Vanilla or Mods?

[TanC]

I usually play the vanilla game first until I'm bored out of my mind of it. Then in comes the mods. I find it extends gameplay for much, much longer after you're done with the base game.

[FlamedSteak]

I've never liked using mods in games, they always end up being more trouble than they're worth, especially on an incremental release like this. Plus I'm pretty short on time, I get about an hour to myself everyday, so stuffing around getting mods to work is a giant waste of that time. I really don't like anyone or anything messing with my free hour.

[Tommy_walsh]

I use to use Robotic Arms, B9 areo space and KSC but I had to restart my world in the update so I no longer use them.

I only use Mechjeb now.

Tommy

[rodion_herrera]

My simple rule of thumb for mods--get what you need at the moment. That's it. If I don't need something, I don't install it because I know that KSP will load it up and perhaps slow things down. If I need something to get someplace, then I install that part. Sometimes I even delete parts of the mod that I don't use--that way I know it won't be loaded up and thus streamlining my KSP's performance.

[nats]

Well I started off playing the demo and then when I moved to the full game I put on some parts mods pretty quickly such as Novacore, KS Rocketry and KSPX which are my favourites. But I started getting too many mods on and they started slowing the whole game down. So I did remove several that I probably would never use and I am going to be more selective in future..

But now with the 0.20 patch removing all of my mods I am actually finding it rather fun trying to create rockets out of bare bones parts and it is amazing what you can do when you put you mind to it using stock parts. But I certainly couldnt get by without crew manifest and engineer redux at the very least.

So at the moment I have got Crew Manifest, Engineer Redux and KSPX on and I will get Novacore and KS Rocketry as well when they are updated, because I do like the variation those mods give me in the look of my rockets - I especially miss the solid rocket boosters for some reason despite the limited use they are at the moment.

I am very pro-modding. The Realism and Darth mods of the Total War games have shown me how much modders can change the whole game for the better. The TW games wouldnt be playable for me without mods like that, that slow the whole game down, make it more realisitic and less like a sped up action film.

This game certainly is all the better for the mods and I love the way the devs are improving the base experience whilst the modders fill the gaps and provide the variation. It wouldn't be half the game without the modders and I probably wouldnt be still playing it by now if it wasnt for them. So I salute you all!

Edited May 29, 2013 by nats

[llamatoes]

I use mods like alarm clock, crew manifest and haystack, as they make my life easier.

I also use the engineer chip a lot, as I can't be bothered will all the maths,

(I can work out TWr, and delta v, I did it for an rcs lander), but I also have kethane as it makes life more interesting.

On my Ferraram InstalI have firespitter and b9

I hardly ever use more than a few modded parts, so any more than a few mods on my regular save is a bad idea.

[MarkusA380]

Play with a game without mod is just like driving a car without any option

But why should you drive by car if you can run? Driving by car doesent need any skill, running does!

The same with KSP... you can use mechjeb to go to Laythe, but you can't be proud of it because it wasn't you. -snip-

Edited May 29, 2013 by KasperVld

[rodion_herrera]

But why should you drive by car if you can run? Driving by car doesent need any skill, running does!

Or a road bike. My only weekend break from KSP is the saddle

[NASAFanboy]

After my 0.18.2 tool a full thirty minutes to load, I have stopped using any types of addons or mods in any way. Backwards compatibility is good, and the only plugin I use is Hyperedit to salvage spacestations that break from wobble.

Besides, I hate waiting for addons to update, and so, I play all stock, and addons, and one plugin that appears to be forwards compatible.

[Uncle Mort]

-snip-.

I like the mods. Having extra parts and plugin aids make the game far more enjoyable. Mechjeb is a must, it takes the tedium out of endless launches, the Smart A.S.S. and the statistic panels are essential. Crew Manifest does something that should be stock, that is, the internal transfer of crew between docked ships. Kethane and Mapping add to gameplay and HOME modules are so useful and look good.

Why on Kerbin would anyone stay stock?

Edited May 29, 2013 by KasperVld

[NASAFanboy]

Whatever.

I like the mods. Having extra parts and plugin aids make the game far more enjoyable. Mechjeb is a must, it takes the tedium out of endless launches, the Smart A.S.S. and the statistic panels are essential. Crew Manifest does something that should be stock, that is, the internal transfer of crew between docked ships. Kethane and Mapping add to gameplay and HOME modules are so useful and look good.

Why on Kerbin would anyone stay stock?

I might use mechjeb, I like the idea of lunar outpost reapply missions while I grab coffee. Kethane is a maybe-no, I tried it once, and I didn't really like it. Mapping is a maybe-yes, but I kinda dislike HOME because the modules are too "futuristic" while I wan modules very similar to those in the planned lunar outposts.

[rodion_herrera]

Why on Kerbin would anyone stay stock?

Err, because you can? I like mods, but I also can survive without them. It's like alcohol--I don't look for it, but it won't kill me to have a few drinks if friends invite me to a party.

[dr_jt]

Send a Kerbal

Edited June 6, 2013 by dr_jt

[rhoark]

Anyone proud thinking stock is hardcore need to play with Ferram, Deadly Reentry, and RemoteTech together.

Re KW: It's good, but you definitely have to pare it down to what you use (for me its fuel tanks and fairings, but not the engines or struts)

[lazarus1024]

Vanillia in .20 for now. I doubt it'll last. It never has before for me.

[Fox967]

I always play with mods - simply for the extra parts. I found out, a long time ago, that my playstyle wasn't exactly compatible with stock parts - I like to think of my space program as somewhere between the Soviet Union's space program and an inept car mechanic firm. This means, if something fails to work first time, i need bigger engines and more fuel. We get there in the end!

[NeoMorph]

Mods which is why I am still playing 19.1 (until all my mods are updated).

As I have a lot going on in my 19.1 persistent save it also was a big reason to hold onto it.

[TheDarkStar]

I'd say so. As a former pilot I really don't understand the anti-autopilot attitude but, to each their own. Real spacecraft are 100% computer controlled. Nobody sits there manually flying a spacecraft ever and that is a fact of space exploration. It will be greatly amusing to me when this "ALPHA" stage game ends up having all the autopilots like MechJeb incorporated into the the standard game. Will the anti-autopilot folks still condemn the players that use autopilots?

First, the devs have said that autopilots will not be in the stock game. Second, there were actually several instances of manually controlled spacecraft. Niel Armstrong had to land my hand, and I've heard that Apollo 13 also had to do some things by hand.

[Flixxbeatz]

Stock is for real Jebediahs, using hundrets of mods just to go to Mun for baybys.

Dude, that's just the same as saying that people who play full stock has a lot more skill than people who use mods, based on how I've interpreted it...

[NASAFanboy]

First, the devs have said that autopilots will not be in the stock game. Second, there were actually several instances of manually controlled spacecraft. Niel Armstrong had to land my hand, and I've heard that Apollo 13 also had to do some things by hand.

Neil Armstrong did it because the auto-pilot was heading toward a bunch of rocks, which was not mapped but dangerous to the lander. Apollo 13 did it because the autopilot was down from the blast.

[Camelotking524]

Mods add to the game, filling in gaps that I am sure the dev team will get to.

On the autopilot issue, every launch of a spacecraft has been controlled by a computer. Armstrong put the LEM into semi-autopilot when correcting the landing. Meaning the computer was still assisting him in the landing. I've had to override mechjeb on several occasions because its landing would have resulted in the lander tipping over.

Mechjeb is awesome for assisting one in their endeavors, but one should always know how to do it manually when mechjeb decides to do something wrong.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Camelotking524

[KinkyFerrets]

First, the devs have said that autopilots will not be in the stock game. Second, there were actually several instances of manually controlled spacecraft. Niel Armstrong had to land my hand, and I've heard that Apollo 13 also had to do some things by hand.

Those arent manually controlled spacecraft, those are computer controlled spacecraft that were over ridden to manual control in dire circumstances. In other news, Progress M-34 strikes and punctures the Spektr Module aboard Mir due to tests that removed docking from autopilot control and give manual control.

[Flixxbeatz]

Mechjeb is awesome for assisting one in their endeavors, but one show always know how to do it manually when mechjeb decides to do something wrong.

I second this.

That's just like a car - there is manual and automatic transmission. If you learned how to drive using manual, then you can, for sure drive both manual and automatic transmission vehicles. But if you learned how to drive automatic vehicles first (assuming that a person is entirely new to driving), then you'll won't be able to drive a manual transmission car unless you first learn how to.

I'm not against anyone who use MechJeb since at the start that they're playing KSP though - I'm just stating my thoughts, opinions, and things I've agreed with.

[Vanamonde]

I've never liked using mods in games, they always end up being more trouble than they're worth, especially on an incremental release like this. Plus I'm pretty short on time, I get about an hour to myself everyday, so stuffing around getting mods to work is a giant waste of that time. I really don't like anyone or anything messing with my free hour.

This is my main reason as well. Look around the forum at all the posts that say something like, "Help! I installed Mod X and now my Kerbals have no faces!" or, "Why are all my engines thrusting 135 left from their axis? I only have 29 mods installed!" and, "I'm sticking with the previous version of KSP until the mods are updated." Who needs the headaches? I just want to sit down and be able to play a game that works.

[dr_jt]

I only send a Kerbal

Edited June 6, 2013 by dr_jt