Hard Mode + Bugs == No Fun

[Caelib]

So, I finally decided that today I would start a new career mode on Hard Mode because I really like hard games. I was very quickly frustrated to the point of quitting Hard Mode by two very annoying bugs:

1) Radial decouplers just don't work correctly (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/95761-Radial-Decouplers-still-not-fixed)

2) EVA on Mk1 Command Pod hurls the Kerbal off the craft as soon as you press the button (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/95766-EVA-Ejects-at-High-Velocity-25)

These two are confirmed bugs and they are really detracting from the game. If I were a new player, these two things would caused me to put the game down and probably not come back.

I really do love this game, but it is extremely frustrating that these two problems haven't been addressed as they have a pretty big impact on gameplay -- especially the first once since it has been a documented issue for at least 4 months.

[admiral_ant]

Hey man, these definitely suck. Luckily, there are fixes!

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/97285-0-25-Stock-Bug-Fix-Modules

[GusTurbo]

The point is that they should have been fixed by a patch. They really can't put it off until .90 for issues so basic to this game.

[Caelib]

Hey man, these definitely suck. Luckily, there are fixes!

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/97285-0-25-Stock-Bug-Fix-Modules

Thanks for sharing the link, I had not seen this yet!

[tater]

BTW, the kerbal-cannon only happens to me if I use the hatch-click to EVA, not if I do it from the picture below… YMMV.

[Kerano]

BTW, the kerbal-cannon only happens to me if I use the hatch-click to EVA, not if I do it from the picture below… YMMV.

I always EVA by clicking the picture and the bug happens to me about half the time... only for lighter craft though, the heavier ones seem not to cause such a problem with EVA ejection.

[Alshain]

This is why when I chose hard mode, I left quicksave/revert on. The game just isn't ready for it yet.

[Bandock]

Another good reason for enabling quicksave/revert on Hard Mode at this point is due to a commonly occurring launchpad explosion bug (caused by extreme masses).

[merendel]

Another good reason for enabling quicksave/revert on Hard Mode at this point is due to a commonly occurring launchpad explosion bug (caused by extreme masses).

For that I just turned off destructible buildings after the obligitory wakakerbal all of KSC to rubble post patch. I dont crash stuff into KSC anyway so the only time anything exploded was the launchpad/runway when I sent something big out for launch. I dont even spaceplane much so hard landings on the runway are a nonfactor. only bugs.

I do keep quickload avalible in case of non launchpad related bugs. I just use self control to not use it when I F*** up by the numbers.

[KSK]

Quick fix for the EVA bug - always make sure you point your spacecraft normal to it's direction of flight before going on EVA. That way if your kerbal does get shot out into the void, at least the hatch is lined up so that you can get back in with the minimum of fuss.

But yeah - hard mode. I can't see myself experimenting too much with spaceplanes, at least until I have a very large budget and the the appropriate remote control tech. Gonna get through far too many kerbals otherwise.

[FirstSecondThird]

We always have bugfix patches. Say hello to 0.25.1 if they ever make a bugfix update.

[LethalDose]

This is why you activate quick-saving. Or just make sure you're using the regular saves.

[Caelib]

This is why you activate quick-saving. Or just make sure you're using the regular saves.

Right, but that defeats the purpose of Hard Mode

[LethalDose]

Right, but that defeats the purpose of Hard Mode

No, it doesn't.

[geb]

There's another nasty bug that brought my hard mode career to a stop, in which a spaceplane returning from orbit will crash into buildings, destroying them, despite being nowhere near.

I was able to recover the plane, and repair the buildings, but the unfair penalty took the fun out of it.

[Tripzter]

Don't need hard mode to know what i Fd up. To this day i havent killed a single Kerbal. I have crashed multiple space ships but I dont need a programming limit to get me to admit that i screwed up something.

That said i still play on ease mode. I make my own hard mode by my own game play.

[ArmchairGravy]

I have too many interplanetary ships eaten by the black screen o' death to disable quicksave, and since hard mode at this point is just reduced amounts of science/funds/rep it just seems like grinding for grinding's sake.

[troyfawkes]

Last night I had two satellites wobble themselves to smithereens, then a third one on the launch pad had its probe core bouncing up and down out of the fairing until it came smashing down and crushed the rocket, snap the rest of the satellite off and have it fall to the ground, all the while whizzing through the air over the rocket.

This is after a couple simulations (KCT), where nothing untoward occurred. I'm using lots of mods, so I'm sure it's my fault. Or Bill was messing with me due to my many failed attempts on his life (I even EVAd on re-entry in a fiery inferno and he came back to life... His Final Frontier record is a pretty exciting read.

Still though, I kind of just wanted to fly the mission.

[Spatzimaus]

Right, but that defeats the purpose of Hard Mode

If you define "Hard Mode" as being equivalent to Ironman, then yes. But Hard also includes the reward sliders and such, and for many of us that's plenty of challenge in its own right. So, to avoid the bugs I also turned the quicksave/reverts back on; it's still a difficult experience, at least until you've got a network of satellites to make you money, but you won't be pulling your hair out over things beyond your control.

This game is still in an alpha state, although we're getting close to something that could be considered a beta. Playing without quicksave is nice for bragging rights and all, but you can't ignore the number of major bugs that are still in the code. If you want to play a complete game, doing so without quickload is just asking for headaches.

[Miro Beero]

2) EVA on Mk1 Command Pod hurls the Kerbal off the craft as soon as you press the button (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/95766-EVA-Ejects-at-High-Velocity-25)

Think of it as opening the airlock and being sucked into space

:-)

[Lukaszenko]

Don't need hard mode to know what i Fd up. To this day i havent killed a single Kerbal. I have crashed multiple space ships but I dont need a programming limit to get me to admit that i screwed up something.

That said i still play on ease mode. I make my own hard mode by my own game play.

But some people DO need hard mode, and I'm not ashamed to admit I'm one of them. That's the whole point of video games for lots of us: to present us with an alternate reality through which we have to navigate. Sure we can fill in gaps in sound/ realism/ graphics/ control/ bugs/ whatever is important to us with our imagination and mode of play, but the more "gaps" that we have to fill in the less immersive and fun it is. After all, you can always fill in more and more gaps until you can just close your eyes and create your own video game in your head.

That said, I still play with quick save but only rarely use it when it was an obvious bug. I WOULD feel that I took a shortcut by reverting due to an obvious error on my part, no matter how mundane. The problem is that this requires strict personal rules, the adherence to which can detract from enjoyment especially when you're in a "gray area" of what should count as a bug/ programming error and what should not.

My point is, I agree that quick-saving can easily defeat the purpose of hard mode.

[troyfawkes]

The problem is that this requires strict personal rules, the adherence to which can detract from enjoyment especially when you're in a "gray area" of what should count as a bug/ programming error and what should not.

So much this. Some days I abused the revert to editor functionality that I allowed in my last save, which made me feel ....ty on days where I had more self control After every ship on that save duplicated itself and self destructed I decided it was karma for cheating and took it out.

While I can live with the bugs (and honestly sometimes it makes for more interesting gameplay, e.g. "Oh.. OK, I guess I'm going to have to save Bobkin from a highly elliptical orbit that might one day either smash him into the mun or eject him into a solar orbit... because, you know, the Kraken gave his return capsule a huge push... er.. sabotage?"), but other times definitely not so much. 2-3 launches in a row of that foolishness, or the entire save being corrupted...

Looking forward to the QA love in .9+

[GregA]

But some people DO need hard mode, and I'm not ashamed to admit I'm one of them. That's the whole point of video games for lots of us: to present us with an alternate reality through which we have to navigate. Sure we can fill in gaps in sound/ realism/ graphics/ control/ bugs/ whatever is important to us with our imagination and mode of play, but the more "gaps" that we have to fill in the less immersive and fun it is. After all, you can always fill in more and more gaps until you can just close your eyes and create your own video game in your head.

That said, I still play with quick save but only rarely use it when it was an obvious bug. I WOULD feel that I took a shortcut by reverting due to an obvious error on my part, no matter how mundane. The problem is that this requires strict personal rules, the adherence to which can detract from enjoyment especially when you're in a "gray area" of what should count as a bug/ programming error and what should not.

My point is, I agree that quick-saving can easily defeat the purpose of hard mode.

So what you are saying is... Hard mode is too hard for you???

IMO, in a game like Kerbal, bugs are part of the game...

[Torquemadus]

My point is, I agree that quick-saving can easily defeat the purpose of hard mode.

The simple point you need to understand is this: Hard Mode isn't hard enough.

Playing on high difficulty is about turning down resource gains until it starts to hurt. Hard Mode isn't hard enough in this respect.

My current Career Mode save is set to 30% gains for science, funds and reputation (compared to 60% for Hard) and 0 starting funds. This starts out deliciously difficult, forcing me to design each mission with great care. Unfortunately, this difficulty eases off after the first Mun landing (tough as it was to get that far). I'm therefore looking at starting again at 20% and seeing how well I cope.

I view reverts and quick-saves as a safety net that allows me to recover if I encounter game-breaking bugs that would otherwise ruin my game.

[numerobis]

I'm on easy mode and bugs still annoy me. More than once I've reverted, then quit the game, and a day later loaded up only to see my kerbals still dead, the money still spent.

But the most common cause of problems is that my cat seems to know that I'm in a tight spot, and comes to offer support right then. Unfortunately, she doesn't know how to kerbal, so I end up catching a glimpse of an explosion somewhere behind her fur.