Tutorial:Modifing Kerbals

How to modify or create Kerbals

This tutorial will detail how to modify or create Kerbals. Customization is limited to their names, behavior, and status.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the location of the KSP installation directory.
• Simple text editor.

Installation directory defaults

• Steam: program files(x86)/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal Space Program
• Non-Steam: In your download location, the default directory name varies by operation system:
  • Windows: KSP-win
  • Mac: KSP-osx

Locating and understanding the ROSTER section

This tutorial requires you to edit the main configuration file for a saved game. It is recommended that you make a backup copy of the file prior to editing in the event your editing prevents the saved game from loading.

  1.Open the saves directory in your KSP installation directory.
  2.Open the directory of the specific saved game you wish to modify.
  3.Open the file named persistent.sfs with any simple text editor.
  4.Locate the personnel section by either:
   a.Searching for ROSTER. (Win: CTRL+F, Mac: CMD+F) or you can
   b.Navigate (Win: CTRL+End, Mac: ?) to the end of the file and page up until you see ROSTER, it's the last section.

Once located, the ROSTER section contains active personnel and personnel awaiting hire:

• Active: Each one is defined by a CREW{} entry.
• Awaiting hire: All prospective hires are within an APPLICANTS{} subsection and each is defined by a RECRUIT{} entry.

  5.Modify or create Kerbals as you wish. Reference the statistics below if needed.
  6.Save the file and close it.
  7.Run KSP to use your new crew.

Kerbal statistics

File:AmercanKerbal.png

A custom AmeraKerbal

Each Kerbal is defined by the following statistics:

1. name = Full name, visually limited to approximately 18 characters.
2. brave = Courage, floating decimal from 0 to 1, as of v0.23 only effects behavior.
3. dumb = Stupidity, floating decimal from 0 to 1, as of v0.23 only effects behavior.
4. badS = Badass trait, boolean (true or false), if set to true this kerbal is fearless.
5. state = State of the kerbal; 0 = unassigned, 1 = on mission, 2 = ?, 3 = dead.
6. ToD = Time of death, you shouldn't modify this value, for new Kerbals use the ToD value of an existing Kerbal.
7. idx = Unique ID, you shouldn't modify this value, for new Kerbals set to -1.

Bug Advisory

As of v0.23, modifying an existing Kerbal's "brave" or "dumb" values will result in the Kerbal acting in an undesired way despite displaying accurately in the Astronaut Complex and Crew Tab within the Vehicle Assembly Building. Change at YOUR OWN RISK.

The Original Three

If you change the names of the original three Kerbals (Jebediah, Bob, or Bill), they will no longer have the orange flight suits.