You know when you've transitioned from Noob to Serious player when you ......

[dognosh]

start using a ruler on your screen when you are positioning a part on your build vehicle

[Felsmak]

Transition? I was never a noob to begin with.

[Sirrobert]

Nah, you're still in the middle phase. You'll be fully upgraded when you use a mod for that

[dognosh]

I know there are mods for everything in this lol I did download that but not using it

ok , another

...... when you hold back a few days before updating KSP, to let your mod updates catch up

[KSK]

Ahhh - that reminds me of the good old days of using an actual protractor for interplanetary burns. It was a good protractor too - had a lump of blu-tack stuck to the middle to act as a handle and little coloured translucent plastic markers stuck to it to mark off the phase angles from Kerbin to the different planets.

These days I just use an online calculator. Much easier to work with calculated departure days but I miss the slightly Rube Goldberg approach. I haven't graduated to using a mod yet.

[Felsmak]

Nah, you're still in the middle phase. You'll be fully upgraded when you use a mod for that

Or rather when you don't need any help at all. You position the part perfectly with your eyes.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Felsmak

[BadRocketsCo.]

...when you don't forget the parachutes

[Bilfr3d]

...when you don't forget the parachutes

You're a serious player when you DON'T use chutes for an atmospheric landing.

[Javster]

When you don't wonder why parachutes don't work on the Mun

[Red Iron Crown]

...when you fully understand the rocket equation and its importance.

...when you start building as small as possible instead of as large as possible.

...when you stop pressing F9.

...when you stop adding monoprop tanks because what's in the pod is enough to dock.

...when you know what a mass ratio is.

...when you know what a payload fraction is.

...when you routinely use gravity assists.

...when you understand the Oberth effect.

[Yarrula]

I'd say what marks a serious player is the confidence and skill to build something complex, like a multi-staged mission to duna, and have it work correctly, the first time. No reverts or quicksaves required.

[FleetAdmiralJ]

...when you stop adding monoprop tanks because what's in the pod is enough to dock.

Heh, i still have to keep myself from being like "add ALL the RCS" on my ships, but I've gotten better about it

[Frank_G]

...when you aerobrake around Jool into a perfect Laythe encounter, where, after a second aerobraking maneuver, you only need a handful m/s of deltaV to end up in a perfect circular orbit... I did that once... by coincidence

[TheScareCake!]

Im trying to do most hardcore thing in ksp ever: manned mission to the planet and back. With return. And the planet is in the other solar system.

[Wanderfound]

start using a ruler on your screen when you are positioning a part on your build vehicle

When I:

Try to use my mouse to alter the view angle to look at the back of something...and then remember that I'm not actually playing KSP at the time. Ditto for attempting to use the time acceleration controls to hurry up a real-life download.

[DeepSpaceDutch]

When I:

Try to use my mouse to alter the view angle to look at the back of something...and then remember that I'm not actually playing KSP at the time..

Every time I'm watching a Scott Manley video this happens at least two times

[Grover]

... when you never used f5 or f9

... when you start planning flights from the VAB, balancing the dV of each stage to keep all the staging events somewhere that spent stages will be reaponsibly discarded (not in orbit around anytbing but Kerbol)

... when dV means more than fuel units

... when NONE of your craft have any RCS

And now, the less sensible ones.

... when yoh make an official application to change your surname to Kerman

... When you try to buy solid rocket motors for your car

... when you can play KSP hammered and still reach the surface of any planet/moon with a reasonable ship

... When your name is Scott Manley

[DeathFromBelow]

I felt pretty not-noob after my first expedition to Laythe and back. No quickloads/simulation runs needed.

[Moar Boosters]

When you start making things more difficult for yourself by adding mods/restrictions, because you've been everywhere already and want to make your missions more challenging.

[SkyRender]

I'd say you're a serious player when you can do any of the standard operations (ship design, launch-to-orbit, orbital maneuvers, landing, rendezvous, etc.) with a reasonable level of efficiency and without really having to think about them or stress out over how well they're going. A high level of competence seems like a pretty good benchmark of dedication to me, as it really isn't something you can acquire through anything but experience.

[Champ]

When you can land a kerbal on moho and get him back to kerbin

[Guest Fyre Flare]

When 95% of your rockets can go to the Mun.

[Jean Deaux]

When you get the staging right the first time.

[dognosh]

Remember guys, I meant serious not expert

..... when you set your Kerbal Alarm Clock

[dognosh]

Every time I'm watching a Scott Manley video this happens at least two times

yes yes yes wanderfound and DS Dutch, good job I only play KSP when GF is at her own house