Greetings, Earth creatures!

[HeadHunter67]

Hello all,

I first heard about KSP a few months back but didn't have the time to check it out... contemplated it when it was on sale on Steam a few weeks back but didn't have the money... now I've got it and I am glad! This is a really fun game but it has a sort of steep learning curve. I am grateful for everyone who has taken the time to make tutorials to help me learn and understand (especially Scott Manley, whose videos have been SUPER helpful to me!).

A little about me: I live near "the Pitt" but I grew up somewhere colder than space itself (Buffalo, NY). I've always had an interest in space exploration and science fiction and I remember watching Columbia's first launch on live television... I was in an astronomy class in college when Challenger exploded... and I had a dream about a space shuttle crash a few weeks before Columbia went down. I'd never qualify as an astronaut but I'm as fit to crash rockets as any of you!

So far, I've only done a little in the game. I built a simple rocket and sent Jeb up 833km before he came back down. I put Stayputnik into a tidy 200km orbit. I watched a video and sent a mission to Minimus, whereupon I crashed directly into the surface because I had time acceleration turned on.

I really enjoy the mission packs, they give a sense of continuity and economy and are a good example for what career mode should be. I have tried MechJeb and find it helpful. Even if I don't always use it I don't understand the purists who think it spoils the game. As someone observed: "The Apollo astronauts didn't have to freehand it to the Moon, why should you?"

I hope to be able to contribute to the community here. Fair skies!

[cloudx]

Awesome, It looks like you'll fit in just fine here.

[HeadHunter67]

Thanks. I love the "lithobrake" terminology. I think, based on what I did on Minimus, that I have some experience in that.

[CCKinnison]

The best lithobreak is one you can walk away from. ...The next best is one worth screenshotting.

Seriously... welcome, and it sounds like you've made a good start. I watched Challenger explode on live broadcast, in my college dorm, and was at work for Columbia's failure... which made for a bad day.

May all your launches be happier than those.

[HeadHunter67]

Thanks for the warm welcome! So here are a couple of valuable lessons I've learned in my first couple of days:

1) Q: Why won't my engine start back up to circularize my orbit at apoapsis?

A: Likely answer - you're flying a probe, right? I'll bet all electrical power drained while the engine was off. Try adding a solar panel and/or a battery pack.

2) Q: How the frak do I get my solar panel to open, then?

A: You need to add the actions. Click on the little blue "Action Groups" gear icon along the top center of the VAB (next to the Parts button), select one of the Custom actions and click on the solar panel. Then add the actions from the third column by clicking on them. Now, when you're in space (preferably outside atmo, but I've safely deployed them at 50k altitude over Kerbin) you can right click on the solar panel housing and select the blue button for "Extend Panel". Best to retract them when you're ready to land.

I hope these little lessons learned save some other rookie pilot from crashing what would otherwise have been a successful mission.

[Spaceisbeautifulul]

For question 1: another common mistake is not hitting the numpad period to bring up the navball on map view. (for me at least)

Oh, and welcome to the forums too.

If you like the mission packs, I think this (that I've just learned about and loving) is pretty close to that and fun too. Its not done yet, but what are you gonna do ehy? I for one have spent days on the first few missions and had loads of fun, here's the link before I forget and then go like: :http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Campaigns

So have fun, and feel free to ask any questions!

[CCKinnison]

Gee, I've NEVER forgotten to power my probe cores with an RTG or solar cells... *coughs... quickly hides some files under a desk blotter* Ahem. Where were we? Oh, right. Batteries are useful, but constant powerflow is always better.

Note: You CAN open solar cells in space without action groups... by right-clicking on them, and toggling them. Or use those tiny single-panel paste-ons... They ought to at least keep your core up and running (in Kerbollight, anyway)

Edited July 12, 2013 by CCKinnison

[HeadHunter67]

I tried to open them by right clicking on the panel - nothing happened. Perhaps it's possible that the probe's power was already drained by then.\

I'll take a look at the single solar panels you mentioned - are they a stock part, or part of an addon? (I loves me lots of parts packs!)

[CCKinnison]

Stock, the "OX-STAT Photovoltaic Panels"

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager