KSP 0.9 is NOT fun to play

[BaronVonchesto]

So Ive only had KSP 0.9 for a few days now but right away starting a new career game from scratch there are many aspects of this game that make it tedious and not fun to play.

Top of my pet peeves are the changes to the SAS system. I want to start off by saying that I absolutely HATE them. I dont know why, but since 0.9 all my rockets seem nearly impossible to fly without SAS and the fact that only OCTO probes and pilots have SAS with no means to externally add it in majes for a very frustrating experience as getting into orbit is so TEDIOUS if not nearly impossible. Regardless of whether I have FAR or not i get craft that rotate or drift shortly after launch, and I have checked and re-checked to ensure proper symmetry and mass distribution etc.

Forget about gravity turns. Its hard enough to keep it going straight up (heading of 0) , but pitching the rocket ever so *slightly* causes it to go completely out of control and tumble about all over the place. It is far worse if you try to use 2 boosters (180 degree symmetry). I have had to resort to modding all the probes to re-introduce SAS since this is now the only way to have SAS as the reaction wheels are no longer capable of SAS even if I mod the cfg file. I never enjoyed manual piloting and always depended on SAS for launch, but now it feels pretty much impossible to get anything done without SAS.

My second issue is the sheer cost of things vs how little you earn. Starting from scratch feels completely nerfed and it is just so tedious to have to amass massive amounts of credits to unlock the most basic of skills like collecting soil samples.

All in all those 2 issues are enough to severely limit my progress and the amount of fun I gain playing KSP. The SAS issue alone is enough for me to want to go back to an older version.

All in all I am NOT HAPPY with KSP 0.9

[Xavven]

Yeah, you pretty much HAVE to have a pilot or a non-stayputnik probe core in order to get anywhere in career. I'm curious, though... why has this requirement completely ruined your KSP career mode experience? It's not like pilots are hard to come by. Just head over to the astronaut complex and hire a couple. And you even start with a pilot - Jebediah.

Regarding funds earning rate, you're not alone in your opinion there. A lot of posters here have said that the game doesn't have enough funds. However, there are difficulty settings and sliders that can help you tweak the balance to your liking.

[Tex]

Let's break this down a tad.

only OCTO probes and pilots have SAS with no means to externally add it in makes for a very frustrating experience as getting into orbit is so TEDIOUS if not nearly impossible.

There's nothing stopping you from adding on an OCTO probe core to your existing probes to get the SAS functionality. Having multiple probe cores does not affect the way the craft flies unless you set the craft to be controlled from that core.

Forget about gravity turns. Its hard enough to keep it going straight up (heading of 0) , but pitching the rocket ever so *slightly* causes it to go completely out of control and tumble about all over the place. It is far worse if you try to use 2 boosters (180 degree symmetry).

This one's a simple problem: If this is correct, then I assume that your rockets are very top-heavy, and once the CoM shifts out of line with the rest of the rocket, it will indeed flip out of control. Try for heavier bottom stages or lighter payloads, or especially both.

I have had to resort to modding all the probes to re-introduce SAS since this is now the only way to have SAS as the reaction wheels are no longer capable of SAS even if I mod the cfg file. I never enjoyed manual piloting and always depended on SAS for launch, but now it feels pretty much impossible to get anything done without SAS.

Anything's possible with a little practice! I agree though, manual piloting can be a doozy.

My second issue is the sheer cost of things vs how little you earn. Starting from scratch feels completely nerfed and it is just so tedious to have to amass massive amounts of credits to unlock the most basic of skills like collecting soil samples.

True, but there are options to where you can modify the amount of science you can get from experiments and samples. The Career Mode is modifiable for your individual needs.

All in all those 2 issues are enough to severely limit my progress and the amount of fun I gain playing KSP. The SAS issue alone is enough for me to want to go back to an older version.

All in all I am NOT HAPPY with KSP 0.9

I and everybody else here on the forums are always happy to help you when trouble arises! There's always a fix for problems. Let's work together to solve them.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Maximus97

[Flixxbeatz]

Changes in ASAS? Looks fine to me, no problem. Probably you are doing something wrong.

And that's coming from someone who took a long break.

Also, present a video or screenshot of what is going on. Otherwise we will dismiss you as a troll.

[KerBlam]

I'm going to add that the Title of this thread is completely subjective and entirely YOUR opinion. Plenty of people enjoy 0.90, sounds like you're having a bit of difficulty

[Wabbit]

I actually like the .90 SAS better, due to the handy "point at" buttons.

[BaronVonchesto]

Let's break this down a tad.

There's nothing stopping you from adding on an OCTO probe core to your existing probes to get the SAS functionality. Having multiple probe cores does not affect the way the craft flies unless you set the craft to be controlled from that core.

Of course there is... science. You have to progress pretty high up in order to unlock those cores. The earliers probe is stayputnik which has no SAS.

This one's a simple problem: If this is correct, then I assume that your rockets are very top-heavy, and once the CoM shifts out of line with the rest of the rocket, it will indeed flip out of control. Try for heavier bottom stages or lighter payloads, or especially both.

Nop very light payload. Just a Stayputnik and reaction wheel. Im using tried and tested designs from previous KSP version.

Anything's possible with a little practice! I agree though, manual piloting can be a doozy.

Yea for certain designs I certainly have done it, doesnt change the fact that its incredibly tedious and painful. I have to spend ALL my time just keeping the heading 90 till I leave the atmo, then pitch over.

True, but there are options to where you can modify the amount of science you can get from experiments and samples. The Career Mode is modifiable for your individual needs.

I and everybody else here on the forums are always happy to help you when trouble arises! There's always a fix for problems. Let's work together to solve them.

Yup Im well aware. I have a low post count but have been playing KSP since 0.1something so its not like im an inexperienced player. This is more a feedback to the devs than a cry for help.

[Floppster]

I actually like the .90 SAS better, due to the handy "point at" buttons.

I'm really not that fond of them, they should have some attitude tolerance. As it is now all my ships pointing somewhere are starting to jiggle due to constant correction of the heading, it behaves like the old SAS IMO.

[Taki117]

Sounds like a lot of your issues are due to pilot error and inexperience, not an issue with the game. Might I suggest taking a step back and figuring out WHY things happen instead of complaining that they happen.

For instance, how are you doing your gravity turn? (Assuming stock aero) it is a pitch over to 45 degrees and a heading of 090, if you are using far it's a GENTLE PUSH off prograde, then let gravity do the rest. if you are tumbling out of control it sounds like you don't have enough control authority near the back of your rocket, this is where Fins come in. They move your center of pressure (not the same as center of lift) back towards the engine of your rocket. Also note that you should be making small corrections, not holding down a button until the whole rocket moves (This is a sign of inadequate control authority)

Despite all that the best advice I can give you is: DON'T GIVE UP! Learn from your mistakes, and if budgeting is a concern, try out science mode. Just like career except no contracts and no budget to worry about.

[BaronVonchesto]

Changes in ASAS? Looks fine to me, no problem. Probably you are doing something wrong.

And that's coming from someone who took a long break.

Also, present a video or screenshot of what is going on. Otherwise we will dismiss you as a troll.

Dont care if you think im a troll. Im entitled to share my viewpoint with the devs via the forums. I also dont care for people whose only response is the generic "you must be doing something wrong"

[Nhaga]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I started a career in Moderate and only used the scientist Kerbal to speed up the reaserch process and I have no problems.

My spacecrafts are not going in straight line but on the other hand, I don't really want to go AFK when I launch something so I just re-adjust when I need it.

If anything, I would rather say that I don't like the feature that make you point automatically toward your prograde, your retrograde etc, because I like doing it myself.

[regex]

My second issue is the sheer cost of things vs how little you earn. Starting from scratch feels completely nerfed and it is just so tedious to have to amass massive amounts of credits to unlock the most basic of skills like collecting soil samples.

Yeah, I found the grind to be pretty terrible too.

[BaronVonchesto]

Sounds like a lot of your issues are due to pilot error and inexperience, not an issue with the game. Might I suggest taking a step back and figuring out WHY things happen instead of complaining that they happen.

For instance, how are you doing your gravity turn? (Assuming stock aero) it is a pitch over to 45 degrees and a heading of 090, if you are using far it's a GENTLE PUSH off prograde, then let gravity do the rest. if you are tumbling out of control it sounds like you don't have enough control authority near the back of your rocket, this is where Fins come in. They move your center of pressure (not the same as center of lift) back towards the engine of your rocket. Also note that you should be making small corrections, not holding down a button until the whole rocket moves (This is a sign of inadequate control authority)

Despite all that the best advice I can give you is: DON'T GIVE UP! Learn from your mistakes, and if budgeting is a concern, try out science mode. Just like career except no contracts and no budget to worry about.

I appreciate the feedback and yes it is pilot inexperience because up to this point I always used SAS as I dont enjoy manual flying (but dont want to cheat by using mechjeb either). That doesnt change the fact that the additional pain is a problem and not something enjoyable. I simply dont like the changes to SAS.

FYI a simple pitch to 45 degrees is NOT a gravity turn. A proper one is more intricate than that but its besides the point. Yes im using FAR, but my problems existed even before I installed it.

Yes I have fins and i know to keep the Cp aft of Cg and that Cp =/- Centre of Lift. I dont believe I lack control per say though certainly the design of the rocket plays a huge role. For instance even using a simple single stage pencil causes axial rotation (something i cant seem to kill without SAS or a constant correction). Adding boosters makes things worse (especially 2 - with 3 things are much better)

My point is that I can get it done (with a LOT of tedious effort) but its simply not fun.

[Wabbit]

Dont care if you think im a troll. Im entitled to share my viewpoint with the devs via the forums. I also dont care for people whose only response is the generic "you must be doing something wrong"

The problem is, people are trying to help and you are refusing their help in a rather rude way. While Flixxbeats' comment was pretty vague, this is no way to respond to it.

[BaronVonchesto]

Learn from your mistakes, and if budgeting is a concern, try out science mode. Just like career except no contracts and no budget to worry about.

Thats besides the point TBH. There are some pretty massive balancing issues that need to be addressed. Both in terms of money spent vs earned as well as placement of parts in the science tree and the contracts you get (Kerbin surveys before you can build planes anyone?)

[Alshain]

Thats besides the point TBH. There are some pretty massive balancing issues that need to be addressed. Both in terms of money spent vs earned as well as placement of parts in the science tree and the contracts you get (Kerbin surveys before you can build planes anyone?)

Yes, the economic system is unbalanced. If only we could talk Squad into doing something about that.

[Synapse]

>Install a mod that messes with aerodynamics

>Can't steer rockets

>Complain on forums

[BaronVonchesto]

>Install a mod that messes with aerodynamics

>Can't steer rockets

>Complain on forums

By all means do fail to read my post before replying... I did state that the problem exists even before FAR...

[Synapse]

It's difficult to decypher what is going wrong... is your problem only with unmanned flight? Why are you trying to fly without SAS?

[BaronVonchesto]

The problem is, people are trying to help and you are refusing their help in a rather rude way. While Flixxbeats' comment was pretty vague, this is no way to respond to it.

If responding in kind to people who dismiss others as trolls and merely trumpet "HURR DURR ITS OKEH FOR ME SO U MUST BE RONGG" to a legitimate complaint about the aspect of gameplay is rude so be it.

I didnt come asking for help. I was giving feedback about the gameplay, but nonetheless I have responded as expected of a civilised person to the people who are actually offering suggestions and trying to help.

- - - Updated - - -

It's difficult to decypher what is going wrong... is your problem only with unmanned flight? Why are you trying to fly without SAS?

Well actually my problem or rather grief (since it *is* possible though painful and tedious in most cases) is with any flight where SAS is not possible (pre-octo probes and flights without pilots).

[PDCWolf]

yeah, the spaceflight part of a game based on spaceflight is boring and tedious, wrong game for you maybe?. The only thing I agree with is the game being a painful grind both with the funds system and the clickfest science.

[ColourOfFire]

What is the TWR on your rockets? I notice most of my rockets start flipping out if they accelerate too fast within the atmosphere. If I keep the TWR and acceleration under control I hardly notice any problems.

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Well, the SAS part is by design I guess. Whether a good decision or not, you're not supposed to have that capability at the beginning. I get were you're coming from, it happened to me too, but it's not that hard. It's a pain sometimes yes, but overall I think you might be doing things wrong, because it doesn't seem that bad to me, ie: I can fly the things and point them where I want to (and keep hitting keys to keep them straight, yes) expect when I don't have the tech and thus not much control authority.

The grind at the begging, yes, I agree it might be a little tedious, specially because what parts you can unlock don't make any sense IMO. But just keep flying, you'll get enough moolah sooner or later. I recommend hitting the Mün and Minmus over and over to, well, grind the science out of them. Yes, that's grindy no question. Satellites contract also offer a good ROI.

Also, don't forget to play with the difficulty options, maybe you find a balance that works better for you.

BTW, FYI, if you use Mechjeb, the Smart A.S.S becomes available a lot before the advanced probe cores with SAS. So that's a way to have SAS even when you don't.

[tomf]

I've been playing KSP for a while but the feeling of acheivment when I managed to do my first kerbal rescue with no SAS, no targeting, no flight planning and an 18t tonne/30 part limit was the greatest in a long time.

[Vindaloo]

Without SAS a trick I have been using is to not turn the rocket at all until past 35,000 ft. Costs more delta-V for sure, but at least the rocket doesn't flip out on me. I also use FAR.

As for Career Mode, there are a bunch of posts throughout the forums here with lots of tips on strategy. In fact, from what I understand, if you use the right strategy Career Mode can become too easy!

I understand your frustrations with the game but I do think there are solutions to the issues you bring up. Don't give up, search the forums and Reddit, and keep trying; you will​ find a way.