The ethics of Space

[Brotoro]

I try to bring all my kerbals back alive. This was not the case in the early days (on my first flight, for example, I thought parachutes were an integral feature of the capsule. Jebidiah found out differently).

[Scoundrel]

I've never considered not killing my Kerbals, simply because they're like Buddhas or something, constantly reincarnating. Or, more ominously, like some sort of unkillable force of stupidity right out of a Stephen King novel. Very creepy. Also, I've noticed that their life support is questionable, at best... I mean what happens to them when they die?

Soilent Green is Kerbals?

[ZeNuclearWaffles]

I always try to rescue my Kerbals in the best way I can. Especially the ones I have gotten really attached to. Jebediah, Bill, and Bob are always on a high state of priority when they're in their space station above Kerbin. Meanwhile my second favorite team of Kerbals would have to be Gilwise, Burvey, and Edby Kerman.

I actually sent Burvey on a space mission around the Mun to survey it from a high orbit, but then his fuel cut out while I was trying to smooth it out. But during that time I was also building a space station around the Mun, so I sent another mission to go save him and then dock with the station. It was a Mk1 capsule with a 1-man lander can right above the engine. The mission was a success. Had to EVA Burvey for a long while though, he had less than 10% of his fuel left when he finally grabbed onto the lander can.

[Deadweasel]

I've never considered not killing my Kerbals, simply because they're like Buddhas or something, constantly reincarnating. Or, more ominously, like some sort of unkillable force of stupidity right out of a Stephen King novel. Very creepy. Also, I've noticed that their life support is questionable, at best... I mean what happens to them when they die?

Soilent Green is Kerbals?

You know, I think there's a point there. The first time I see a Kerbal come back from the "dead", they kind of start to lose their mortality in my mind. Likely that'll be a very critical factor to consider in career mode, but I'm starting to consider looking for working "perma-death" options so that doesn't happen.

Crew Manifest supposedly has just such an option, but even though it's enabled, they still come back eventually anyway.

[Designer225]

Safety... this is a BIG concern.

I would not want to kill any Kerbals, so I have to prepare for my biggest plan: to go to Duna and Ike and return Kerbals back home safely.

That's a lot of hard work, but thanks to the probes, I can run experiments without even the needs to kill Kerbals.

Now... I did end flight before death for another reason... I think you should watch this video to see why. (I really hate killing Kerbals, so I went persistent editiing to get everyone's ToD value back to 0, and that's behind-the-scene. However the first two attempts are shown and I never did it.)

[Titler]

At first I started trying to keep them alive, but because the game in Sandbox mod generates the same Kerbals over and over again, a mission to save Jebediah might also be carrying Jebediah and one of them disappears once the two gets too close together, making the whole thing frustratingly pointless When career mode is finally completed, and if that bug is removed and each Kerbal has to be unique, then I'll go back to trying to save them... assuming that is there's no realistic food/survival timer on them by then!

[roosterr]

As much as I like to keep the sim carefree and interesting, I take my kerbals seriously. Therefore I like probes for testing concepts. Once I am comfortable that a craft or concept is safe for a kerbal, then I apply safety measures like parachutes and ejection mechanisms.

If I leave a kerbal stranded, a rescue mission will follow.

Finally when a new version comes out, I could care less about stranded kerbals and start fresh with a new version.

[sadron]

Video Game Caring Potential.

[TerrificToby]

surely when the kerbals joined the KSP they signed a disclaimer saying that they're aware of the risks and know that they're probably not going to survive. as for me and safety, i put it in but it's always minimalistic, reflecting my approach in reality.

[EonthePeon]

So,

I've had KSP for a few months now, but I've suddenly found myself really hooked on it.

I just started playing a few months ago myself, and safety has become huge for me, Jeb is my go to man and I don’t want to see anything happen to him =). I use to do a lot of test builds using satellites and then remade it with a command module; this last patch has made that approach a million times easier!

I also believe in no Kerbal left behind. My first landing on Minmus was fun, I landed with little to no fuel left, I tried for close to an hour to find a solution. The solution I ended up involved burning all the fuel to get me as altitude as it could all the while pushing with my RSC to get a stable orbit.

I then launched a a satellite matched the orbit, managed to refuel them (first time I had docked two ships in orbit (I had done ship to space station before) to refuel them. I even used the sat to practice brining an object back home before I returned my Kerbals home.

[Joe Shmoe]

I use to not care much about the safety of Kerbonauts, but after a very tragic mission where (becuase I wasn't careful) crashed a Mun lander. The crew survived, but they were stranded on the Mun. I feel sorry for those two Kerbonauts, so I put a lot more effort into keeping future crews safe.

[antb0y]

I try to at least maintain the illusion of an ethical space program.

That means I will always rescue Kerbals stranded on Mun, Minmus or in Kerbin orbit. Happens quite a lot, because I'm not a good player.

Any further away than that, I can't be bothered to do it. These guys... let's say, they have "accidents".

[Cydonian Monk]

Simple: No Kerb Left Behind. This was part of the reasoning behind my early switch to a mostly-robotic space program. Even on my simulation save I tend to go back and rescue the stranded.

My biggest issue with keeping the little green dudes alive comes from spaceplanes..... Somewhere there's a bar where the walls are three-deep with photos of Kerbal test pilots.

[M5000]

I have not yet killed a single Kerbal in .20.2, or any of the .20 family updates. My missions are almost always unmanned, until I rack up a LOT of confidence that my crew will be able to complete the mission safely. So far, the only thing I'm comfortable doing on a regular basis without thinking twice is sending a craft to orbit and/or re-entering. I've done exactly one manned Mun landing with a return.

Now, when I say "Complete the mission" that doesn't necessarily mean return. I aim for return, but if the mission protocol calls for a several-man Eve landing, they're probably not coming back. However, that's clearly in the mission protocol. I don't strand anyone unless it's planned. If there is a situation where a Kerb is stranded, official Nexus Intelligent Systems, Incorporated: Space Exploration Executive Commission protocol is to gather as much supplies as possible and wait in the ship as long as possible, radioing for a distress signal once per Kerbin day until a response is warranted.

[Riverzend]

Since .20 I launch a kerbal only when I know I can get them back home......14 have given their lives trying to accomplish this

[regex]

Aside from the "point of pride" factor, I don't care if a Kerbal dies; it's a game. That being said, I don't exactly go out of my way to kill them either.

[Designer225]

Aside from the "point of pride" factor, I don't care if a Kerbal dies; it's a game. That being said, I don't exactly go out of my way to kill them either.

What if the career mode is launched?

[KerbMav]

What if the career mode is launched?

Economic considerations are seen as ethical values nowadays - what has the world come to??

[Flixxbeatz]

Aside from the "point of pride" factor, I don't care if a Kerbal dies; it's a game. That being said, I don't exactly go out of my way to kill them either.

Video Game Cruelty Potential much?

[technicalfool]

Since buying the full game, I've launched exactly 0 crewed flights, unless you count Mechjeb as "crew".

I'd probably operate on a No Kerbal Left Behind policy as well as numerous safety systems if I did launch with Bill, Bob and The Jebinator aboard.

[Deadweasel]

Video Game Cruelty Potential much?

He started with Kerbals, and soon graduated to cats...

[Guest]

Crater slopes and hillsides seem to be the bane of my Mun programme's existence. I recently set a three-man lander down on a slope that was steeper than I'd anticipated, and the whole thing slowly toppled over onto its side despite my best efforts to right it with RCS. Then began the long roll down the slope to the crater bottom. By the time it came to a stop, all that remained of the vehicle was the the capsule, the ascent stage fuel tank, three RCS thrusters (no fuel for them), and a single working solar panel. The urge to hit "End Flight" was strong, but I sent an automated rescue ship instead since they had power and the hatch wasn't obstructed.

[Khrissetti]

Depends. Would rescuing a kerbal be fun or a grinding and frustrating waste of time?

[Deadweasel]

Depends. Would rescuing a kerbal be fun or a grinding and frustrating waste of time?

Depends. Do you consider Kerbals to be generally disposable, or would you realize a learning and discovery benefit from trying to send a purpose-built rescue mission?

[Guest]

Depends. Would rescuing a kerbal be fun or a grinding and frustrating waste of time?

Refitting a manned craft to be automated, setting it down within 200m of the wreck and avoiding another mishap, transferring the stranded crew to the rescue ship, and returning them safely? I'd call it a fun challenge.