"Essential" Add-ons

[hjrrockies]

I am fairly new to KSP and to the community here. I've done a good amount of browsing through the forum, especially through the add-ons. Lots of them seem really cool.

I'm not obsessed with hyper-realism, but I love the idea of additional functionality through mods. I am currently running texture reduction, KER, and Procedural Fairings. What add-ons do you consider "essential?" Be it graphical enhancements, UI tools (like a docking tool), part packs, or gameplay changes (RemoteTech, Deadly Reentry, etc). I don't want to overload with mods and lose the "feel" of the stock game - I'd just like to augment it. I especially appreciate add-ons that are polished and "play well" with other mods.

What are your thoughts?

[Farix]

MechJeb 2 (lots of configurable in-flight stats and can lesson many of the more boring tasks for you.)

KW Rocketry (to do the things eloquently that the default parts can't)

Texture Replacer

[FenrirWolf]

If for some reason I were forced to use one mod and one mod only, it would probably be Enhanced Navball. Or Visual Enhancements.

In fact I'd probably choose the latter and try to sneak in the navball one somehow since it really should be stock anyway XD

[Boomerang]

I've got quite a few small part mods, lights and the sort, but when I start a clean save, I immediately go for KER, TAC Life Support, Deadly Reentry, Remotetech (I liked the original a lot better, but you've got to go with RT2 if you're running any of the recent game versions. And because you mentioned it, it doesn't always play nice with itself).

And because I like playing with small probes/landers and such, it's pretty necessary for me to grab RLA Stockalike. Mostly all .625m fuel tanks and engines, along with a 1/7 size RTG.

Chatterer is also pretty fun and immersive, though certainly not essential.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Boomerang

[Kerbonautical]

Personally the only essential for me is Mechjeb. It has the most important tool from KES plus the autopilot is great for cutting out tedious burns whilst also teaching newcomers how to perform these moves by plotting the node with MJ and performing it themselves. B9 aerospace is pretty essential to keep space planes interesting.

Also I'm not sure how essential this is, but it makes an awesome change of pace. I was pointed to RasterPropMonitor and Hullcam VDs today and combined they really change the feel of the game, they add a lot of tools to the IVA including camera feed (hence the camera mod) so that you can fly from the point of view of the pilot. It's surprisingly fun if a little more challenging but I feel more like the astronaut than the ship using them.

[Rakaydos]

If you love fiddling woth rockets and using all the parts, I suggest checking out the Stock Rebalance mod.

[TinfoilChef]

Raise Minimum Ambient Lighting because youtube darkens videos too much and for videos being able to actually SEE on the "dark side" of whatever is kinda important.

Enhanced Navball because even devs said it's function was intended to be in stock

Precise Node because I'd rather use actual numbers when plotting a course

FAR for better aerodynamics

Either Docking Alignment Indicator by Navyfish or the Lazor Docking Cam (standalone version) because it only makes sense

MechJeb for in flight info in customizable windows & smart a.s.s.

KW Rocketry for more and bigger engines, tanks & fairings

[MartGonzo]

My Essential list:

Flight Engineer

Kerbal Alarm Clock

Deadly Re-entry

KW Rocketry

Infernal Robotics

Texture Compressor

Texture Replacer (with new texture packs, skybox, clouds etc.)

Chatterer

Scansat + Custom Biomes

Distant Object enhancement

Fun Extras:

FAR

B9 Aerospace

Kethane

[Superfluous J]

I *just* (like, literally 1 minute ago) made a new install of KSP to play "mostly stock" and installed the following 15 mods (Mostly stock. Heh heh):

Critical, should be stock, etc:

Toolbar

Kerbal Engineer Redux

Enhanced Navball

Part Highlighter

PreciseNode

RCS Build Aid

Scene Jumper

Select Root

Alternate Resource Panel

Kerbal Alarm Clock

Tweakable Everything

ModuleManager

Very Nice To Have:

Ambient Light Adjustment (I'm recording videos and nobody wants to watch a pitch black screen)

Environmental Visual Enhancements (I refuse to look at stock Kerbin)

Kerbal Attachment System (I need it for ONE thing: I'm moving a command chair once I reach my destination)

[regex]

It changes for me every so often, but the ones I keep coming back for are:

Ferram Aerospace Research (+ Procedural Fairings because ~aerodynamics~)

Deadly Reentry

Engineer Redux (I used MechJeb for a version, but I prefer to fly everything myself, with skill)

Environmental Visual Enhancements

PreciseNode (I'm the original author)

E: Totally forgot Near Future Propulsion, I rarely play without that.

I don't play with sound anymore, but if I did I would always have Chatterer installed, it's epic.

I also keep an RSS install around for when I feel like playing in a (more) proper solar system. I suggest everyone try it out at some point.

Edited April 12, 2014 by regex

[problemecium]

I say Kerbal Alarm Clock.

After that, Navball docking alignment port indicator, or any other alignment indicator you prefer.

[Sgt. Cookie]

I'd like to add Fusebox. It's SUCH a useful little mod that I never do an install without it. What it does is it removes the guesswork from your power systems.

[hjrrockies]

Another quick question or two.

I think my final list is going to be:

Definite:

Kerbal Alarm Clock

Enhanced Navball

RCS Build Aid

FAR

KER

Procedural Fairings

Texture Reduction

Deadly Reentry

Possible:

Remote Tech

Visual Enhancements

Chatterer

1. I am running a Windows 8 laptop with an i5, 8GB ram, Intel 4000 integrated graphics. Would this list of mods bring my computer to its knees? I am thinking that Visual Enhancements/FAR/Deadly reentry would be the worst memory-hogs.

2. Does RemoteTech make things more annoying, rather than interesting? I like the idea a lot, but I don't want to make the game so complicated that it feels like work.

[MartGonzo]

You should be able to run that list without problems, the main memory hogs are packs that add a lot of parts or hi-res texture replacements.

Visual enhancements might stress the integrated graphics, but you can turn off the volumetric clouds in the cfg file.

Personally I took remotetech2 off, it's kind of fun but there does tend to be a lot of fussing about with it and too many instances of losing control of unmanned craft for unknown reasons.

Edited April 23, 2014 by MartGonzo

[Boomerang]

You should be able to run that list without problems, the main memory hogs are packs that add a lot of parts or hi-res texture replacements.

Visual enhancements might stress the integrated graphics, but you can turn off the volumetric clouds in the cfg file.

Personally I took remotetech2 off, it's kind of fun but there does tend to be a lot of fussing about with it and too many instances of losing control of unmanned craft for unknown reasons.

I'll second the bit about Remotetech. The concept is great but I'm waiting to see if the .24 release is significantly more stable than what's out there now.

[One Wheeled Panda]

I *just* (like, literally 1 minute ago) made a new install of KSP to play "mostly stock" and installed the following 15 mods (Mostly stock. Heh heh):

Critical, should be stock, etc:

Toolbar

Kerbal Engineer Redux

Enhanced Navball

Part Highlighter

PreciseNode

RCS Build Aid

Scene Jumper

Select Root

Alternate Resource Panel

Kerbal Alarm Clock

Tweakable Everything

ModuleManager

Very Nice To Have:

Ambient Light Adjustment (I'm recording videos and nobody wants to watch a pitch black screen)

Environmental Visual Enhancements (I refuse to look at stock Kerbin)

Kerbal Attachment System (I need it for ONE thing: I'm moving a command chair once I reach my destination)

Very nice list!

That's what essential means to me - no gameplay alteration (because that's up to individual taste) but lots of added value.

I'd like to add the (already mentioned) Docking Port Alignment Indicator to that list.

Edited April 23, 2014 by One Wheeled Panda

[Aghanim]

FAR

Procedural wings, fairing, StretchySRB