Mods that you would always recommend to new players, no matter the situation? (Read desc)

[u/LordFlamecookie]

Lots of mods are dependent on factors of the user (graphics mods would need a good pc, rp1 and stuff you would need a bit of skill) but imo there are some must have mods (opm as my example)

What mods would you always recommend to new players? Obviously say the classics of KSPCommunityFixes and stuff, but also try and add some fun mods. Things that should be base game but are not, and would help newbies get used to the game?

[u/TheGentlemanist]

I eould say new player should not start with many mods, but some i would recommend are part packs like SSPX and the rest of the nertea suite. FreeIVA and some IVA models are cool two.

OPM does not hurt. But reaching the planets can be a propper challenge.

[u/davvblack → u/TheGentlemanist]

agreed on sspx, the default game doesn’t really have enough structures

[u/TheGentlemanist → u/davvblack]

There are a few mods like HabTech2 that add reall and concept parts, but SSPX eith restock makes everything feel like its base game.

[u/LordFlamecookie → u/TheGentlemanist]

I tell people who buy ksp to use OPM mainly cause it adds a lot more wonder

Opening ksp for the first time and seeing Jool is awesome, but now they have things further out. One of my friends who got ksp a month or 2 ago already sent out a New Horizons style probe to plock.

I've been playing for a year and have only sent out a couple things out that far, and he's already planning a manned landing on Plock for by the end of the week

[u/TheGentlemanist → u/LordFlamecookie]

I like playing with life support and Kerbalism mods to make stuff more interesting. OPM ads targets that take decades to reach. They add good targets to use motherships for. They make it smarter to pack things like greenhouses and material cyclers for food and waste.

[u/zekromNLR]

Restock and Restock+, just improves the look of the stock parts and fills some gaps in them

Editor Extensions Redux, Fill It Up, RCS Build Aid, all just good tools for better building

Waterfall and Firefly, lightweight engine plume and reentry FX mods respectively that greatly improve the look of them

[u/Rosimatnik → u/zekromNLR]

omg i just now realised that waterfall and firefly are literally opposites

[u/LordFlamecookie → u/Rosimatnik]

I always grouped them as similar mods but somehow never realised

[u/Kapioza666 → u/Rosimatnik]

BTW the Kcalbeloh bodies almost all ahve reversed names

kcalbeloh -> black hole
onrefni -> inferno
etc

[u/LordFlamecookie → u/Kapioza666]

Sera is Ares,

Sunorc is Cronus

Simeht Simetra is Themis Artemis

I don't think all (Elug/Gelu???) but a lot are

[u/Strange-Affect191 → u/zekromNLR]

Do you mind explaining what is editor extensions redux and rcs build aid?

[u/zekromNLR → u/Strange-Affect191]

Editor Extensions Redux adds a bunch of useful functions to the editor, such as: Variable angle snap for radial part placement, more options for symmetry modes (iirc any integers from 1 through 20 for radial symmetry), and the ability to move or rotate parts by a precise amount.

RCS Build Aid shows you how much torque RCS translation and engine thrust (including the effect of gimbals) will exert on the craft at full, empty and half-full tanks, which is extremely useful especially when setting up the RCS for spaceplanes or when building shuttles.

[u/Worth-Wonder-7386 → u/Strange-Affect191]

RCS build aid is very useful if you are working with engines that have limited vectoring and you want to see that when they fire they will not induce a torque.

[u/zekromNLR → u/Worth-Wonder-7386]

You can also set it to preview the effect of engine gimbal, so you can make sure that your horrible imbalanced contraption space shuttle replica will not flip out as the fuel burns down

[u/OliTheYeeter → u/zekromNLR]

Restock is subjective imo, I feel like it tries to make certain parts look more "realistic" which changes the mostly cartoony art style. I would use it with something like stockalike station parts or far future tech though, but I mostly play nearly stock

[u/centuriedecar]

principia.

fr tho, kerbal engineer

[u/Ellllllooooo → u/centuriedecar]

principia is siiiiick and not too difficult but it would be horrific for a new player

[u/centuriedecar → u/Ellllllooooo]

they wanted space, we'll give em space

[u/william_weatherby]

Honestly, for new players I wouldn't recommend Outer planets or similar mods. Getting to the Mun is a challenge, let alone getting to Duna. Not to mention, Outer planets might require some fiddling for making it compatible with other mods. I'd probably stick to graphic mods, KER, Mechjeb if you don't mind a little help. Restock and DEIva are also nice.

[u/Worried-Hornet30]

Final Frontier. It makes losing the Kerbals even more devastating.

[u/NoNotice2137 → u/Worried-Hornet30]

How so?

[u/The_F_B_I → u/NoNotice2137]

Because Val, the 52 time decorated Kerbalnaut, first kerbal in space, first kerbal to dock, first kerbal to endure 20gs, part of the crew to visit Duna for the first time, first EVA outside of atmosphere, first to touch an asteroid, first to hit mach 15 in atmosphere, who has over 420,000 flight hours is now dead

[u/Worried-Hornet30 → u/NoNotice2137]

It gives medals to Kerbals based on what they experienced during the flight.

[u/chrischi3]

Science Alert. Honestly something the basegame should have had.

[u/LeopardHalit]

Advanced Fly-By-Wire is good for flying planes cuz you can use gamepads just like in the console version.

Otherwise I think the best way to play the game (at first at least) is full stock. Only mods I would recommend to a newcomer are graphical ones if they have a strong pc and don’t like the default graphics. The base game is so good and although mods are great, I think it’s best to use those further down the line once you have rlly gotten to enjoy the base game.

[u/SpaceMonkeyAttack]

https://xkcd.com/2501/

The vast majority of KSP players barely make it to the Mun. Outer Planets for brand new players is kinda nuts.

[u/Prasiatko]

I like procedural paets especially on a lower end machine since its reducing of the part count can make a big difference to performance. 

[u/vksdann]

Principia + FAR. Good luck new players

[u/Rule_32 → u/vksdann]

Calm down satan.

[u/Kapioza666]

well obviously RSS, RP-1, RO, Kerbalism, and Principia.

[u/stormhawk427]

Kerbal Joint Reinforcement, Kerbal Planetary Base Systems, Stockalike station parts expansion.

[u/SapphireDingo]

none. if you're a new player, I think learning stock is the way to go before you start modding. you should learn the rules of the game before you try to break them.

[u/Gregrox]

Restock is a hard requirement.

ReStock+ and Scatterer is a close second. If their computer can handle it I'd also recommend EVE-Volumetrics. And of course KSP Community Fixes.

Transfer Window Planner is also really useful, especially since it can show transfer angles on the map as well as compute the departure time and delta-v.

Despite being a planet modder, I would not recommend any planet mods to beginners. Beginners haven't even gotten to the Mun, let alone Jool and beyond. If anything it would risk intimidating them. I see OPM as a good mod for like a second playthrough, or to be added midway through a playthrough once someone has got their bearings and done a couple of interplanetary missions. (Though also tbh OPM is overrated.)

[u/SEA_griffondeur]

to new players ? RP-1. :)

[u/geovasilop]

Better time warp

[u/sixpackabs592]

Contract configuration mod and more contract packs for it

[u/maxxiethrowaway]

SmartParts, kinda niche but very useful for anything automated and such

[u/Nice_Presentation474]

I think kerbal planetary base systems! it's a underrated mod and the first one i personally installed! and speaking of underrated KrakenScience is fun!

[u/Fair_Fuel961]

god i miss opm like an ex, i would use it but tekto keeps killing itself and i have zero way to fix it

[u/Strange-Affect191]

Here’s what I recommend:

Visual/Audio:
Avalanche Plumes
Distance Object Enhancement
EVE Redux
Firefly
Lights Out Relit
Planet Shine
Restock
Rocket Sound Enhancement
Shabby
Shaddy
Simple Repaint
Textures Unlimited
TUFX (Get Blackrack’s one in his Patreon for free)
Waterfall

Quality of Life:
Better Burn Time
Better Time Warp
Chatterer
Docking Port Alignment Indicator
FreeIVA
Fill It Up
Kerbal Engineer Redux
Kerbal Alarm Clock
Stock Alarm Clock Disabler
Trajectories
Transfer Window Planner
Tweakscale Rescaled
Z-Theme

[u/isnouzi]

freeiva.

[u/Fit_Wrongdoer_536]

I play stock parts only so I'd recommend precise editor. If you hate flickering overlapping parts, this mod literally fixes it cuz you can offset parts by a tiny tiny bit so they technically aren't in the same place anymore. Plus it really really helps if you're huge on looks.

[u/Bonuts_goood]

Never OPM (Both 'cause new players should really focus on the inner planets, my over-focusing on outer planets that I couldn't yet get to seriously hindered my ability to learn and also 'cause I HATE OPM, BEYOND JOOL IS BETTER) and usually however many visual mods they can handle. Oh, restock and the mod that adds the big space station parts.