How much do you value your Kerbals?

[Columbia]

Hello, forums!

I once went on an exploration trip with all of my Kerbals, and.. well.. killed two of them.

It made me question: How much do I really care about Kerbals?

Well.. As much as I like being Danny2462, I personally get saddened by their deaths, and would sometimes go to the persistent file of my main save and change their status to be alive.

What about you guys?

Edited February 8, 2015 by Columbia

[Scotius]

No one gets left behind If i manage to strand someone somewhere, next thing i do is send a rescue mission.

[Yukon0009]

Kerbal? What kerbals? Don't you mean test subjects?

But in seriousness, I do value my kerbals, so I do add escape systems aside ejecting out of the craft to my ships.

[Richy teh space man]

I have a no Kerbal left behind policy when playing, and avoid killing them where possible.

[Brainlord Mesomorph]

Bob's been stranded on Moho for a couple of years.

and just I had to scrub his rescue mission.

(But I did learn something new a interplanetary burns )

Waiting for the next launch window.....

[worir4]

I kill them for fun...

[Sirrobert]

I will always get them out if I can.

A single Kerbal is worth more than the biggest rocket you can possibly imagine

Edited February 8, 2015 by Sirrobert

[ShadowZone]

While testing ( = trying our stuff and reverting to VAB) a lot of "simulated" kerbals died. But during actual missions no kerbal is left behind.

[Fleb]

I do always like to hire test pilots in hard career. Their sacrifices in the name of science are always greatly appreciated.

[Lhathron the Elf]

I've never lost a Kerbal.

Okay that was obviously a lie.

Once I was playing the Mun landing scenario for no apparent reason, and I accidentally ran out of fuel somehow. Anyway, Jeb flew back to Kerbin, and Bill and Bob got stranded on the Mun. Bob decided to get out and fly back to Kerbin with his jetpack until he inexplicably started spinning randomly around. He lost all of his jetpack fuel trying to stop himself from spinning.

Eventually I just restarted the scenario. It's not really worth it if it's not a real save game. In any other situation I would have definitely saved him (and Bill.)

So basically, I always try to save my Kerbals. If I can't save them, they usually die. I don't normally strand them, but sometimes there's no choice.

[RoboRay]

No kerbal left behind!

Except Bill. Screw Bill.

[GoSlash27]

I consider a dead kerbal to be a major catastrophe for my space program, and leaving one stranded is unthinkable.

I don't mourn them or have any sentimental attachment to them, I just play the game like I'm personally responsible for what happens.

*edit* Which reminds me... Mk.1 pod in the first tech level, No choice but to launch manned, and no escape tower until tech level 7 is a pretty horrible setup.

The initial tech level should give you a stayputnik and you should get the escape tower with the Mk 1 pod IMO.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited February 8, 2015 by GoSlash27

[Starhawk]

The initial tech level should give you a stayputnik and you should get the escape tower with the Mk 1 pod IMO.

Absolutely! Let's have at least a slightly sane progression.

[SRV Ron]

As quick as Career lets me, I use robotic probes for most of the missions and test contracts. Jeb is too valuable to lose to a miscalculation in fuel or flight accident.

[Renegrade]

The initial tech level should give you a stayputnik and you should get the escape tower with the Mk 1 pod IMO.

Seconded. Er, thirded I guess.

Or.. at the very least, give us the option to choose our own progression, by including the stayputnik (and the Z-100) in the first node, alongside the mk1.

[StrandedonEarth]

I haven't lost a kerbal in ages, mostly thanks to heavy use of F-ni... er, simulations. Lots and Lots of simulations

That said, I can always hire more, right? I rarely kill them (outside of all those 'simulated' landings), but not many make it back home....

[iFlyAllTheTime]

Shouldn't there be an option that says: "I revert the flight or reload game"?

[RuBisCO]

Shouldn't there be an option that says: "I revert the flight or reload game"?

This, with this on, I kill them all the time.

[RSwordsman]

If a ship crashes while revert is still an option (usually during ascents where the rocket has issues) I'll revert. But if I get to some milestone of the mission where I can switch away and then revert is unavailable, I'll either mount a rescue or remember to add a black stripe to the mission ribbon. I'm more liberal with manned flight than NASA might be, but I sill treat Kerbals like their lives are valuable.

[eddiew]

If I strand them with enough supplies to wait for rescue, they get rescued.

If I strand them without enough supplies to wait but there's something I can cobble together with KAS in-situ to save them then I cobble something together in-situ and save them.

If they die on impact, or don't have enough supplies to wait, I F9 outta there. Ain't nobody dyin' on my watch!

[Janos1986]

I value them to an extent.

Anyway, texture replacer and custom heads do not help, it gives them unique appearance and personality, making it harder to disregard them.

[DMSP]

I started posting Kerbal's deaths+ a memory for them on my blog here, and I have a no one gets left behind policy. I also never leave one Kerbal alone for longer than 10 days.

- - - Updated - - -

I also send rescue missions+ Habitats and supplies for completely stranded ones. One of them started Duna Research Outpost 2

[Wabbit]

I have a strict policy of "no man left behind", and I always make memorials for fallen heroes. Special ones even get their coffin shot into the sun!

[Guest]

How much do I value them? Somewhere between $3.79 to $8.49 per pound, depending on the cut. They're excellent with mushrooms and shallots, though Teriyaki-style is nice as a change.

[SelectHalfling0]

I am very proud of my kerbals. I remember, after 2 successful test flights, my Munar Shuttle (12 kerbal capacity) went with a full load to the Mun, only to crash on the launchpad and kill everybody. There is a monument to them at the KSC (a flag).