actually.

https://xkcd.com/1356/

Edited October 19, 2018 by Magzimum
Moar Boosters!

[Berghi]

I did not expect so many comments in such a short time Thanks guys! I really think I'll love this community :))

[releansol]

In this game you will always come up against limits and overcome them. You will celebrate successes that you would not have dared to achieve. Through constantly new challenges that you often face yourself. Dive in and have fun

[Mjarf]

Good old trial and error works well in KSP. Expect this game to take up A LOT of hours if you're a tinkerer, it can be quite addictive.

[DoToH]

I'd recommend trial and error. It's funny until you achieve orbit consistently. Even to get to Mun or Minmus. And you will laugh with some of your weird failures. The meaning of RUD is the first one to learn.

Come to the forum only if you get really stuck. Believe me, you will come when you want to go interplanetary.

Edited October 20, 2018 by DoToH

[RocketBlam]

That's the great thing about this game. Well, one of them. You don't have to know any physics or orbital mechanics to play it, but you learn about them just by accident, from playing.

[Francois424]

The learning curve is insane, but you don't need to know anything.
Took me a few days to understand how to stage properly, and about a week before I first landed on the moon (landed, not crashed and spill rocket parts all over the place)
At that time there was no entry heating, atmo didn't turn rockets over that much even if they where oddly built and that stuff.   At least you wont have to deal with sudden disassembly (boy was that ever annoying).
There was no communication relays either... tho that could be turned off in the setting if you want to.
Then get ONE mod.  just ONE.  Kerbal engineer.  You'll thank me later.

IMHO, here's what you should be aiming to do to complete your rookie training (skipping making orbit) :
 - Land something on the moon.  Then land/return it.
 - Same as the above but on Duna.
 - Get probes around Jool (say circular orbit in-between Laythe and Vall)  then time warp to say, 1000x.  You'll thank me later.
 - Learn to dock (this was highly frustrating to me), and build a space station.  nothing too large but this will teach you about Rendezvous, docking, building payloads and dealing with RCS/power generation/Delta-V.

I'd say once you can do all these 4 things, you graduate !
Good luck Cadet !  * Salutes *
 

[ZootinZack]

I'm gonna chime in and repeat, you don't need to know anything but you'll have to learn stuff by trial and error! One of those: there are no straight lines in space.

[KerikBalm]

2 hours ago, ZootinZack said:

One of those: there are no straight lines in space.

But if you go really really really fast, you'll get close enough .p

Or really really slow (fall straight down)

[AVaughan]

13 hours ago, DoToH said:

I'd recommend trial and error. It's funny until you achieve orbit consistently. Even to get to Mun or Minmus. And you will laugh with some of your weird failures.

Not everyone will enjoy learning by trial and error.  For those people there are plenty of you-tube tutorials (plus in game tutorials).  I recommend Scott Manley's tutorials.

[Kernel Kraken]

You need absolutely no understanding of physics: not knowing it makes the chances of funny glitches higher!

[Epicdreamer]

Indeed you don't need any knowledge of physics when starting KSP. The game will teach you without you knowing it does. And then, after playing a while, you watch for example a real life SpaceX launch and suddenly realise that you understand what you see is happening! Great fun.

This community/forum of KSP players is the best game community I have ever seen. Even just browsing around on this forum can teach you a lot, if you want to. And remember there are no stupid questions.

Good luck on your endeavours!  

[invision]

you can play this game knowing nothing and a year later you will be a rocket scientist ready to give NASA advice on their next mission.

[Pecan]

Without physics and science knowledge you will fail.
With physics and science knowledge you will fail.

In either case you will learn something.
Next time you may not fail.

Eventually you will repeatedly succeed and may even understand why.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Pecan

[Chel]

Remember: Explosions look cool!