Kerbal Space Program - Minions in Space

[AcousticallyChallenged]

For the uninitiated:

Or for some minion-esque silliness

 

 

It's a game I highly recommend and is something you can drop in and out of quite happily. I've played it on and off for over a year, voyaging to various places, or failing to and watching everything explode. The amount of modding in this game is also quite astounding, with the ability to mine resources on other planets and build bases there and so forth. Some of the best moments are trying to land on the moon, but breaking a landing leg off, flopping over and having to send a rescue mission.m

 

This is an alpha which is also a finished game in Sandbox mode. The career mode is slowly being shaped and tweaked too.

[Jam_Sandwich]

Been looking at this for a while as it looks good fun

PC has given up the ghost though and holding off a new build until Star Citizen hits

[AcousticallyChallenged]

Been looking at this for a while as it looks good fun

 

PC has given up the ghost though and holding off a new build until Star Citizen hits

The modding community is excellent too.

There are even things like autopilots (I learnt to fly manually, but it's useful when doing trips to supply the space station I built.

Mods I'd recommend are KW Rocketry, Novapunch, Kerbal Engineer and KAS as a minimum

[Tarne]

I can second this. I've learnt more about Orbital Mechanics in this than in my entire schooling and university education

[Rock]

another of the bought in a steam sale and not played yet games, will get round to it

[Rhumsaa]

another of the bought in a steam sale and not played yet games, will get round to it

 

only if you stop playing trials evolution or whatever rage inducing guff it is you're into

[AcousticallyChallenged]

I can second this. I've learnt more about Orbital Mechanics in this than in my entire schooling and university education

I learnt the technicalities of Geostationary Orbits thanks to this game, Hohmann transfers, using moons as slingshots etc.

 

I also grinned a lot as things exploded and went spiralling off into the distance.

[3v0]

I've been playing this for the last week after reading about it here.

 

Difficult isn't it

 

I can get a ship into orbit (just) and I can sort of almost maneuver it about if you count spinning wildly around pretty much uncontrolled maneuvering...good though! Definitely a good in-depth game that isn't going to get tiresome (or easy) any time soon.

Thank you for the recommendation!

[Virtual_Boy]

If you like this and want something similar on the go there's an app called SimpleRockets, it's on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and PC.

[AcousticallyChallenged]

I've been playing this for the last week after reading about it here.

 

Difficult isn't it

 

I can get a ship into orbit (just) and I can sort of almost maneuver it about if you count spinning wildly around pretty much uncontrolled maneuvering...good though! Definitely a good in-depth game that isn't going to get tiresome (or easy) any time soon.

 

Thank you for the recommendation!

Kerbal Space Port is great for mods for the game to add new features etc.

 

One thing I find insanely useful is MechJeb, which is a manoeuvre planner/auto-pilot. It also integrates with the progression of the career mode so doesn't feel as cheaty. I started off with Mechjeb but realised it ruined the game, and instead learnt to fly/land/take-off from the Mun and fly home manually before using MechJeb for flying parts of large stations into orbit etc.

[2bees]

Mrbees and minihippy are playing this, it is a not for girls game

[Tarne]

It's really really great, and really really hard. Actual rocket scientists play it too.

 

Best advice I can give you is the hardest bit is getting into orbit. (with enough fuel to play around with then!)

 

For starting: Build a small rocket of about 7 parts first:

 

First capsule with parachute on top

Stack decoupler

Fuel tank

Starter engine

Decoupler

Starter booster

 

You then launch and drop the booster off when it runs out of fuel. Hit full throttle on your second engine and get to around 10,000 and then turn to 45 degrees to the east. Remember you aren't trying to go vertical, you are trying to get into orbit. If you hit 'M' you'll see your apoapsis rising - once this crosses 120km turn off your engine to save fuel - you'll coast upwards until you get to 120 km - then point PROGRADE (green icon) and throttle up until your orbit stabilises (your periapsis should be around 120km to be circular, but anything over 80 km is fine)

 

Voila, you won't fall back to Kerbin and you're in orbit. Go have an EVA and float around

 

When you want to return to Kerbin, wait until you're back at your apoapsis and point RETROGRADE, and throttle up - your speed will drop off and you'll see your periapsis drop back into the atmosphere. Then it's just a case of reentry and parachuting the last 1000 feet.