What to do on planets

[KittyProgram]

Like, y'know, its just... "Oh, we're here! Im gonna go plant a flag! *plants flag* Oh, its boring now, lets go home"

What do you do on your trips?

[Voculus]

I'm in the same boat, so the Kethane mod has been a Godsend! It turns almost every planet and moon into a huge, and for me, a very fun project. My next goal is to develop and deploy an airborne Kethane mining craft for Laythe, and maybe some kind of offshore drilling rig, assuming the drills will work in the deposits over water.

[r4pt0r]

land a manned rover backflip, without breaking it

[AlamoVampire]

for me, it honestly depends on the planet. I stopped at Duna once, and had a quick party on the face.

other times, I toss probes and stuff at the planets, or skitter around with rovers

[Superfluous J]

I do this with most every planet, mostly in order:

1) Flyby, with as much science as I have at the time.

2) Probe landing, again with science.

3) Manned landing/return, again with science.

4) Kethane base, either for mass production (on small moons) or simply to make liftoff easier for any future visits (on large moons and planets)

5) Fun stuff (flying on Laythe and Duna, refueling stations everywhere, supplied from the easy moons, science labs, etc. I haven't gotten to this stuff yet)

6) Repeat 5

[Sirine]

Explore on the anomalies. Plan flags.

Build better craft for explore the anomalies. Plan flags.

Build even better craft for explore the anomalies. Plan flags.

[ddavis425]

Plant a flag and wait for EVA content

[ArmchairGravy]

Here's a question: What do you want to do on planets? I've seen the cries of "give me something to do!", but I've never seen people say what they want to do.

[Brotoro]

Here's a question: What do you want to do on planets? I've seen the cries of "give me something to do!", but I've never seen people say what they want to do.

Set up science equipment for long-term monitoring of the environment. Many kinds of equipment to set up, connect, put RTG fuel into, retrieve, test, etc... all for fun science points.

Run hoses from one vehicle to another close-by vehicle for refueling.

Pick up rocks...have cool pictures of the rocks generated so I can see them to look for certain kinds...oh, and generate a file that I can send to Shapeways so they can print it out and send it to me.

Set up equipment for extracting useful resources from the atmosphere, oceans, and ground.

First person EVA view, and cameras my first person view kerbal can use to take images that later generations of morons can call fakes.

[Superfluous J]

Here's a question: What do you want to do on planets? I've seen the cries of "give me something to do!", but I've never seen people say what they want to do.

The main thing I want to do, extract resources for various uses, they've shelved indefinitely as an idea. So I'm content to mine Kethane and play with Extraplanetary Launchpads until they figure out what else we can do.

I think though that it's critically important to my personal enjoyment of the game to have a reason to go somewhere. Before career mode and a desire to gain science points, I had actually give up on the game in spite of how fun it was to play. Without a goal I found myself floundering. Kethane gives me a goal. EPL gives me a goal. Planting a flag does not give me a goal.

[maccollo]

Here's a question: What do you want to do on planets? I've seen the cries of "give me something to do!", but I've never seen people say what they want to do.

Well the problem is the same as it has always been. You land on a planet, and then you leave after a few minutes because your goal is accomplished. The hope was that science would change this but it hasn't, because everything you need to do is right there. Just click on a few modules, collect the science and leave.

What is needed is something that motivates exploration. So instead of just exiting the land and then clicking on the kerbal, here's an idea for how sample return could be made more interesting.

Instead of being able to collect samples from the same dirt you landed on, wherever you landed, you would need to find samples in specific locations (collectibles). There may be any number of these on a planet.

Their locations are not known from the offset, you must find them. This means you will need the ability to scan from orbit (making use of probes) and then collect then on the surface (making use of rovers).

This would test multiple skills, like:

Knowing how to get into an orbit to scan the surface of a planet adequately:

The ability to land close to your target, and the ability to land in general.

The foresight to include a rover in the mission design.

You then get to rove around to acquire the sample.

[barrenwaste]

build a major metropolis that doesn't use much in the way of redundant parts. by that I mean build each habitat/science/fuel/command pod uniquely so that the entire thing looks like it's not just three prefab parts repeated ad nauseum.

build bases for rebels and stage attacks on them with your ssto's and such.

Build mining settlements and then use the comet mod to smack em up and see if you can rebuild them or if the colony is doomed

Build massive alien structures for your kerbals to find and admire

Crash giant ships of alien origin on them and have your kerbals find them, explore them, and create bases in/by them to exploit the advanced tech.

[boxman]

Here's a question: What do you want to do on planets? I've seen the cries of "give me something to do!", but I've never seen people say what they want to do.

Resources for one would give me something to do. Also actually being able to use rovers for science, so that you can actually drive from biome to biome would also help.

As it is now rovers are pointless because it is quicker and you get more science just from launching a ship to each biome and then returning it.

Last update made it even more useless. :\

Some things to actually explore besides a few easter eggs here and there would also help.

Just imagine the possibilities if you had to for example find resources like water to keep your colony alive, or fuel so that you can make launch platforms on other planets.

Edited December 26, 2013 by boxman

[jwenting]

I'd love to be able to build sand castles. Maybe some day.

[ArmchairGravy]

The main thing I want to do, extract resources for various uses, they've shelved indefinitely as an idea. So I'm content to mine Kethane and play with Extraplanetary Launchpads until they figure out what else we can do.

I think though that it's critically important to my personal enjoyment of the game to have a reason to go somewhere. Before career mode and a desire to gain science points, I had actually give up on the game in spite of how fun it was to play. Without a goal I found myself floundering. Kethane gives me a goal. EPL gives me a goal. Planting a flag does not give me a goal.

I used the Kethane mod until .23. Once .23 arrived I realized that science=kethane. You find it, harvest it, refine it, and return it. I've not loaded Kethane into .23 as it now seems redundant. That being said...

Well the problem is the same as it has always been. You land on a planet, and then you leave after a few minutes because your goal is accomplished. The hope was that science would change this but it hasn't, because everything you need to do is right there. Just click on a few modules, collect the science and leave.

What is needed is something that motivates exploration. So instead of just exiting the land and then clicking on the kerbal, here's an idea for how sample return could be made more interesting.

Instead of being able to collect samples from the same dirt you landed on, wherever you landed, you would need to find samples in specific locations (collectibles). There may be any number of these on a planet.

Their locations are not known from the offset, you must find them. This means you will need the ability to scan from orbit (making use of probes) and then collect then on the surface (making use of rovers).

This would test multiple skills, like:

Knowing how to get into an orbit to scan the surface of a planet adequately:

The ability to land close to your target, and the ability to land in general.

The foresight to include a rover in the mission design.

You then get to rove around to acquire the sample.

This is brilliant. It would give us a reason to scan a planet like the Kethane mapper, plus would give rovers a use which they currently lack.

[Duke23]

Lately my routine is fly to a moon (I'm not interplanetary yet) and crash, fly back with a rover and wreck it, fly home and build a better ship, repeat. Oh and science of course. I'd like to build colonies and bases or mine resources, will be trying some mods like that soon. Kethane, KAS, Extraplanetary Launchpads maybe?

[Markus Reese]

Funny thing for me, is I don't think about what to do when I get to a planet. In a way, I am same boat, what to do once there. As result, I make it a challenge of what I want to get to the planets and how I go about doing it. As result, it slows down my tech tree progression but increases fun of getting somewhere. I still haven't maxed tree. (Or probably even gotten half the science needed to do so thinking on it)

First, by starting vanilla, it increases the challenge and thereby increases satisfaction of job done. I plan missions more for roleplay to extend the time of said fun. For example, since career came out, I now always send a science probe to orbit said system and return. My ships to go there are modular and I assemble them in space. For planets, I also send a lander probe to scout landing area before I send down said lander. My mission to land and return on Duna took me a couple weeks of short stints of play simply because it was 7 launches to assemble the interplanetary craft. That is one main module for crew to live in, the lander module, my rover probe, then four engines to couple on.

[Superfluous J]

science=kethane. You find it, harvest it, refine it, and return it.

This makes no sense to me. I've never (intentionally) returned Kethane to Kerbin. The whole purpose of Kethane to me is so I don't have to launch with as much fuel. Science does not do this, it unlocks parts. Kethane does not unlock parts. The two are not only not equal, they are completely unrelated.

Science:Kethane::Minmus:Thursday

[Col_Jessep]

The question what we should be able to do on a planet is not that easily answered.

Sure, you can add resources comparable to Kethane. But Kethane is not a goal its a means to an end. You mine Kethane to achieve another goal like refueling your Duna spaceplanes or having an easier time in the Jool system. It's fun and very useful but it is not what I would call an endgame goal.

Neither is anything science related currently. Science in its current form is the start of the game, a pretty extensive tutorial. Or at least that's what it was supposed to be. I don't agree with many design decisions because it doesn't help new players in any way to learn anything about orbital mechanics, docking or engineering better rockets. New players learn nothing from having no landing gear, ladders or solar panels. Except that it really stinks to fly to another planet without them.

And endgame goal is something you do after the whole tech tree is unlocked, after the resources are mined and after you have taken screenshots of all the views. Since we are talking about a sandbox game in KSP it's better to avoid something like a final boss (*cough* Minecraft's Enderdragon *cough*).

There are a couple of possible things that come to mind that players love to do already:

Building colonies and space stations. Space tourism is something that would fit well with the canon imo and could be seamlessly integrated into career mode. Building a nice, large colony with an offworld VAB/SPH would be another possible goal. Who doesn't want to have a VAB/SPH with landing strip on Duna and Laythe? (And maybe Eve for those of us looking for a challenge. )

[ArmchairGravy]

This makes no sense to me. I've never (intentionally) returned Kethane to Kerbin. The whole purpose of Kethane to me is so I don't have to launch with as much fuel. Science does not do this, it unlocks parts. Kethane does not unlock parts. The two are not only not equal, they are completely unrelated.

Science:Kethane::Minmus:Thursday

I did return Kethane to Kerbin orbit to power SSTOs. If I use science labs within Kerbin SOI, I'm creating the same network to shuffle science around that I used to shuffle Kethane around. Kethane is a resource that makes life easier by providing fuel, science is a resource that makes life easier by providing parts. You don't have to mine Kethane to perform interplanetary missions; you don't have to have a fully unlocked tree, either.

[boxman]

The question what we should be able to do on a planet is not that easily answered.

Sure, you can add resources comparable to Kethane. But Kethane is not a goal its a means to an end. You mine Kethane to achieve another goal like refueling your Duna spaceplanes or having an easier time in the Jool system. It's fun and very useful but it is not what I would call an endgame goal.

Neither is anything science related currently. Science in its current form is the start of the game, a pretty extensive tutorial. Or at least that's what it was supposed to be. I don't agree with many design decisions because it doesn't help new players in any way to learn anything about orbital mechanics, docking or engineering better rockets. New players learn nothing from having no landing gear, ladders or solar panels. Except that it really stinks to fly to another planet without them.

And endgame goal is something you do after the whole tech tree is unlocked, after the resources are mined and after you have taken screenshots of all the views. Since we are talking about a sandbox game in KSP it's better to avoid something like a final boss (*cough* Minecraft's Enderdragon *cough*).

There are a couple of possible things that come to mind that players love to do already:

Building colonies and space stations. Space tourism is something that would fit well with the canon imo and could be seamlessly integrated into career mode. Building a nice, large colony with an offworld VAB/SPH would be another possible goal. Who doesn't want to have a VAB/SPH with landing strip on Duna and Laythe? (And maybe Eve for those of us looking for a challenge. )

I dont think there should even be anything remotely similar to "endgame" this is why I dont like science as it is. Once you are done you are either back to playing pure sandbox mode or have to start over from scratch. A game like KSP I think should be pretty much endless and with a full solar system it should be pretty much impossible to really run out of all resources if it is anything like the real world.

[Skorpychan]

Generally, I wander around, test jetpacks, take selfies by the lander, and do science. That's pretty much it, so far.

[Rhyunix]

Since I haven't left the Kerbin system at all with any manned flight ever, I really can't question the planets bit, more along the lines of the Moon bits. I have great vibe about reaching another planet or moon- Dres is the one that I want to be on. For me, it's really about telling the community about my travels. The most useful way of making more out of your trip is by making it more homely- when I say this, I am talking about utilities. Say if you went to Duna. For me, this would be a pride moment. I will, of course, start with the flag ceremony. Then I would of brought a habitat module of some description which I can leave behind when I take off. I would also bring a compact rover for an excursion. Bringing flags and so on and planting them on nearby areas to christen regions. Then I'd stay inside and take pictures. After this (which for me might take an hour or two IRL) I would go on a "Deep Excursion" A really long excursion say, 50 km north, south, east or west or somewhere in between. Perhaps I'd visit a probe which had landed before (they are normally what I aim for as I can see what terrain is near) after this, I'd either wait for another mission to secure some kind of base or I'd return to a mothership of some kind and fly home

[Aragosnat]

Rover are not completely useless. Just one can make them useless. For myself. I'm planning on designing probes for one way trips to hopefully mark out the biodomes. Which then I will build and land Kerbal controlled Rovers to go to each area and collect the data as well as dirt samples. Other then that. I will only use rovers since I have a very difficult time landing in the same spot on a planet or moon. As that has been the only way I can rescue my stranded Kerbals that cannot get back into orbit. Eve being the exception. -makes cross-

What I would not mind doing on planets is setting them up for colonization which in turn can then build rockets there one day, have a bit of Minecraft in space minus the creatures that pick up blocks and or try to kill you, as well as finding more easter eggs of sorts.

[FITorion]

On planets with science regions there's a little something to do... go and visit each region with all the science gear.

But that isn't enough and not all the planets have regions yet... they should be getting them at some point though.

What we need is the ability to build permanent structures on the surfaces or under the surfaces of planets. To do that I propose a system where by you mine for resources to use in construction of such bases...