On Kerbal Experience and Traits, my imagination of the ideal situation.

[Whirligig Girl]

Note: Pasted from Devnote thread.

Just thinking out loud here, I might copypasta this into the suggestions forum. Basically I'm imagining what the Kerbal Traits are and what skills they provide. I'd also kind of like to see a training bit in the Astronaut Complex for minor increase over time in Kerbal Skill level, or perhaps instant for a funds decrease. In my imagination, the Kerbal skill level for each trait increases and that increases how much effect their skill can have. Notice that all traits also have a downside that scales slower than upsides.

Scientist

*Skill can be increased by doing science. The lower the stupidity, the quicker this Trait increases.

+ xxx% Science on experiments done with this Kerbal on-board.

+ xxx% Transmission Boost on data analyzed in the Science Lab.

- xxx% Reputation Gain for Recovering this Kerbal. (Scientists are too nerdy/antisocial to be fun, right Kerbal public? Perhaps a strategy can be used to advertise science to the public that makes scientist Kerbals get normal reputation for recovery.)

Engineer

*Skill can be increased by docking, flying, and repairing wheels/solar panels/repacking parachutes

*Skill is gained somewhat faster with higher courage and stupidity.

*Can EVA to scale a slider for Thrust and Isp balance, where there is a trade-off.

*The amount that Thrust/Isp can be rebalanced is related to the Engineering skill level of the Kerbal.

*Only Kerbals who can repair Solar Panels and Battery-Packs.

- xxx% Funds recovered from modified parts. (Parts need to be rebuilt from these stupid modifications!)

Pilot

*Skill can be increased by total time spent maneuvering a craft. (Actually pressing buttons on the keyboard)

*Skill is gained faster with higher courage.

+ xxx% RCS Thrust on Rotation. (Not translation though, because that would alter Delta-V!)

+ xxx% Reaction-wheel responsiveness. (Also default reaction-wheel responsiveness is decreased. They're too OP!)

+ xxx% Reputation gain for successful return to Kerbin.

+ xxx% Reputation Loss for This Kerbal's death.

BadS

*Default skill for BadS=True, though a high enough Piloting skill can unlock this trait.

*Skill increases by pulling high gee-forces, going to new places for the first time, Command-Seat Flight in a thick atmosphere, and time spent maneuvering a craft.

*Skill increases very slowly unless Courage and Stupidity are both at or over 50%.

+xxxxx% Reputation Gain for successful return to Kerbin.

+xxx% Increase in Crash Tolerance of parts, due to magic because This Kerbal is just that awesome.

+xxxxx% Reputation Loss for This Kerbal's death.

... and more, I guess. Just a few thoughts. Also, I like making lists!

I'm not sure about BadS's increase of crash tolerance, but at least it doesn't affect Delta-V or TWR. That's the one thing I don't want, is for Delta-V or TWR to be passively changed by Kerbals on the ship. That's why I but BadS in spoiler tags, because it's not really that great an idea to passively change anything on the ship without direct involvement.

EDIT:

Plus maybe some fun 'perks' which they can have several of like

Will to live - This Kerbal will automatically bail out of a destroyed pod instead of being KIA when the part is destroyed

Badass - Like the current flag - this Kerbal doesn't flinch in the face of danger

Maybe those would be some coo traits to add.

[Draemora]

Honestly, for now, I think they should just stick to flair and mission history. Have them have a profile with little reward ribbons or patches like... "made it to orbit," "survived a crash," "landed on the Mun," etc. This is much more memorable and more interesting than a tiered 1% boost to ISP per level. ...Also, LESS GAME BREAKING.

You could increase the crash tolerance of the Kerbal itself! hahaha

Edited October 22, 2014 by Draemora

[artwhaley]

I also suggested this on the devnotes discussion -

I think the devs should go ahead and add all of the experience features... except the buffs, and leave it to the mod community to play with the experience number to see how it could be used. Autopilots could use the experience to determine how fast to make corrections. Comm sats could use it to determine the range at which a ship could reach them. Parts could set themselves to only be operable by Kerbals with a certain experience level.

This way the devs can watch to see what works and what doesn't... and then stockify those features that turn out to be awesome.

[prophet_01]

While I would be fine with some resource bonuses, I srsly dislike the idea of kerbals improving the performance of a rocket. Don't mess around with ISP. It's a physics driven game not an RPG.

I would be a fan of ribbons though. But tbh the kerbals are more or less funny looking freight to me. It may sound cold, but I have more sympathy for the ships I put them in.

I rage a lot more if I crash a reusable shuttle compared to the "well..., next?"-attitude that hits me after killing another kerbal with a lander that crashes into the mun

[zeel]

While I would be fine with some resource bonuses, I srsly dislike the idea of kerbals improving the performance of a rocket. Don't mess around with ISP. It's a physics driven game not an RPG.

I would be a fan of ribbons though. But tbh the kerbals are more or less funny looking freight to me. It may sound cold, but I have more sympathy for the ships I put them in.

I rage a lot more if I crash a reusable shuttle compared to the "well..., next?"-attitude that hits me after killing another kerbal with a lander that crashes into the mun

Which is the whole point of adding experience to them. If your crew means something as far as gameplay is concerned you will care more about them.

[Trentendegreth]

i think all ideas in OP are good Count me in

[tater]

Adjust Isp/thrust? No.

[Jouni]

I hope there won't be too much specialization for kerbals. Space is not a place for narrow specialists with skills nobody else in the crew has.

Consider the current ISS crew. Out of the six people there, five are engineers and one has a PhD in geophysics. Out of the five engineers, four are also some kind of military pilots.

Or look at the Apollo 11 crew. Everyone was a pilot, Armstrong was also an engineer, and Aldrin was an engineer with a doctorate in astronautics. The Apollo 13 crew also had three pilots and two engineers.

Training competent pilots and engineers is so easy that most kerbals launched into space should be both. There's room for civilian specialists in larger crews, but they should be the exception, not the norm.