Recommendations for appropriate Challenges for a 15-year-old

[Casual Pixels]

I have a bright 15 year old that I'm planning on turning loose on KSP.

Tendency to think scientifically, very good mathematical mind, etc. so I'm hoping that there will be a natural affinity for this.

Is there someone out there who has been interacting with a 15-year-old and who use that experience to recommend a list of challenges appropriate to that particular age?

Thanks!

[Xeldrak]

I'd go with the usual.

-Get over 30 km

-Get over 100km

-Get into Orbit

-Get into circular orbit

-Get into non-inclined, circular orbit

Then maybe Mün, maybe docking. I think 15 years is old enough that you should not tune down your expectations Long term target should be the mün.

The first week, I startet very KSP-session by shouting "Mün or bust!"

Edited July 29, 2013 by Xeldrak

[Technical Ben]

Yeah. Take everything a step at a time and there is little limit. By all means try to run before you can walk once or twice, but only for some "fun/laughs" and a lesson to learn that making a mistake in a game/while earning is ok. But mainly stick to simple and little tasks and goals.

Launch a rocket. Learn what directions/controls do what. Add some stabilizers/fins. Get into orbit. Dock. Etc.

[Tobyz28]

If hes got orbit and all that down just throw him on the challenge forums here He'll surprise you.

[Just_Testing]

I'm 16 and I made it to Laythe and back a couple of nights back, show him the basics and tell him to get as far as he can and come back.

[Accelerando]

Assign her/him to the task of landing a 100-ton base on Moho

...If you want to; more seriously, if they like math and like to think scientifically, you could assign them to build a vessel to collect temperature and atmospheric pressure data in the atmosphere of Duna. If they succeed, then their next mission is to do the same on Eve, Jool, Laythe.

Provide a bit of introduction to the concept of calculating and measuring phase angles as a way of enabling interplanetary transport, and how it does this by showing you the point where you need the lowest amount of fuel for the journey.

Listen to them, answer if they ask you questions.

[searlefm]

wile 21 and spent my first kerbal week shouting TO THE SUN and then kept hitting the moon by accident

but more seriously there 15 just let them loose on it, as at that age i was brilliant at games

[Eric S]

I'll agree with the "expect to be surprised" sentiment. There's just about nothing in this game that a scientifically minded 15 year old will have a hard time wrapping his head around.

[Swifty]

15, mathmatical and scientifically minded... I'm sure he'll be giving you tips by the end of the week. Some fun things to start with.

Mods mods mods. Kerbal engineering redux or mechjeb is a must to tell you how much delta v your rocket has

Get into orbit!

Put a space station core into orbit with a docking port.

Send second space craft try to get with a few hinder meters of the station core.

Dock with it.

Fail 50 million times in glorious explosions. And then occasional succed.. Occasionally

[sturmstiger]

To get really mathematical I'd recommend the current "challenge of the month" the Voyager Grand Tour challenge. It would be tough but the amount of science & math one could learn from it is far more than most challenges.

[astropapi1]

I'm 15 too. Just teach him the basics, get into orbit with him, and let him play alone for a while. He should be on the Mun in a couple of days.

[Grim187]

I really enjoyed the mission pack to get me started.

if he takes to it im sure he will find lots of stuff he is interested in doing.

might want to point him to nasa mission list if he runs low on ideas.

[Casual Pixels]

Great suggestions! Thanks to all who have replied so far, and keep them coming if you have them!

The Mun certainly sounds like a good start. As many have said, I suppose the only thing I should expect is to be surprised!

(Also, the scientifically-minded, mathematical 15-year-old in this case happens to be a "she" :-)

Now, let's see if I can keep up with her...

[unwisemonk]

Let her at it... Im 13 and Ive mastered every planet already. And just about all the things you can do in this game.

Edited July 30, 2013 by unwisemonk

[Bothersome]

I'm 16 and I made it to Laythe and back a couple of nights back, show him the basics and tell him to get as far as he can and come back.

I'd think this is the most accurate advice given.

[Mygnol]

I'd think this is the most accurate advice given.

Don't really have to come back unless you're going for no-deaths.

Just see how far you can go.

[Cooly568]

I'd say just tell him see how much he can do.

He should be on the Mun in a couple of days.

I don't know why but I like to think I'm, one of the younger members of the community.

Been playing for about a year and a half now.

So basically I started playing shortly after I became twelve.

Apart from that, let him have fun with the game.

[bman2232]

Once he gets into Orbit, tell them they're half way to anywhere

that'll brighten their day

[keekee484]

Tell her that kerbal space program is about boats and that the title is just a typo. The engines are for making fast boats.

Or set up goal to put a space station around duna (as someone who is qualified in being 15, and is doing it right now )

[AnalogAddict]

I see impressive things come from folks of all ages in this game. Earlier today a post was made about a 1st or 2nd year kid who stayed after class to ask his instructor about space planes and where center of mass and lift should be.

The only challenge I can present to anyone playing KSP (any myself) is to overcome your own ego, laze, doubts, and frustrations. Maybe take a lesson from the aforementioned; seek assistance.

[Ace_Of_Spades]

dude im 13 and ive been to the mun and back and your babying a 15 year old

[Vad]

Two things I think are great about kerbal are:

1) It's sandbox with a wide variety of things you can do. Some people enjoy making boats, some like making weapons, some like making planes.. Travelling to other planets isn't the primary focus of everyone.

2) The difficulty scales well because you set your own goals in the area that interests you. The goal is always something just within your reaching distance because you are the one that chose it based on what you can do now.

I think you have to be careful about being too enthusiastic because you risk taking away that free-play discovery element of the game by setting challenges too early. When I first got kerbal I was not interested in getting into orbit at all. My primary focus was building a well balanced spaceplane. Later I spent a long time just creating modular spacecraft but not launching them. Building the rockets has always been a low priority for me, so I wouldn't like being directed into rocket related challenges when I was just learning the game.

Just show her the basics.

- How to load stock rockets/planes.

- How to use the vehicle/plane assembly

- How to do some simple staging setup with separators.

- How to use the jetpack.

- Some useful stuff like SAS & RCS.

- How to use one of those orbital nodes to plan burns in space.

Then give her a link to scott manleys youtube channel and leave her alone, give her some space so she can figure things out herself and explore the areas that interest her most. Later on when you know what part of the game she really enjoys you can look at giving her challenges in that area.

[Febin]

I'm 15, and my recommendations are to let him play around with rockets first and watch the explosions, and when he gets the hang of it(enters orbit) show him how to use the navball and what all the markers/symbols mean. Then, challenge him to go for a Mun landing, then onto Minmus, using more science/mathematics to get in orbit, and go from there.

[Tyren]

Hmm...math affinity? With 15 it should be sth like this (ive been a semi-pro-gamer in this Age, simulations aso...couple years ago 'cough).

Just getting into Orbit? Tell her to get the most fuel-efficient into Orbit, to another celestial Body and back...with doing the maths then This is a real challenge for a bright mind.

[Xeldrak]

I would like to hear some update from our OP on her ^^ By now she should be somewhere beyond Eloo...