Help with Mods (Noob)

[Biker Joe]

Hey all!

I am new to this, played the demo for a bit but when I got the full version my laptop started overheating, long story short getting a new laptop due to arrive sometime next week, can't wait to install KSP on it and get playing!

I've been reading alot of stuff on this website and looking at a good few videos and I've come up with a plan (of sorts)

I want to try and make my space stations (land based) self sustaining if I can, I've been reading a lot about mining for resources (mainly kethane) and think it would be a neat idea to incorporate whats needed into any landers/bases I plan on building.

To that end could people reccommend to me what mods would be most useful to me? I have a bit of an idea what I might need but don't know for sure, firgure I'll be asking this question anyway and better to ask now before I start making stuff than after!

Thanks in advance!

Joe

[Guest]

You know I was making really a big list for a long time, but due to geniuses who designed auto-logout features It got deleted. Sorry while i wish I could redo it I'm not going to spend another hour typing it while I'm pissed, all I can say is just browse through the addons forums.

[Kerba Fett]

For new players one of the best mods to start with would be Mechjeb. If you like to fly manually it's got lots of handy information screens. It's also got autopilots that can do common tasks so you can use as a learning tool to show you how to do stuff.

Once you get more experienced you find out that you can often do Mechjeb's job faster yourself. (docking for instance)

One feature that never gets old is the SmartASS(istant)

This feature holds the ship facing common directions. (prograde, retrograde, nodes, targets, ect)

[Captain Sierra]

There are a few plugins that are almost mandatory as I personally have become dependent.

1) enhanced navball v1.2

2) kethane

3) navyfish docking alignment indicator

4) EditorExtensions

5) SelectRoot

I ommited a few because as of .22, they will be obselete (subassembly manager, KSPX) I also have a few parts packs I cannot really live without (Mobius rocketworks and it's welded cluster mounts are great) but that aside, these are some of teh biggies. Due to the controversy of mechjeb, I don'tm publicly reccomend it. My rule on it, and what I encourage every new player to do, is to not have mechjeb do it for you (except after maybe a few times) until you understand what it's doing, why, and how to do it yourself.

[Biker Joe]

Thanks for all the info guys, been reading a lot about mechjeb, anything that makes my life easier I like! But like you said Capt. Sierra I would be more interested in trying something myself first than just using mechjeb to do everything!

Also is kethane the only resource or are there others?

What is the purpose of those mods? (what do they do)

[Majiir]

Also is kethane the only resource or are there others?

Kethane allows other mods to add resources using its mining system. Extraplanetary Launchpads uses this to add Ore, which is used to build rockets on other planets.

[Captain Sierra]

1) enhanced navball v1.2 - adds radial and normal vectors to navball as well as prograde/retrograde/maneuver node ghosting (never lose your marker again!)

2) kethane - resource mining

3) navyfish docking alignment indicator - greatly increases ease of docking by providing an onscreen guage with simple and intuitive indicators to make alligning for a dock so much easier.

4) EditorExtensions - adds 1x symmetry increments up to 50x, vertical snap, surface attachment toggle, and part clipping toggle via hotkeys in the VAB/SPH

5) SelectRoot - allows you to change the root part on a craft. greatly helpful for making subassemblies.

[Biker Joe]

Thanks! is the one Kethane mod for both finding and mining the resource?

[Captain Sierra]

Yes. If it has to do with kethane, the Kethane pack has it.

[Biker Joe]

Is there an add-on to get hanger door type things? I want to be able to transport stuff like rovers and whatever to places