5 Newbie questions - T.I.A

[Yorkie]

I have sunk quite a few hours into the game and loving the career mode but have a few questions, some of them really dumb O.o

1) Do the Stats (Courage and Stupidity) on the Kerbals have any significance at all? if so what are they?

2) What is the most efficient research to unlock? Currently I go straight to Solar Panels and science then double back to basic rockets.

3) I like planting flags, but they end up cluttering the map and the space center, is there any way to toggle them on/off?

4) What tech do I need to get so I can make a basic rover? (Step by Step unlocks would be great)

5) Is there a tech tree layout?, all searches I have done have brought up tree's relating to mods.

T.I.A

Edited December 20, 2013 by Yorkie

[Vanamonde]

I don't have all your answers, but since nobody has given you a better reply yet, here's what I have:

1) The Kerbals' stats will affect their ability to perform missions later in game development, but right now only affect their expressions.

2) Still working that out myself.

3) Not at the moment.

4) One of the several wheel types and a source of electricity to power the wheels, but again, I haven't explored the current tech tree to tell you exactly where the wheels are.

5) I don't know if there's a current one floating around yet.

[Rhomphaia]

I have sunk quite a few hours into the game and loving the career mode but have a few questions, some of them really dumb O.o

3) I like planting flags, but they end up cluttering the map and the space center, is there any way to toggle them on/off?

T.I.A

At the top of the tracking station and on the map (you have to mouse over to show on the map) Right click the flag icon to toggle display of flags.

[Champ]

I have sunk quite a few hours into the game and loving the career mode but have a few questions, some of them really dumb O.o

1) Do the Stats (Courage and Stupidity) on the Kerbals have any significance at all? if so what are they?

2) What is the most efficient research to unlock? Currently I go straight to Solar Panels and science then double back to basic rockets.

3) I like planting flags, but they end up cluttering the map and the space center, is there any way to toggle them on/off?

4) What tech do I need to get so I can make a basic rover? (Step by Step unlocks would be great)

5) Is there a tech tree layout?, all searches I have done have brought up tree's relating to mods.

T.I.A

1/ All they affect is their face expression (smily of terrified)

2/ I usually go for struts and fuel lines as soon as possible. Anything else is not needed to land on the mun, where i will have lots of science to unlock the rest. If i have unlocked struts and fuel lines and still have some science, i go for more science experiments.

3/ I know you can choose what is displayed on the map, in the upper end of the screen (you can choose to display debris, stations, bases, ships, probes, etc). Not sure, but i think you can switch the display of the flags here. If it's not here, then i think you cant.

4/ Can't tell you, i don't use rovers.

5/ Don't know of any. May be a good idea to make one.

[jordanjay29]

2. Aim for unlocking more science experiments. The higher tier you unlock, the more science it will give. Stick to the bottom of the tech tree for science-y stuff.

5. http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science_Tech#Science_Tech

[Yorkie]

Thanks for the answers peeps.

[Dispatcher]

6. You can edit your original post to show as "Answered", in the advanced settings.

[capi3101]

1) Do the Stats (Courage and Stupidity) on the Kerbals have any significance at all? if so what are they?

They have no significance; they're placeholders for a system that has yet to be implemented.

2) What is the most efficient research to unlock? Currently I go straight to Solar Panels and science then double back to basic rockets.

Efficiency is a somewhat subjective term; what matters is what works best for you. That said, most folks go for Electrics first (for entry-level solar panels and batteries), then on to Fuel Systems (for fuel ducts = asparagus staging). The trees for both are:

Starting Tech ==> Basic Rocketry ==> Stability/Survivability ==> Flight Control/Science Tech ==>Electrics

Starting Tech ==> Basic Rocketry ==> General Rocketry/Stability ==> Advanced Rocketry/General Construction ==> Fuel Systems

So really, it boils down to unlocking all of the Tier 3 techs (Flight Control/Science Tech/Advanced Rocketry/General Construction) as quickly as you possibly can. Don't worry about "efficiency" until you're past that level (and if you go for Electrics, you'd be a fool not to pick up General Rocketry and the LV-T45 engine on Tier 2 anyway - you can actually steer with that damn thing).

I suppose from there it's most "efficient" to make a beeline for atomic rockets so you can more readily make jaunts off of places like Duna.

Advanced Rocketry/General Construction ==> Fuel Systems/Advanced Construction/Heavy Rocketry ==> Heavier Rocketry/Specialized Control ==> Nuclear Propulsion

3) I like planting flags, but they end up cluttering the map and the space center, is there any way to toggle them on/off?

Not directly, but you can hide them by clicking other icons in the map view. This works in flight and in the tracking station.

4) What tech do I need to get so I can make a basic rover? (Step by Step unlocks would be great)

Wheels are the biggie here, and they become available with Field Science:

Starting Tech ==> Basic Rocketry ==> Stability/Survivability ==> Flight Control / Science Tech ==> Electrics / Space Exploration / Landing ==> Advanced Exploration/ Advanced Landing ==> Field Science

The big wheels are one step above Field Science, at Advanced Motors. That's a Tier 7 Tech so expect to have to save up a metric [RABBIT SANDWICH....MMM, RABBIT SANDWICH]tonne of Science before you get there.

You'll unlock the other parts you're going to want for rovers along the way, unless you're like me and sometimes like to put RTGs on there too.

From Electrics, the path is Electrics ==> Advanced Electrics ==> Large Electrics / Electronics ==> Specialized Electrics.

Again, that's a Tier 7 tech, so we're killing moar fluffy bunnies here.

5) Is there a tech tree layout?, all searches I have done have brought up tree's relating to mods.

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tech_tree -- The same one as jordanjay's link above, just without the redirect. The Mobile Processing Lab MPL-LG-2 is the only part missing from the list at the moment; I swear someone asked the question the other day of where it gets unlocked but I can't find it at the moment.

Edited December 19, 2013 by capi3101

[Yorkie]

.Snip.

Your sir are a star, thank you.

[Yorkie]

6. You can edit your original post to show as "Answered", in the advanced settings.

Thought it was done by mods O.o

Done it, thanks for the heads up.

[Rhomphaia]

3) I like planting flags, but they end up cluttering the map and the space center, is there any way to toggle them on/off?

Not directly, but you can hide them by clicking other icons in the map view. This works in flight and in the tracking station.

If you left click an icon it will show only that type. If you right click the icon it will show/hide that type. so you can show everything but flags