What are your gameplay restrictions?

[jduchock]

My only restriction is that i must game naked.

J/K. I have played with about 50% of all the mods out there but restrict myself to Kethane, NovaPunch2, Reinforcement and MechJeb for when i need to put clothes on...

[KvickFlygarn87]

1. No mechjeb autopilot (still use it for the immense amount of info)

2. Attempt to bring every Kerbal back or (have them) die trying

3. No debug menu apart from the occasional launchpad gravity hack to check RCS thruster alignment

4. Keep part clipping at a minimum

5. No ions (not to make it harder, but they quite frankly suck donkey wang)

6. Keep part count at a minimum

7. NERVA ALL TEH EVERYTHINGZZZZ

[annallia]

My only restriction is that i must game naked.

J/K. I have played with about 50% of all the mods out there but restrict myself to Kethane, NovaPunch2, Reinforcement and MechJeb for when i need to put clothes on...

Thank you! I knew I was missing a mod but I couldn't think of what it was... Reinforcement is why my designs which worked just a week ago before I did a complete reinstall no longer worked... Or rather they worked after I added a bazillion struts.

That said I forgot one more restriction. MechJeb is only allowed to fly for me on unmanned ships.

[Commander Zoom]

* "Mostly stock" - none of the big packs like NovaPunch, Bac9, etc. Just KAS, MechJeb and Procedural Fairings, plus utilities (Crew Manifest, Docking Alignment, HyperEdit (for easy testing around other bodies), RCS Build Aid, etc), cosmetic enhancements (City Lights and Clouds), and a few misc parts (e.g., ISA and now SCANsat for mapping, Hull Cam VDS, DROMOman for an extending boom, et al).

* Nuclear engine exhaust isn't radioactive, but don't use them anywhere you wouldn't want a possible reactor breach or rain of fissionables. (Space and moons OK, Kerbin not OK, Duna and Laythe still under consideration)

* The very first (sub)orbital and munar probes can be handwaved away into the background, and it's apparently career mode's intention that we do so, in favor of kerbaled flights - but when it comes to interplanetary missions, probes before kerbals. Have to have some idea what's there (not just a small spot in a telescope) before planning the mission.

* NO ONE-WAY KERBALED MISSIONS. (If a round-trip gets stranded, a rescue becomes top priority.)

* I don't run with any life-support mods, but "reasonable" accommodation should be made; no sending three kerbonauts to another planet in a single Mk 2 capsule. Operational/work spaces, hab and service modules, etc should be provided. (See below.)

* Likewise, while I don't have Deadly Re-entry, some effort should always be made at simulating heat shields for atmospheric entry and/or aerobraking - Procedural Fairings, Goblin Enterprises' animated shield, or even just a conveniently placed Rockomax Adapter disc.

* Crew-return vessels / lifeboats sufficient to evacuate all crew to Kerbin or another facility in an emergency, or allow for regular crew rotation.

* All kerbaled flights now launch on tested and reliable Zenith boosters.

* As a general design principle, better to have fuel left over than to run out.

* Reversion and quickloading are fine - assume that the kerbonauts do plenty of training and simulating, and they have a ground crew backing them up and running the numbers on various scenarios, like what will happen if they aerobrake at this altitude - but whole new craft should be tested in a different save first, not in-flight.

* Minimal use of part clipping, mostly to make things attach when the VAB refuses.

* One transmission per science sample. (Already a rule for me, Squad's just making it official in .23)

Not a real rule yet, but I'm trying to make it so:

* Now that Procedural Fairings exists, there's no real reason not to at least try to make the rocket look halfway aerodynamic. Even tanker and hab-tower launches should at least have a pop-off large nosecone on 'em. (Some things can be fudged by assuming that they'd be assembled and strutted (with KAS) in space, without actually taking the time to do so. We just won't take any pictures of those launches.)

Some examples of "reasonable habitation": Kerbin Station I has enough space, in theory, for 27 kerbals; the permanent crew is 12. (This works out to 3 per actual hab module, and not coincidentally, 3 per Rama X crew-return vehicle, one of which is semi-permanently docked to each.) It also receives supply flights "off-screen." Mun Base 1 started with three landers, each holding two pilots and four passengers; these have now been moved into a proper hab complex (with the landers retained as emergency escape craft, along with the shuttles that ferry new base parts down from munar orbit) and supplemented with additional base personnel, with the result that three of the hab's four wings are full and the fourth is given over to dining, laundry, etc. The base also receives supply shipments from home and is due to get a full science lab and greenhouse with version .23. (As an aside, empty orange fuel tanks from the base's tank farm have been rolled aside, partly covered with regolith, and converted into a safe if not particularly comfy shelter from solar storms.) Finally, the upcoming mission to Duna has the Brahma command and hab module, with four Hitchhikers plus two cupolas for a theoretical capacity of 18, but an actual crew of only 8; when they get to Duna, six will be going down in the lander (where another long-term hab will be waiting for them) while two remain on station. And even though I don't want the hard constraints of Ioncross, I went to the trouble of making non-functional copies of the oxygen tank module and recycler (themselves retextures of the large monoprop tanks; I could have just gone with that, but versimilitude) so that it looks right.

Edited November 28, 2013 by Commander Zoom

[Liowen]

A few other things I forgot:

-Do not over think the craft. This one I have done many many times already

-Do not let other discourage you. While I realize many have had this game longer than myself, and other new people getting the game, there are times where I feel my crafts are not good in comparison to other who have been playing for a longer time. I have had some reservation about sharing my ships after looking here, but so far no one has said anything mean, rather the feedback has been positive and helpful.

-Lock space bar..... I wish I had known sooner how to do this as I like to tap my thumb near the space bar from time to time.

[Roxette]

After the last incident, I make it a rule never to attempt landing after more than two beers.

[Liowen]

After the last incident, I make it a rule never to attempt landing after more than two beers.

Hmm this sounds like a challenge, but what were you landing on....or rather attempting to land on? Though I do not have any beer on hand I do have some vintage rum, a couple of shots and it will do the trick.

[gtmattz]

Never abandon kerbals.

Do not allow kerbals to respawn.

No quicksave or alt-f4 reverting.

Play with mods that increase the challenge (currenty using TAC life support, deadly reentry, and remote tech 2).

[JumpsterG]

There are so many playstyles!

Everytime I start a new save, I change my rules and mod list. Feels like a whole different game.

One preference I've always had was to avoid part clipping... I feel that some parts are gameplay balanced by taking up more or less space. I might still squeeze a little battery or RCS tank into an empty-looking truss now and then, though...

[Thiel]

It has to look like a rocket. That's about all.

[How2FoldSoup]

Hmm this sounds like a challenge, but what were you landing on....or rather attempting to land on? Though I do not have any beer on hand I do have some vintage rum, a couple of shots and it will do the trick.

After a night of (heavy)drinking with the roommates a few weeks ago I woke up and realized that I had launched and landed Jeb on the Mun :S So I tried to launch to return and then I noticed that I only had 130 dv left landed so that was that.

I immediately resolved myself to organize a rescue mission led by Bill.This was early in my new .22 career start so I only had the basic command pod and the mk1 cockpit. So the Twin Dragon landing ship was born and immediately launched to save the fearless Jeb.

To be on topic I only have a few restrictions...I use FAR,B9, KAS, KW along with a few other minor mods and I enjoy realism so no autopilots whatsoever.

I try to be as reusable as possible so I've begun designing a spaceplane fleet but I haven't gotten very far yet..It's tough with FAR and no sabres.

The biggest one is obviously no kerbal left behind. Especially Jeb.

[Krotine]

Simple. No mods.

[NQMT]

My main restriction: Any Kerbin atmospheric aircraft designed to go over 15km = maximum 1 basic jet.

[Rarity]

My requirement is that when building a craft to serve a specific purpose, it has to have everything necessary to do anything else I can think of too. Basically, overengineer EVERYTHING.

[spudcosmic]

No ugly asparagus staging whatsoever. I only build sleek streamlined realistic rocket stacks, using up to two boosters if necessary.

[Taleric]

I found using the follow mods/rule to be a great mix.

-RT2

-TAC Lifesupport

-Kerbal Economy

-Preemptivly using goo and science jr as one shot returns without transmission

[ttnarg]

No space junk.

[Decho]

The main one for me is making rockets look realistic, and no unfeasible part clipping (putting stuff inside decouplers and similar is fine though). In general I try to keep to a maximum of three stages to orbital circularisation, normally only two dropped.

[Monkeh]

Mine change with the mission. My latest Duna mission I decided to only use the round and toroidal fuel tanks. I have started trying to get my kerbals back from wherever I shoot them to, so that's new for me as well.

No doubt they'll change again sometime soon.

[possum]

- No nukes below 75km

- Live Kerbals will be rescued

- When fuel allows aim for a water landing when returning to Kerbin

- No mods

- Everything must have heat shields if entering an atmosphere

- Attempt realistic looking rockets, most of the time

[Tw1]

I did post earlier, but I realised I'd forgotten quite a big one- no mucking around on planets that I don't have any business on.

As in, if I haven't gone and seen it for myself, and done a few trips, I won't participate in forum challenges, or games that involve going to that planet.

[celem]

There are a bunch of restrictions imposed by my mod selections. For example, I'm almost always running RT2 (Lite) which shakes up the whole probe game. I also use a satmapping mod, so I try and do completely map worlds that I plan on visiting

1. Unmanned before manned. Anything outside the Kerbin SOI has to be at least orbited by a probe (LZ survey) before a landing is green-lit. I'm fine with shooting kerbals unprepared at local moons since rescue inside Kerbin SOI is 'trivial'

2. Realistic-ish vehicles. I dont use DR or FAR, but try and build like I do anyway. This means no 'pancake' launchers, nice tapered rockets for me. I don't asparagus with symmetry greater than 4, mainly because it trivialises getting heavy payloads into LKO, but also because the fuel-lines end up looking like a spiderweb and I find it ugly. Anything entering an atmosphere does so in an aerobraking fashion, I try and stick around 22/23 degree descent vectors. I also tailor each launcher to it's payload and dislike using over-powered ascent vehicles (since im gonna deorbit it anyway)

3. Nothing manned leaves Kerbin SOI without a docking port, even if mission profile does not call for it. Just because if you don't have one you will wish you did.

4. Recovery/reuse. anything ditched into any body with an atmosphere carries chutes, this includes drop-tanks on ascent. Any orbital stages that are dropped after circularising must be able to independantly de-orbit themselves. This is partly in preparation for future career-mode updates, partly because I have a general aversion to waste in any form.

Edited November 30, 2013 by celem

[Travisfv]

Restrictions:

1. Do not attempt a mission unless I can get my Kerbals back home.

2. Stick to mission outlines. I do not do anything that wasn't a part of the original plan.

3. No mods that do anything for me (beside math... I hate math).

I still let myself use mods that are parts mods, but if I am using an engine that puts out 4800 thrust, It better carry a large payload. In my book, proportionality is necessary to maintaining the fun. That big engine is used to build a space station or launch parts for a massive interplanetary ship. No point in using it to put a tiny probe into orbit.

Also, for the people who do not strand Kerbals, what is your opinion on purposefully landing them in one way ships, that is then followed up by a lander in order for their return? I'm wanting to go to Duna, but I want the mission to last a while so I planned on putting the Kerbals there and then sending someone else to pick them up later down the line.

[Boris_T_Roach]

I use only 2 restrictions.

No orbital debris at Kerbin (stuff in solar orbit is ok)

No Kerbal left behind.

Which ment a lot of work when a Laythe mission got stranded...

Boris

[Overfloater]

1) All flights are manned. What's the point of conducting a space program if no one gets to space... xP

2) Space crafts must never be crappily designed.

3) SSTO must get above atmosphere on jets alone.