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[Zanzetkuken The Great]

I must confess to not having read the OP until now.

There's an OP? 

[Aseaheru]

I like the OP. It amuses me.

[nogoodnames]

'I think you need to level them up once first.  It will say something along the lines of "+15 analysis" Or something along those lines.  Pretty worthwhile to have them on those science missions, since they can often net you at least enough science for one more tech.

I tested it with a level 1 scientist. The bonuses said something like "+5% vessel science recovery, +5% science part recovery" but as far as I could tell the scientist got as much as a pilot. I did notice the transmission values being in orange with some text about "basic analysis", but there was no difference that I could tell. It's possible the values were too low to get much of a bonus, I was just testing on the launchpad. Maybe they used to get bonus science but that was changed with the new lab functions and the text wasn't updated, I didn't play much of 0.90.

[Lightningfalcon]

 Haven't been able to play the past few days due to homework, but I think stuff like crew reports and EVA get close to a 100% bonus.  Those +5s and +10s start to quickly add up.

[Shadowlord]

So is that bonus science lost forever if you science somewhere without a scientist?

[Chiefwaffles]

Ugh. I'm horrible with the new aerodynamics.
I can (for the most part) pilot a good enough rocket to orbit, but I suck at building rockets that can do that. My best method at this point is a 35k rocket that has just enough fuel to exit orbit after reaching it, and nothing else.

Seriously don't get what I'm doing wrong.

[Putnam]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q_8TO4Ag0E

[Chiefwaffles]

Well, yeah.
As I said, I can get a rocket into orbit.

I just can't do anything more than that on the design side.
Like, do I make a taller rocket with more engine stages+fuel? Do I branch out? Add more initial boosters? Branch out and add fins?
Basically I understand that video perfectly (well, perfectly enough), but it really only covers a very small scope for me.

[Lightningfalcon]

If you have to, you can try assembling rockets in space.  Send up a lander, then send up a second stage to get it to the Mun or some other planet. 

[Shadowlord]

What techs do you have so far?

[Aklyon]

So, now that 1.0's out and Saint's been gone for four years, what are opinions on starting a new thread with an updated OP and whatnot?

We probably should.

[TheDarkStar]

So, now that 1.0's out and Saint's been gone for four years, what are opinions on starting a new thread with an updated OP and whatnot?

We probably should.

Who should start it?

[Chiefwaffles]

I actually like the OP. Bit of a throwback to when I first saw KSP.

Spoiler: My Techs (click to show/hide)

(Any not shown aren't researched)

It's actually gotten to the point where I can't really do anything profitable or research-generating. I just can't seem to figure out how to build rockets with the new aerodynamics.

[TheDarkStar]

How far are you with getting to other planets? With those things unlocked, you should be able to get at least to orbit, do orbital contracts, buy an improved VAB, and then make a Mun explorer.

[Shadowlord]

That was where I got hit a difficulty cliff as well, but I got out of it, so my advice based on my experience would be:

My rockets were failing to make orbit (or coming apart entirely) until I got Fuel Systems and rebuilt them with far less fuel tanks, and an initial stage of thumper solid fuel rockets.

There are 33 research zones in KSC for a huge amount of science you can gather if you can put together a sciency rover in the spaceplane hangar and have Bob drive it around. I have yet to do this myself, and should probably get around to collecting some of it (I was lucky enough to get enough science to get Fuel Systems without having to, and then enough money to upgrade to get waypoint capability).

I believe the single most important tech you can research to improve your rockets at that point is Fuel Systems, for the Rockomax fuel tanks. The reason being that you have far fewer parts, which makes the rocket far more stable, much shorter, and seems to make it faster as well (I have read that this is due to more fuel tanks having more drag).

This is my current best rocket
With solid rocket boosters removed for better visibility

The engines are all from previous tiers - the fuel tanks are the biggest and smallest Rockomax tanks from Fuel Systems. (In the past I've found it easier to land and stay stable on them, but I have not attempted to land these anywhere yet)

I don't think you've said what difficulty you're playing on - for reference, I'm playing on Moderate but have been running an Unpaid Research Program at 25% since the beginning of the game, although it hasn't done a whole lot - it's only given me +1 or +2 per contract completed, so far. I think I was more lucky to get a rocket into orbit that shouldn't have been capable of it (prior to acquiring Fuel Systems).