Points in time when videos/guides become obsolete?

[Celthon]

Playing Career Mode, on desktop PC, with no Mods or add-ons (just base game version 1.6.1.2401)...just got the game 10-days ago.

Have been watching a lot of youtube videos and reading a lot of blogs to get some "how-to" type information and have discovered that as the game has been updated features were added, changed or deleted entirely, etc., that caused big changes in the way the physics in the game works, the way parts can and cannot be used -- and so things that are being shown in an older video or described in an older blog, may not be even possible with the current version of the game. 

I've found blogs and video channels that span years and started with basic tutorial-type instructions appropriate for a brand new player, and then over time the video creators and/or blog authors became more and more advanced in the game and left the "brand-new-player" stuff far behind -- but those videos/guides/tutorials are still out there and many do not have anything edited to them to tell a brand new player: "This can no longer be done in the current game, so don't waste your time..." -- I wasted a lot of time and frustration trying to design/launch a device based on an old "guide" and many hours/days later discovered a comment buried many layers deep which indicated "this no longer is possible"...but some of these videos, guides and tutorials have hundreds of comments, in some cases spanning several years and it is mind-numbingly tedious trying to scan through them all.

Can those who are experienced in this game please give me some approximate dates of big game-changing updates that I could use as a rough guide to choosing which tutorials and "how-to's" to ignore?

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Edited March 28, 2019 by Celthon

[FleshJeb]

@Celthon

The significant versions are:

Version 1.0, April 2015 - Many new things introduced. Major changes to aerodynamics.

Version 1.3, May 2017 - Very similar to what we have now. There have been a few part balance changes, but overall, no major changes since then.

More detail here: https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Version_history

When in doubt, check the wiki or KSPedia in game. The parts information and celestial bodies reference in the wiki are usually quite current.

Last but not least, don't be shy about asking in the Gameplay Questions section here. We will happily answer anything...frequently in mind-numbing detail.   Even as a very experienced player, I pick up a lot of info and insights just from reading other people's questions.

[soulsource]

I agree, the only really important change was 1.0, as it added aerodynamics and heat simulation. Still, most of the old guides still hold true, especially the one about plane stability.

The only thing you really need to forget is what people called a "gravity turn" back in the days, namely going straight up to 10 km, and then instantaneous tilting to 60°. That's pretty much going to break your rocket to pieces nowadays...  Since 1.0 you need to do a real gravity turn, meaning that you give your rocket a very slight nudge towards east (or whatever inclination you want) right after launch, and let the aerodynamics do the rest (with minor adjustments). This of course only works if your rocket is aerodynamically stable, that's why I linked the guide to plane stability.

[Gargamel]

But I can't remember if Orbital Mechanics has ever been changed, aside from getting it to work right initially, so anything related to that should be current. 

[Tyko]

The Scott Manley videos from 1.0 (or close to it) are still very relevant. Some parts may have changed, but the concepts and lessons are very valuable.

 

 

 

[AVaughan]

I too recommend Scott Manley's tutorial videos.  

One thing other people haven't mentioned that changed after 1.0 was the introduction of Commnet with KSP 1.2.  That added antenna ranges and communication blackouts which weren't a consideration before that version.

[villetuomas]

4 hours ago, AVaughan said:

I too recommend Scott Manley's tutorial videos.  

One thing other people haven't mentioned that changed after 1.0 was the introduction of Commnet with KSP 1.2.  That added antenna ranges and communication blackouts which weren't a consideration before that version.

This! You can get to Kerbin orbit without a perfect gravity turn, but you can’t get to a Duna orbit with a Communotron 16.

[MaverickSawyer]

Yeah, the aero changes are the real thing to watch out for... though the changes to jet engines are also something to be wary of. They used to be much more effective at high speeds and altitudes. Like, carry you almost to orbital velocity level more effective. (Who else remembers those days? )

As for career and science modes, they haven't changed much at all over the years. And orbital mechanics is the same as it's been ever since they introduced the maneuver node system.

[AVaughan]

2 hours ago, villetuomas said:

This! You can get to Kerbin orbit without a perfect gravity turn, but you can’t get to a Duna orbit with a Communotron 16.

Well actually you don't need an antenna to get to Duna, provided you have a pilot.  But without a suitable antenna, you won't have communications, and can't transmit science.  (Technically you don't need the pilot, or the antenna, or even maneuver nodes, but anyone who is competent to do that doesn't need any help from beginner tutorials).

[villetuomas]

@AVaughan Ah yes, I forgot about kerballed flights. 

How do you get to Duna orbit without control?  Some sort of retrograde gravity assist from Ike/ Duna?

[ZooNamedGames]

I consider just about every guide for KSP obsolete within a month or two as an update with change something or change how something works and thus, make it no longer applicable.

[IncongruousGoat]

5 hours ago, villetuomas said:

How do you get to Duna orbit without control?  Some sort of retrograde gravity assist from Ike/ Duna?

Well, if you left your SAS on, you have the auto-point assist, and you have coarse control over the throttle (so z and x work, but not shift and ctrl). Which is all you really need to get where you're going. Of course, this requires a very finely calibrated Mk. 1 Eyeball and/or many, many spreadsheets, but since when has that kind of limit stopped anyone? Cavemen have been flying interplanetary transfers without patched conics for years now - a mere lack of fine-grained control & maneuvers is a slap on the wrist by comparison.