Your KSP rules to live by!

[Rabada]

Here's a couple random house rules I play by

1: Missions outside Kerbins SOI require 4 Kerbals minimum.

2: Kerbins need at least a hitchhiker container, a command pod, and a science lab outside of Kerbins SOI

3: Only 2 fuel lines allowed on boosters. (for a falcon heavy style rocket)

4; never use the admin building

5: all rockets must look like a rocket

6: all landings outside of Kerbins SOI use the buddy system, (at least 2 Kerbals for landings on Duna for example)

7: don't clip parts into fuel tanks,

8: always have a spare source of electrical charge locked away, probe cores are great for this.

9: Only use the conical capsules for re-entry.

Edit 10: only use KW fairings, and the craft must fit well inside the fairing.

Also, I would say "Don't use nukes in the atmosphere" but why would you want to do that?

Edited January 7, 2015 by Rabada

[prophet_01]

Here's a couple random house rules I play by

1: Missions outside Kerbins SOI require 4 Kerbals minimum.

2: Kerbins need at least a hitchhiker container, a command pod, and a science lab outside of Kerbins SOI

3: Only 2 fuel lines allowed on boosters. (for a falcon heavy style rocket)

4; never use the admin building

5: all rockets must look like a rocket

6: all landings outside of Kerbins SOI use the buddy system, (at least 2 Kerbals for landings on Duna for example)

7: don't clip parts into fuel tanks,

8: always have a spare source of electrical charge locked away, probe cores are great for this.

9: Only use the conical capsules for re-entry.

Edit 10: only use KW fairings, and the craft must fit well inside the fairing.

Also, I would say "Don't use nukes in the atmosphere" but why would you want to do that?

I have build and usd a super heavy shuttle design with a 8 engines on the orbiter, two NASA-sized liquid boosters and a huge external tank. I was still lacking thrust...

The final design needed to use the 2 nervas (which were originally supposed to be used in space only) just to get of the ground... that might answer the last question

Edited January 7, 2015 by prophet_01

[sardaukar11]

always bring an extra bit of Dv, just in case

[InterCity]

My ten kerbal commandments

1. Thou shall not destroy KSC*

2. Thou shall not kill kerbals**

3. Thou shall not part clip***

4. Thou shall not strand****

5. Thou shall not leave kerbol's SOI*****

6. Thou shall not hyperedit******

7. Thou shall make rockets like rockets*******

8. Thou shall dispose of all debris********

9. Thou shall colonize the universe with Bases*********

10. Thou shall screenshot when kraken**********

*except for the pesky launchpad

**except when necessary

*** except for intakes

****permanrnt settlement is perfectly fine

*****thas not possible anyway

******except when angry

*******except for any oversized payload

********destroy in tracking station

*********one capsule is just fine

**********except when forgot

[Captain Sierra]

XD

ALL of the asterisks!

Will post mine later, going to get food, and food is important.

[merendel]

1 "Always put at least 2 flat solar panels on any craft at different directions."

2 "Rule 1 is to be followed immediately after the first part is placed, the panels can be moved later if needed"

so many probes have been saved by these rules. nearly as many have been lost from the failure to comply.

[Voculus]

Rule #1) If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough!

[[email protected]]

Rocket Design Rules:

1. Make it functionally capable of completing all mission parameters

2. Add redundancy, reduce the number of single failure points

3. Make it pretty

4. Ignore how much it costs

5. Check staging and action groups

6. Launch

[Captain Sierra]

Below are my regular rules that I follow:

1. Minimize debris where possible*.

1a. DO NOT leave lander debris on a planetary surface unless ABSOLUTELY unavoidable**.

2. Kerbals must (be able to) return to Kerbin.

2a. Colonies or other permanent settlements must have evac procedures back to Kerbin or to another permanent settlement.

(These are my technical garble for 'do not strand')

3. Avoid blasting radioactive exhaust into planetary atmospheres or surfaces***.

4. Avoid asparagus staging when possible (a Delta IV Heavy is far more visually pleasing anyway)

5. Avoid SLS parts where possible****.

6. Do not abuse massless parts to circumvent difficult challenges (Tylo lander, Eve ascender)

7. Command seats are not acceptable seats for kerbals for atmospheric ascent, reentry, or deep space travel (rovers and low-grav landers only).

8. Do not needlessly endanger kerbals where an automated spacecraft will suffice (such as base module delivery).

9. Unless the HUD's presence serves a purpose (such as bug reporting), F2 is REQUIRED before the use of F1.

*Tracking Station deleting should only be resorted to in rather extreme situations.

**Exceptions can be made if the descent stage remains intact on the surface and is somewhat aesthetically pleasing.

***Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis, such as f***ing over an aerobrake because I forgot to turn on Trajectories.

****The NASAMission SLS parts feel almost cheatily OP and are only to be used when something stupidly large needs to reach orbit.

There's a second set now. Below are rules I have but often forget to follow (and it winds up costing me reverts/missions). I've ordered them from in descending order of ignorance (higher the number, the less I remember to do it).

1. Check electrical generation before launch.

2. Ensure correct action grouping on specialized sequences (SSTOs mainly).

3. Remove any stowaways from crafts with crew capacity but are intended for unmanned operation.

4. Check fuel lines before launch.

I've added a few new mods and rules with 0.90 which I've listed below.

1. Quickloading/reverting is not acceptable on flights.

1a. A launch/landing/aerobrake may be defined as a simulation to allow revert/reload BEFORE the operation is attempted (it also cannot count as final run and the action must be completed a second time)

2. If a kerbal cannot return home and is doomed to die, kill him quickly (cockpit-first lithobrake) rather than letting him suffocate/starve/freeze.

(The above is due to the addition of TAC life support to my mod list.)

I think that covers all of it.

[Starhawk]

1. Every significant Kerbed mission must be crewed by Jeb, Bill, and Bob. (They need experience, and I need to feel invested. Also means I build bigger rockets.)

2. Being stationed indefinitely at a Mun outpost is NOT the same as being stranded. (This means you, Sondrin.)

3. Achieving a specific objective is often easier than you think - Don't be daunted.

4. Achieving a specific objective is often harder than you think - Don't give up.

5. No Kerbal dies. (At least until I start my next career using hard mode, DRE, TAC LS, and Remote Tech. Then, I'll be building launch escape systems into every kerbed vehicle.)

6. Big rockets should NEVER be built looking like real rockets. Pancakes, not carrots. (This will probably change soon.)

[Sampa]

Even if you think your payload (unmanned) is stable in the fairings (if using KW Rocketry)...Strut it up for increased control.

Also, if using a robot arm, Always practice the function until you can do it in your sleep.

Also, once you find a reliable heavy lifter, cling to it (uprating/upgrading is ok)

[SkyRender]

I have 5 basic rules I stick by.

1. You're not ready to launch until you've confirmed all critical systems are on the rocket.

2. If it's untested, it's not fit for use; test it first.

3. The best contingencies are the ones you can implement for no extra payload cost.

4. Elaborate is fine, but crunch the numbers before you dedicate to a mission so you don't end up with useless hardware in space.

5. The word "survey" is banned in Mission Control.

[Frank_G]

- Build efficient and elegant... Low part count, compact, good looking, useful

- Never willingly sacrifice a kerbals life. If one gets stranded, getting em home is priority one

- Launch with realistic looking rockets. If the payload is too massive to get it up that way... rebuild it.

- Try to surprise yourself with the next design.

[lordlundar]

Largely one rule derived from Mythbusters:

"Failure is always an option."

[briansun1]

Add. More. Boosters.

^^

If it falls apart, you need more struts. If it doesn't fall apart, you're doing something wrong.

[Ikaneko]

No F12.

Also add more struts.

[SDIR]

If it fails, do it again to make sure it's a design problem.

[xrayfishx]

1. Always add a launch escape system.

2. Using 8 action groups for the launch escape system is perfectly fine.

3. Automate whatever you can automate. If it cannot be automated, seek for mods which change that. If such mods cannot be found, only then do it manually.

4. Do not expose kerbals to g-forces exceeding 4g unless:

a) launch is cancelled after ignition

it's needed for a hands-free re-entry.

5. Simulations are allowed, but follow rules:

a) flight must be considered a sim before launch.

it is always reverted.

6. Every spacecraft has a probe core.

7. No solid fuel on a manned spacecraft, except for launch escape purposes.

8. No revert unless kraken or end of simulation.

9. A spacecraft main engine may not point at another spacecraft while thrusting. Rcs is fine, but only because I'm not THAT good at docking.

This about concludes it. There are probably many more I did not remember right now, but mostly it should be covered.

[Dr-Drunk]

Loving all these rules guys! There's quite a few in this thread I would probably considder adopting myself for a more fun or realistic experience. Keep them coming!

[JDCollie]

I'm playing with a career mode game with Deadly Re-entry, Kerbal Construction Time, FAR, Remote Tech, and TAC Life Support, no respawns, no reverts, and quickloading only for bugs (If I caused the problem, I get to live with it.) It has taught me some new rules . . .

1. Test in simulation before launch.

2. Test it again.

3. Test it one more time.

4. Write down which contracts the ships is designed to complete. (With 30+ day build times on occasion and multiple ships in the queue, it can be hard to remember if you're addressing a given contract already or not)

5. Play it like EVE. That is, if your wallet can't afford a mission to fail, don't launch the mission.

6. Have more than one experienced pilot.

7. Never let your experienced pilots fly your planes.

8. Activate that damn antenna before you lose LoS on the KSC.

9. For the love of Jeb, never allow your parachutes to deploy automatically.

[tetryds]

My career rules:

-Every Kerbal goes back home.

-No unmanned unless contract.

-No reverts/quicksave/whatsoever.

-No mods to do something for me that I can do myself (ER, MJ, etc.).

-No fully premade designs (lifters are ok).

-FAR

-No floating parts/avoid translation gizmo to death.

[Wjolcz]

No reverts. Quicksave is okay, because I cant predict aerobraking with NEAR.

Edit: one extra hitchhiker for every extra 4 kerbals. Just so I can imagine theres some sort of life support/plants for oxygen and food.

Edited January 9, 2015 by Veeltch

[Bill Phil]

Mine extended:

3. There is no such thing as an "operational flight", all flights are test flights.

4. Space is big, so bring lots of snacks

5. A kerbals belly is bigger, bring twice as much snacks

6. No no no... You bring enough snacks to FILL THE UNIVERSE..

7. Are the rules really talking?

8. Yes...

9. Why are we?

6. Because we're creatures, too...

Me: STOP!!!

All: Okay, jeez...

10. Check staging, and throttle up!

[Asharad]

Always bring less fuel than you need.

[CalMacDa]

Don't ever use hyper edit off of Kerbin