/kspg/ FAQ

>What is KSP?
Kerbal Space Program is a space simulator game that lets you design and fly your own rockets. As of writing, it contains a large and vibrant solar system consisting of 7 planets and 9 moons. The planets range from hellish death pits, to purple fuckballs, to frozen shitholes, to a gigantic bastard gas giant. The moons range from tiny captured asteroids to lifeless rocks to potentially habitable planetoids.

The game itself is robust and allows for a variety of mission types. Although the game is currently in ALPHA testing (1.0.5) despite what max might say about it being feature complete, however it is relatively complete for such an incomplete game. The main engine features of the game are largely complete, and the game has a career mode, but is illogical and a grindfest, squad are of the opinion that increasing the difficulty should only make the game longer, and not harder. The game sees releases every few months on a "when it's done" scheduling basis.

Planned features for the future include dynamic weather[redacted], increased optimization[unlikely], a career mode system [loosely] based around Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space, more planets and moons, as well as more eye candy. A full planned features list used to be found on the game's official wiki, but has since been removed.

    >Okay, so I'm interested, is there a demo?
There is a demo available based around an oldish version, 0.18.3. It's neat to play around with, but only contains the local Kerbin-Mun-Minmus system and does not have plugin or third-party parts. This is not a bad thing, as it's representative of what you'd be using as a complete newcomer to the game. Get into orbit, go to the Mun, learn a few things about orbital dynamics, and if you like it, then buy it. However, if you want the best representative current version, just pirate 1.0.5 and pay for the game if you like it. The devs used to be bros, but nowadays this is debatable.
Otherwise, we don't care if you pirate the game, anymore, we used to, but since post 0.19...fuck it this should all be in the OP at the top of the thread if we are still reccomending you torrent it. feel free to ask in the thread if you are after any old versions (or current) of KSP, there is a mega link for most versions back to 0.11


    >Prograde? Retrograde? Apogee? Perigee? Argument of the ascending node? What the fuck?
Orbital mechanics can sound a bit complicated, but there are a few guides to help you understand it better.

Watch this video on Youtube. Take notes if you want, but at least pay attention a bit. It's okay if you don't understand it all on first viewing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d__hN6nqi-k

If you don't like Youtube, there's a version on the Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/gov.ntis.ava18245vnb1

Also, Wikipedia is a great resource on orbital mechanics. You don't have to know how to calculate everything by hand, just understand the concepts involved and skim the articles.
Here's a nice guide on terminology as well:
http://kspwiki.nexisonline.net/wiki/Terminology

    >Are there any mods for the game?
Yes, the modding community is vibrant and kept the game afloat during its early days. unfortunately squad took this as a  free pass to do fuck all. You can find most mods on the official forums and on the official file repository:
http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/50701-community-mods-and-plugins-library/
http://www.spacedock.info/
squad now try and get people to use curse to manage the mod downloads, dont do it. curse is pure evil, and even the billies know this. most mods have a forum thread which links to the current build of the mod.

    >What's MechJeb? Why is it so controversial?
MechJeb is an autopilot plugin mod that allows complete automation of a ship. However, it also tends to be a crapshoot at all but the simplest things.
The reason it's so controversial is that it allows new players an easy way to bypass most of the learning curve of the game, thereby stunting their growth as players, and acting as a massive crutch for their skills. Most users of MechJeb (as seen on the official forums and certain media aggregator sites) have a large tendency to be completely retarded, and have often admitted to knowing little of orbital mechanics and incapable of flying a mission without the plugin.

Anti-MechJeb players see this as an affront to the natural learning curve of the game, and believe that the easy accessibility of MechJeb (which allows new players to do major missions and planetary transfers with a single click provided they have the fuel to do so) cheapens the achievements of players who do not use MechJeb, and think little of MechJeb users.
Pro-MechJeb players see MechJeb as a handy learning tool for those who are so inclined to use it that way, and as a tool to automate and add precision to routine or repetitive missions.
Both sides are right and wrong, and both sides have their share of loud and noisy shitheads. Whether or not you use MechJeb is up to you, but if you're a new player who understands little of orbital mechanics or gameplay, then it is recommended that you do not use MechJeb, and instead try to learn the concepts and strategies behind the game.

    >I posted a picture of my game and everyone just keeps making fun of me!
If you use MechJeb, please do not post any screenshots of a MechJeb-enabled ship on the thread, or brag about any achievements made whilst using MechJeb. Doing so will cause shitheads to crawl out of the woodwork and lay waste to decency and civility.
Ideally, dont use mechjeb, manpatrick it up niggas
If you took the picture on the dark side of the planet, slap yourself.
KSP discussion and posts are ALWAYS welcome, despite what some residents might say.
however DONT go spamming 1001 images of your shitty space station, yes its great, yes we saw it the first time, and we have seen a million exactly like it.

    >Who is/are billy/billies?
Billy is the hypothetical 12 year old autistic who switched from playing minecraft to KSP around version 0.20
His parents brought him the game, along with the kerbaliser and he instantly went onto the hugbox forums where he was told to install mechjeb.
As a result he never learnt to play the game, he doesn't understand orbital mechanics, is unable to get past the mun, and only enjoys the game when things blow up.
He is the reason squad changed their direction in the game. After billies money started rolling in the game has been dumbed down, with many planned features removed because "billy would find it too hard" and many existing features also removed due to [reasons unknown]

    >My contract says i need an orbit X, and i have this exact orbit but it won't complete! is this bugged??
No, your orbit is around the wrong way.

    >Is it possible to run a gorillian mods and not crash?
Not really, due to squads incompetence. If you have a lot of mods, you are more likely to crash than a vanilla install
Yes i know the game is boring without mods, so this is just something people grin and bear. Generally speaking most players can run a decent ammount of mods within reason.

    >My pilot is in the seat, but SAS is not working??
Your pilot is an engineer or scientist, not an actual pilot. Check the crew tab and make sure the kerbal you are using is a pilot.

    >how do i design a rocket that doesn't flip over??
post a screenshot in the thread, and we will help with minimal jeering. promise
we have been here for a while, and seen every mistake new players make, unless you have a new and novel brand of stupid we haven't seen before, you should get advice relatively quickly.
Generally speaking, adding wings/control surfaces at the bottom of the rocket and performing a proper gravity turn (i.e. turning the rocket slowly and at small increments for the whole ascent) rather than abrupt changes in direction will help in increasing stability and avoid flips. Symmetry and aerondynamic shape help too.

    >Okay, so what should I do in the game? What are my goals?
Career mode is still generally percived as being a waste of time, you are better off playing sandbox and introducing your own goals and restrictions, there are some very good career mods out there though, check the links in the OP if you want to look for them.
    -Beginner
    Exiting the Atmosphere
    Suborbital Manned Flight
    Babby's First Gravity Turn
    Babby's First Orbit
    Precision (+/-1km) apogee and perigee control
    Heavy Lifting Spacecraft
    Precision (+/-1 degree) inclination control and polar/retrograde orbits
    Munar Flyby
    Munar Orbit
    Mapping of Kerbin and Mun(OPTIONAL - with ISA Mapsat Mod)
    Unmanned Munar Landing
    Manned Munar Landing and Return

    -Intermediate
    Precision Rendezvous (+/-1km of target)
    Docking with target
    Geosynchronous orbit
    Asperger's Launch Configuration
    Apollo-style multiple module mission to Mun
    Munar Orbit Rendezvous
    Basic aircraft
    Babby's First Minmus Flights (Mapping OPTIONAL)
    Consistent Missions to Mun and Minmus
    Kethane Mapping and Mining (OPTIONAL - Kethane Mod)
    EXTREME OFFROAD KICKASS MONSTER TRUCK JUMPS ON MINMUS (DEMV rovers/wheels packs/stock wheels)
    Babby's First Spess Station
    Babby's First Trip to Eve or Duna
    Babby's first rover
    Solar system escape velocity
    Anomaly/Easter-egg hunting in the Kerbin system
    Precision Powered Landings (~1km proximity to target)

    -Expert
    Babby's First Return trip to/from Eve or Duna
    Babby's First probes to Moho, Gilly, Ike, Dres, and Jool (Mapping OPTIONAL)
    Large Spess Station that eats frames for lunch
    High Precision Powered Landings (<300m proximity to target)
    Landings on Jool's Moons
    Non-SSTO Spaceplane
    Return trips from Jool, Dres, and Moho
    RemoteTech Communications Networks (OPTIONAL - RemoteTech Mod)
    High Precision Powered Atmospheric Landings (<300 proximity to target)
    Base building on Mun, Minmus, Eve, or Duna
    Anomaly/Easter-egg hunting on other planets

    -HardoCoro Mode
    Trip to Eeloo
    Multi-part interplanetary generation ship carrying several landers/probes
    Ship convoys to other celestial bodies
    SSTO Spessplane to mun

    -Oh Shit Nigger What Are You Doing
    Single-ship trip to all celestial bodies in a single flight
    Large FPS-eating generation ship trip to Eeloo and back
    Large-ass RemoteTech comms network that covers every part of the solar system (RT Mod)