Welcome, in a way....

[Newt]

I have been here posting for a few days only now, but I have been here reading for about 25 months. Yes. I got KSP in November 2012, visited this forum soon afterword, and have visited with fair regularity for about two years. I saw the Great April Purge, and all of that, but never posted. So now that is changed.

For this thread, I thought I would post a story, as that seems a fine introduction:

As I said, I got KSP in 2012. At that time the game was in several ways different, no career mode, for example. My first launch to orbit was mostly complicated by one thing. SAS.

Kerbal computers at the time were less sophisticated than now, and SAS would be installed through a separate module. My first launch vehicle, by oversight and inexperience, had no such module. So my first launch attempts featured screaming Kerbals for a few hundred meters, who soon fell down to the ground on parachute. I was stubborn, and did not look too closely at the rocket, for I knew that it could make it to orbit, probably even to Munar orbit, from its size. And though I knew the concept of SAS, I did not know to add any. So I persisted.

Progressively, the altitudes reached increased. I would spend my time dancing my fingers across the keyboard, almost not needing to check the fuel levels as I flew the rocket so many times, I knew when to eject the stages. I tried rolling the craft to maintain orientation, and it ended up spinning over. I tried flying in different directions. With different throttle settings. And most importantly just kept launching and practicing.

From the ground, flights would be done in map mode only. I would watch the navball in exclusion, and check the fuel levels with my peripheral vision, staging when the acceleration dropped. I would check the altitude on occasion, and in some flights that would result in a loss of control, and abort. So I did it rarely. But eventually, as my fingers raced between the keys, I reached higher than before, gravity turn in progress. I watched as the pe flew up over 70,000, and as orbit was achieved. It was really fabulously relieving, and I let my concerned Kerbals (no longer Bill, Bob and Jeb, alas) float around for a few orbits, before the deorbit, which I was convinced would be their doom. Of course, it was surprisingly easy, and may concern was unfounded as the slowly dropped down in the ocean.

I have other stories, my first commsat, turned Mun lander, turned Laythe orbiter. Or the time I discovered brakes, as a spaceplane landed less than 50m from the water. Or the time that I walked clear across the KSC continent. But I will save those for later.

For now, Hello!

[LABHOUSE]

Hi. You should really post those. (Pix please)

[zekes]

i agree! Welcome, and pics please

[Starwhip]

i agree! Welcome, and pics please

Pic-tures! Pic-tures! Pic-tures!

Hello!

[Newt]

Okay everyone. Pictures are (if all goes well) coming. The adventure described above was two years and one computer transfer ago. But my space agency's archivists are packing their bags for a long expedition to the catacombs. We will see what they turn up with.