Hello + Questions

[magnamonyx]

hello hello, i'm new as a user but i've been lurking here for a while just reading guides and tutorials and the like. i've been playing ksp for about a month now, and in that time i've built two respectable-sized space stations, landed on both of kerbin's moons, staged a rescue mission for one of those landings that didn't go as planned, and am currently starting a base on minmus. as of right now in my real life i have a lot going on so i don't get to play as much as i'd like to and therefore feel like i'm constantly just behind the curve, so any tips about stuff that might not be so obvious to a greenhorn are appreciated!

now for questions.

mods... i don't know what to think, because i feel like not using mods and just sticking with the stock game makes me seem like a boring loser, and in the end mods are really only meant to enhance the game experience, but i do feel like i'd get a lot more mileage out of the game if i did install some mods, if i wasn't so concerned with accidentally messing something up and borking my game and save files.

all that to ask this: what should i know before getting any mods, are mods even really worth it, and what are some of the best mods to get?

thanks, and i look forward to flying with you all!

[Endersmens]

In my opinion, you should log some time in stock before installing mods. Spend maybe 20 more hours in stock before getting mods.

Now, things you should know. How to install them. Look it up on youtube. Most of them you just drop the gamedata folder into the gamedata directory in your KSP win folder.

Mods are definitly worth it.

Best mods for new mod users would probably be some part packs, such as KW rocketry, and maybe B9 (update in the works) and similar stuff. As for plugins, I would reccomend any visual mods you want. Up to your descretion, and your computer limitations. Editing extensions is good also, makes building easier. Also, RCS Building aid. This really helps with RCS placement for craft that plan to dock.

Welcome to the forums, by the way! Have fun!

EDIT: Also, I will throw some links to mods in, in a little bit.

[Mesons]

I'm a bit of a purist, but after a year I've only just installed my first mods, Environmental Visual Enhancements (E.V.E.), and later Astronomer's Visual Pack, after seeing the former on Modding Mondays and deciding I had enough want for it to tempt me. A link to E.V.E. is here and a link to Astronomer's Visual Pack is here. I recommend using his "Current Release."

In my opinion, KSP is all about setting goals for yourself, like building the stations and base(s) you mentioned and landing on celestial bodies. I think that the stock game has a lot to offer on this front, and mods are mostly about adding realism (improved aerodynamics modeling, realistic scale) or filling in gaps in the stock game (resource gathering, more parts, data readouts, better IVA, autopilot, visuals). If you're going to start adding mods, I suggest considering what you think the stock game lacks the most and filling in that gap. For me, it was clouds and related effects. Mods have their own bugs and come with greater memory usage, though, so keep in mind that you will probably encounter some issues that are no fault of Squad's. For a list of mods, I found this thread particularly helpful in getting to know each of the popular ones and deciding what I wanted out of them.

Here is a nice long thread full of tips that the forum community thought the most important things they knew to tell newcomers--take a look, there might be something that helps you out.

[Scarecrow88]

I tend to use mods that offer additional helpful information that isn't available currently in stock, rather than those that add additional bits, or provide any sort of autopilot ability.

You may like the ability to have extra parts that make your craft look really swish, but bear in mind that if you get to the point where you would like to share your creations with others, if you have built them using modded parts, you will only be able to share them with people who are running the same mods. Autopilot mods, such as Mechjeb, tend to be quite divisive; people tend to either love them or loathe them, and you can find loads of threads arguing one way and the other if you are interested enough to search. All I will say is that it is down to personal choice.

Whatever you choose to do, and whichever mods you choose to use or not use, don't let anyone tell you that you have made the wrong choice. Ultimately KSP is about having fun, and only you can decide what is necessary to achieve that goal for you.

[SRV Ron]

Set up a second copy of KSP. It is easy to do by just copying the KSP folder to another location and creating a shortcut for that copy for your desktop. Use the copy for adding mods you want to experiment with. That way, you can continue to learn with stock KSP and have the mod copy for experimenting with.

[magnamonyx]

thanks guys, the support feels great! i'm sure i've got a lot more to learn but this community should be a great place to share experiences and get help if need be