KSP Weekly: Oh merry KriSPmas!

[klgraham1013]

All I want for Christmas is terrain seams fixed... 

[AlphaMensae]

5 hours ago, Mycroft said:

Well I'm sure you've seen my thread on the developer departure, and on it, I heard from at least two people, one a dev, that the dev team is actually bigger than it was before the big departure of those devs. Apparently SQUAD is pretty good at hiring people. And also I have heard from several authoritative sources that SQUAD hired quite a number of people before the departure was announced, knowing that with 1.2s release, a lot of turn over was going to happen. Now the people being hired is not nearly as flammable emotional fodder as much as a massive or seemingly massive departure. So it is not as well known. But you should know that my fact gathering skills are not official, nor has anything I said been confirmed by SQUAD. But I did extensive digging to get to the facts I got. So take it as you will, but the devs are apparently not lacking in numbers. Experience could be basically anything though.

But no one could ever replace HarvestR in our hearts.

Beyond HarvesteR (obviously losing the original dev of KSP is huge), the group of devs who left included ones who were among the top KSP modders when they were brought on.  Most notable were NathanKell, Taniwha and Claw (I'm not familiar with Mu's KSP history to say anything accurate about him, though I suspect he was NK's equal), who worked on the basic mechanics (or "guts") of KSP.

That's what worries me a bit about the new people being hired, they don't seem to be KSP modders or maybe not even familiar with KSP.  It would explain why the 1.2 patch versions have been pretty light on anything substantial, and consisted of pretty minor fixes, i.e. "low-hanging fruit" stuff.   The terrain seams are still a problem, the SAS still acts wonky in some situations, and there's probably more big issues left, which might be beyond the skill of the new devs to fix right now.

[RoverDude]

Just to toss this out there...

The team has grown.  Including folks with serious game dev, art, and game design experience (Rob, our new designer, has a particluarly impressive resume).  Daily Scrum is packed these days, and the environment, team dynamics, and work-life balance are pretty awesome.

And you still have myself, Trigger, Nightingale, JPLRepo, etc - so we're not exactly short handed on the dev side.  Just that most of us are focused on the things you're not seeing (yet) in KSP Weekly.

Also bear in mind that most of the folks that departed after 1.2 were not around for particularly long (Beyond Arsonide, Romfarer, Nathan, and Mu), given that most were brought on for the massive bugfix surge that was 1.1/1.2.  So while a lot of talented folks left after a relatively short stint, it's impact (IMO) is a bit exaggerated.

As noted in the OP, a lot of us are incredibly busy on future stuff. i.e. my KSP Weekly notes have been 'Continue work on seekrit stuff' for the past several weeks   So yep, stuff is happening.  The product overall is pretty stable, so while you are seeing a few fixes here and there, there is also a significant amount of work going on in the background (beyond localization, which you folks are already aware of).

Lastly, I don't blame the less public team members one bit from shying away from the spotlight   

 

 

Edited December 19, 2016 by RoverDude

[HoloYolo]

7 minutes ago, RoverDude said:

Just to toss this out there...

The team has grown.  Including folks with serious game dev, art, and game design experience (Rob, our new designer, has a particluarly impressive resume).  Daily Scrum is packed these days, and the environment, team dynamics, and work-life balance are pretty awesome.

And you still have myself, Trigger, Nightingale, JPLRepo, etc - so we're not exactly short handed on the dev side.  Just that most of us are focused on the things you're not seeing (yet) in KSP Weekly.

Also bear in mind that most of the folks that departed after 1.2 were not around for particularly long (Beyond Arsonide, Romfarer, and Mu), given that most were brought on for the massive bugfix surge that was 1.2.  So while a lot of talented folks left after a relatively short stint, it's impact (IMO) is a bit exaggerated.

As noted in the OP, a lot of us are incredibly busy on future stuff. i.e. my KSP Weekly notes have been 'Continue work on seekrit stuff' for the past several weeks   So yep, stuff is happening.  The product overall is pretty stable, so while you are seeing a few fixes here and there, there is also a significant amount of work going on in the background (beyond localization, which you folks are already aware of).

Lastly, I don't blame the less public team members one bit from shying away from the spotlight   

 

 

Glad to have an actual dev respond and say what is going on. And of course the shy part of the team not saying anything is not a bad thing. Definitely not.

[Waxing_Kibbous]

Awesome news on the strut/fuel line placement (am I the only one who loves QoL tweaks?). From where I'm sitting 1.2 is so nice and sturdy that I don't mind a bit of suspense over what's coming next.

[Caelib]

1 hour ago, RoverDude said:

Just that most of us are focused on the things you're not seeing (yet) in KSP Weekly.

Well, I look forward to seeing what you all have up your sleeve because KSP has been my favorite game for more than 3 years!

[HoloYolo]

4 minutes ago, Caelib said:

Well, I look forward to seeing what you all have up your sleeve because KSP has been my favorite game for more than 3 years!

This.

[Codraroll]

3 hours ago, RoverDude said:

Just to toss this out there... (...)

I'm usually a cautious optimist, and RoverDude is just reinforcing that. Cheers, RoverDude!

Heck, two pages of the thread already, and nobody's nagging about console version bugs or rocket part revamps. SQUAD has addressed both of those already, which appears to be more than what half of the regulars expected. That's a good beginning, at the very least!

 

As for no real news this time... guys, the next devnote will come on Christmas Eve (everywhere east of the Atlantic), so it's reasonable to believe they're saving the news for the occassion. The secrecy is probably not related to business paranoia, it's because they're saving it. Making the Christmas devnotes a little bigger than the others. As RoverDude said, the game is pretty stable right now. Things have been tidied up under the hood, and a competent dev team is assembled. No reason not to build something great on top of the steady foundations they've been working this long to create. Even in the event that we have to pay for them, I'd be happy to see some new features.

And I believe we will see some, most likely in a week from now. One more week of work, put out a KSP Weekly, then a week or two off for the holidays. If they know their marketing well, they'll write more than just "We'll tell you more in the future" in their last note before a three-week gap. I'm expecting something to keep us hyped until the Devnotes come back in January.

[legoclone09]

@RoverDude Sounds amazing! I can't wait for the future!

[klgraham1013]

4 hours ago, HoloYolo said:

Glad to have an actual dev respond and say what is going on.

 

45 minutes ago, Codraroll said:

...two pages of the thread already, and nobody's nagging about console version bugs or rocket part revamps. SQUAD has addressed both of those already...

Amazing what a difference being honest can make.

[JohnF]

Clouds? Someday?

[DuoDex]

6 hours ago, RoverDude said:

Just to toss this out there...

The team has grown.  Including folks with serious game dev, art, and game design experience (Rob, our new designer, has a particluarly impressive resume).  Daily Scrum is packed these days, and the environment, team dynamics, and work-life balance are pretty awesome.

And you still have myself, Trigger, Nightingale, JPLRepo, etc - so we're not exactly short handed on the dev side.  Just that most of us are focused on the things you're not seeing (yet) in KSP Weekly.

Also bear in mind that most of the folks that departed after 1.2 were not around for particularly long (Beyond Arsonide, Romfarer, and Mu), given that most were brought on for the massive bugfix surge that was 1.2.  So while a lot of talented folks left after a relatively short stint, it's impact (IMO) is a bit exaggerated.

As noted in the OP, a lot of us are incredibly busy on future stuff. i.e. my KSP Weekly notes have been 'Continue work on seekrit stuff' for the past several weeks   So yep, stuff is happening.  The product overall is pretty stable, so while you are seeing a few fixes here and there, there is also a significant amount of work going on in the background (beyond localization, which you folks are already aware of).

Lastly, I don't blame the less public team members one bit from shying away from the spotlight   

Glad to see more perspectives on things come to the team.

It's interesting to hear that most of the former developers only worked on 1.2, as I recall Porkjet, taniwha, NathanKell, and Claw were hired some time before then, and careful consultation of the devnotes appears to indicate a large amount of work done by those above was done prior to 1.2, and on more important things than "bugfixes". 

Your news about continuing development is encouraging to hear - I hope there's more about the upcoming 1.3 features (besides localization, that's boring ) in the next devnotes!

[Columbia]

On 12/17/2016 at 10:39 AM, HoloYolo said:

Not a console gamer, couldn't care less. Good for the console players.

Like what?

So, you want them to say whatever you want them to say and cut off everything else?

 

Nice. You're in to be disappointed by every single KSP Weekly.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Columbia

[HebaruSan]

4 hours ago, Codraroll said:

guys, the next devnote will come on Christmas Eve (everywhere east of the Atlantic), so it's reasonable to believe they're saving the news for the occassion. The secrecy is probably not related to business paranoia, it's because they're saving it. Making the Christmas devnotes a little bigger than the others.

Is Christmas Eve a common occasion for big announcements? I would think the opposite, since most of your audience is likely visiting with family or traveling prior to visiting with family, rather than keeping up with forum posts.

[Mycroft]

9 hours ago, RoverDude said:

Just to toss this out there...

The team has grown.  Including folks with serious game dev, art, and game design experience (Rob, our new designer, has a particluarly impressive resume).  Daily Scrum is packed these days, and the environment, team dynamics, and work-life balance are pretty awesome.

And you still have myself, Trigger, Nightingale, JPLRepo, etc - so we're not exactly short handed on the dev side.  Just that most of us are focused on the things you're not seeing (yet) in KSP Weekly.

Also bear in mind that most of the folks that departed after 1.2 were not around for particularly long (Beyond Arsonide, Romfarer, and Mu), given that most were brought on for the massive bugfix surge that was 1.2.  So while a lot of talented folks left after a relatively short stint, it's impact (IMO) is a bit exaggerated.

As noted in the OP, a lot of us are incredibly busy on future stuff. i.e. my KSP Weekly notes have been 'Continue work on seekrit stuff' for the past several weeks   So yep, stuff is happening.  The product overall is pretty stable, so while you are seeing a few fixes here and there, there is also a significant amount of work going on in the background (beyond localization, which you folks are already aware of).

Lastly, I don't blame the less public team members one bit from shying away from the spotlight   

 

 

Take it from the guy who knows his stuff!

[Majorjim!]

On 12/17/2016 at 2:03 AM, SQUAD said:

Struts have been updated with a new model, you can now select both ends of the strut to relocate them and also you can tweak them individually. This also applies to the Fuel Line parts.

Finally! People can make complex imaginative shapes without resorting to using my technique! GG.

[TriggerAu]

I'd not call myself a shy person with respect to speaking out , but there is one thing I do want to expand on from before though.

Of the people who left there were a few brought on for 1.2 bugfixing yes, but more than half well before that. Most were involved in KSP for long periods in various capacities before 1.2 and interacting with the community and development process to help us all have a game we love. We have a great game to enjoy because of these people and many others (check out the credits some time for some blasts from the past as well ). 

That said, staffing and career changes happen everywhere, and while people have left others have started and some are even still here too. The people working on KSP now are a different team yes, but still a team that are passionate about the game, skilled in their areas and working to deliver for the community and company. 

We do go through these lulls at times, when there is less that can be published about the bits some people find interesting, but Im sure the team will share when they can. And I do know that almost every one of us is reading and listening in many corners of the internet to see what the community is up to and thinking about as well ( thats me behind you ). 

[Wallygator]

On 12/17/2016 at 1:03 AM, SQUAD said:

Past tuesday, we released long awaited news regarding KSP on consoles, where we shared that Kerbal Space Program 1.2.2: Loud and Clear! will be released for consoles next year and that we are working hand in hand with BlitWorks

Huh?

So what was all the previous hype regarding Flying Tiger?  Is BlitWorks the new Flying Tiger?  Is Flying Tiger still in the frame? If so, why? And if not... why not?

Were any lessons learned? What's really going on here? (EDIT: Of course... NDA)

(Spoken as if awakened from cryo-sleep)

DISCLAIMER: The last console I owned was a Sega Genesis. Nice to see a sonic reference.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Wallygator

[fourfa]

On 12/17/2016 at 1:31 AM, How to: KSP said:

Anyway can someone tell me what is UTC; I never heard of that timezone (I live in the UAE) plus my family doesn't celebrate Christmas

Let me just add - there are a few major cities in the UTC+0 timezone.  But if you're looking for a convenient one to figure out UTC offsets, try Reykjavik, Iceland.  

Edited December 18, 2016 by fourfa

[Chris_2]

On 12/17/2016 at 9:33 PM, RoverDude said:

Just to toss this out there...

The team has grown.  Including folks with serious game dev, art, and game design experience (Rob, our new designer, has a particluarly impressive resume).  Daily Scrum is packed these days, and the environment, team dynamics, and work-life balance are pretty awesome.

And you still have myself, Trigger, Nightingale, JPLRepo, etc - so we're not exactly short handed on the dev side.  Just that most of us are focused on the things you're not seeing (yet) in KSP Weekly.

Also bear in mind that most of the folks that departed after 1.2 were not around for particularly long (Beyond Arsonide, Romfarer, and Mu), given that most were brought on for the massive bugfix surge that was 1.2.  So while a lot of talented folks left after a relatively short stint, it's impact (IMO) is a bit exaggerated.

As noted in the OP, a lot of us are incredibly busy on future stuff. i.e. my KSP Weekly notes have been 'Continue work on seekrit stuff' for the past several weeks   So yep, stuff is happening.  The product overall is pretty stable, so while you are seeing a few fixes here and there, there is also a significant amount of work going on in the background (beyond localization, which you folks are already aware of).

Lastly, I don't blame the less public team members one bit from shying away from the spotlight   

 

 

This post is the best piece of communication from the KSP team since before 1.2. Just give a short update like this, every now and then, instead of the empty devnotes!

Edited December 18, 2016 by Chris_2

[JPLRepo]

1 hour ago, Chris_2 said:

This post is the best piece of communication from the KSP team since before 1.2. Just give a short update like this, every now and then, instead of the empty devnotes!

Except it is not entirely accurate.

i see no mention of Claw or Taniwha's work. Also a lot of those devs started for the 1.0 release. Not 1.2. And let's not forget who fixed Stock Aero and Thermal.

i also am not shy, but rarely see the need to make comments when they are either taken out of context or wild conjecture, inaccurate reporting and rumours ensue.

Edited December 18, 2016 by JPLRepo

[Chris_2]

34 minutes ago, JPLRepo said:

Except it is not entirely accurate.

i see no mention of Claw or Taniwha's work. Also a lot of those devs started for the 1.0 release. Not 1.2. And let's not forget who fixed Stock Aero and Thermal.

i also am not shy, but rarely see the need to make comments when they are either taken out of context or wild conjecture, inaccurate reporting and rumours ensue.

So, what do you think, do we need to buy KSP ?

Do you think 'real/meaningfull' things (below) will ever happen? That's basically all we need to know.

 

On 12/17/2016 at 2:51 AM, Caelib said:

I think we're feeling the burn from having lost pretty much all of the veteran members from the KSP team.  I set my expectations to rock-bottom for KSP to ever get any real/meaningful update in the future

Multiplayer?  Skybox?  Clouds? Part revamps?  I will be surprised if we ever see these things.

[JPLRepo]

11 hours ago, Chris_2 said:

So, what do you think, do we need to buy KSP ?

This is exactly what I was talking about. KSP is not for sale. Are you asking me if you should attempt to crowd source to purchase something that isn't for sale? I have not much to say on that except to say it sounds like an effort in futility to me.

 

11 hours ago, Chris_2 said:

Do you think 'real/meaningfull' things (below) will ever happen? That's basically all we need to know.

Whether I think those things would happen in future releases of KSP. I cannot say. I do not know the future.
and whether I think they may or may not happen does not directly influence whether they will happen or not.

Edited December 19, 2016 by JPLRepo

[Superfluous J]

I don't understand the problem. All we're asking for is verbose weekly updates that contain equal and copious measures of perfect prescience of all future development and exact adherence to our own personal desires.

[monstah]

2 hours ago, 5thHorseman said:

I don't understand the problem. All we're asking for is verbose weekly updates that contain equal and copious measures of perfect prescience of all future development and exact adherence to our own personal desires.

Unless it's too verbose, in which case we only ask for short concise notes that deal exactly with the parts of the game that impact us directly. Why do I want to read about consoles?
/sarcasm

On 16/12/2016 at 11:03 PM, SQUAD said:

 

Struts have been updated with a new model, you can now select both ends of the strut to relocate them and also you can tweak them individually. This also applies to the Fuel Line parts.

Whoa, wait, what? That came out completely out of nowhere. Kraken! Thank you, I personally find this an awesome little quality of life improvement.

On 17/12/2016 at 0:06 AM, HebaruSan said:

Cool, that'll be a nice one to have.

A related suggestion: when Angle Snap is on, it's easy to place the first side of the strut exactly where you want. However, the other side is always completely free-form in its placement even if you leave Angle Snap on, so you either have to zoom in and move the mouse very precisely, or just accept that there will be some structural asymmetry in your craft. It would be handy to have the option to snap both ends somehow, while still being able to opt for free-form placement by disabling Angle Snap.

Appears to me that the above change will fix that as a side effect