Newbies and Learning Curves

[Longsok]

Since I didn't see any topics discussing the substantial learning curve in KSP, I decided to start this. Just getting to the Mun takes a long time to figure out, because you need to learn how to build a stable rocket, achieve Orbit, control your orbit, and land. I'm still trying to figure out landing. It seems practice makes perfect, and that some of the maneuvers you just learn over time, but I am not looking forward to guessing windows to interplanetary flights. Any problems you have had with the learning curve?

[astropapi1]

I started playing back in 0.13, when we didn't have patched conics. You had to eyeball your intercept course.

You might want to try a Minmus landing first, since it's gravity is lower and it gives you a bigger margin of error.

[PrivateFlip]

Just take it one step at the time. I remember my own first mun landings, they were really difficult, lots of crashes. The thing i like about ksp is that you can learn everything as you go along. An exception might be rendezvousing and docking which is hard to figure out by yourself, but most of the other stuff you can figure it out as you go.

For example windows for going to another planet: you don't need really to now. If you launch right now, escape Kerbin gravity altogether and then on your new orbit around the sun just figure out where to burn to get to Duna, just like looking you did when going to the Mun from Kerbin is good enough. Maybe your kerbals spend two years in a space ship instead of six months, they don't mind at all

But maybe the essential point in this discussion is whether or not you enjoy playing the game while you're not yet able to do everything yet. I can imagine some might want to reach a specific goal and don't like figuring out everything it takes to do, so the game is not fun for that person. For others part of what makes it challenging is what makes it rewarding, i.e. not have everything set out. So the learning curve in ksp might be large in that there is allot to learn but it's don't think its necessarily steep.

[Monkeh]

Learning how to do stuff is the biggest enjoyment for me. When the rover you designed and stuck onto the rocket you designed and then you fly it to the Mun and charge around with your shiny new ion drive powered Mun buggy...you feel epic.

If it was easy then it wouldn't be fun, you'd do everything you can do within a few hours and everyone would go home feeling cheated. Working all the bits out for a successful Mun landing is completely normal and takes a bit of time. There's plenty of help out there, on youtube and wikipedia, if you get too stuck with anything and these forums are full of friendly and helpful people as well.

Just take your time, learn from your mistakes and you'll get there, and when you do you'll have a huge sense of achievement and a warm feeling of smug superiority as well.

Have fun.

[PrivateFlip]

Just an example of what i said in my previous post. Had a ship in orbit which was probably large enough to get to Duna or Eve and land on their moons.

Decided to go to Eve since I haven't been there yet, but after I left Kerbin I found out there was no fast window to Eve. (This would be easy to find out beforehand, place one maneuver node to take you out of kerbin, then place a second one on the projected orbit and try to get a rendevous.) But had already "used" the first node before I found out, so i decided to go to Moho instead. Moho had a different inclination, but the right moment to match its inclination was a few days away. After doing the inclination matching burn and looking at how much the transfer burn would need I feared there was no way I had enough fuel to make it back. To prevent my kerbals being stranded there for years I hammered out a much bigger ship to send after it. After the second ship left kerbin it seemed to be a little ahead and it looks like it might get there before the original ship does, but to physicist inside of me that sounds unlikely. I guess I'll learn that when they get there. I will also find out if my little moon lander can land on Moho.

PS: I know this is a really bad way to do missions. A little reading tutorials and looking around on the forums would have prevented this.

Edited August 5, 2013 by PrivateFlip

[Fett2oo5]

I have been wanting to play KSP for a long time and finally got a computer that will run it, then DL'd it last weekend. I played the default in-game tutorials and had an absolute great time. It is fun, challenging, and uses real math which I love. Awesome options for building your own craft which is amazing in and of itself.

However, the learning curve on ship design and mission planning is tremendously high, excessively frustratingly high.

I wish there were more tutorials just for craft and mission planning.

Important parts (how and why they are important)

Learn what parts to use, when, and why.

Tutorial for making task specific craft: Rocket to put a SAT in orbit; Rocket to get to the Mun; Craft to get to Mun then stage a landing. Not build it for you, but point you in the right direction.

Tutorial on how to make a stable space plane; How to calculate Bingo-Fuel range.

I wish there were so many more tutorials that introduce you to the different aspects of the game, even if these are created by the community. I believe some (in-game) "introductory" tutorials to the different aspects of the game would aid in appealing to a broader audience, but much more importantly would be kinder on a newbie.

[Herbin]

The learning curve isn't too bad from what I've encountered. Only put a bit shy of 40 hours into the game and I'm doing mun landings ( have a base there too ) , satellites, a space station for off-planet fueling , various orbits, and a successful Minmus landing / intercept. Not the worst learning curve by far, but a bit intimidating for those not wanting to try new things.

[Longsok]

Yeah, the learning curve is not as bad as some(looking at Dwarf Fortress:D), but I think that the closest thing to levels is the learning curve. In-game, I can build a rocket that will go to Eeloo, but the reason I can't get there is I don't know how yet. It is a hugely different experience from any other game I played. It is really interesting how this is really a game based on learning.

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager

[Space Ace]

I think the learning courve ... however steep or shallow it might be is the bread and butter of KSP. You take one step at a time.

First build something that doesn't explode on the launchpad

2nd build something that actually gets into space!

3rd achieve a (somewhat) stable orbit

After that it gets really interesting - I tried to go for the Mun first obviously. Months later I still love it - something that clearly can't be said about every game