KSP Hot Seat Multiple players, one persistent file with built-in team structure for turn based games?

[cptnoname]

I know there was a mod named HotSeat that made on-board kerbals swap seats occasionally... this is a different topic...

I am a father of 5 with a full time job and zero programming experience (unless you count the BASIC I learned as a kid in the 80's). I am wondering if there is anyone who would take on the project in my stead... or if there is a similar mod out there...

My idea goes as follows... forgive my rambling post, I've had the idea for quite some time, but no time to flesh it out (or even write it down)

• a single persistent file would be generated to start, and a number of teams would be determined by the players.
• Each player's objects would be hidden using the "discovery" state of the object. If something is close enough to detect its presence then it shows up as an unknown object until the player gets a visual ID, as with asteroids.
  • Once an item is no longer in view (and performs a maneuver), it returns to its undiscovered state (unlike current asteroid implementation), and this is tracked on a per player basis, perhaps in a separate section of the persistent file. it may be necessary to create phantom objects to be displayed, perhaps in that same separate section... last known position trackers for each non-allied ship? at least until a sensor is in range of the marker...
  • the thermal telescope should also be able to find distant "enemy" craft where there is a line of sight and no warmer celestial body in range to blot it out. you don't need radar or anything of the sort to detect a ship in a realistic space setting, the thermal signature of a ship is going to make it stand out even if it's not using its engines...
  • detection of thruster firing would be much easier and should be processed against all other players sensor "networks" as they happen. ending orbital position of a thrusting ship will be easy to determine, especially if more than one sensor detected it, but a reasonably accurate estimate could be inferred from even a single telescope. the vector engine, modeled after the space shuttle's, would be detectable from the orbit of Pluto, so ranges in KSP should have no effect on detection...
• players can only access their own craft
  • should be a mechanism by which to transfer control to another player (or to take it away by force?)
• turn constraints?
  • should be methods for the players to issue turn constraints, be they by timers, action counters, or otherwise, the players should be able to pick the type of constraint among those that could be programmed in, or free to turn constraints off if they choose
• a separate battle turn timer/sequencer?
  • if turned on, a 30-second (or other arbitrary or selectable length) turn timer and macro recorder could be started...
    • an "initiative" score (or player agreed sequence) determines play order, and those who lose in the initiative go first
    • each ship plays for their length of time and their orders and maneuvers are recorded against the battle timeline
    • macro recorder would record game events for the ship in use against the battle timeline, each participating ship would have its own timeline
    • players with better initiative scores then play and are able to react to the other players actions... they may be able to get into a better position as the enemy can't react to their actions.
    • this may lead to the players/ships with lower initiative always firing first and early in their turns, though, to prevent their opponent from getting the drop on them and reducing their reaction times, but...
    • the longer the battle turn, the larger the potential advantage to those with higher initiative, and the less likely the lower initiative players are to see the outcome they had seen during play of their turn
    • the fully assembled battle sequences would be the final say of the turn, and could be saved and played almost like a movie? this would also permit players to create machinima? that would be awesome! may be worth it as a separate mod!

all of the calculations should be easy enough to perform, and only need to update probably every 10 to 15 minutes of in-game time for stock engine speeds. maybe more often if there are enemy craft in orbit of the same body (especially retrograde)? realistically the overhead on that should be small enough that it doesn't matter, but I don't know for sure...

if anyone would like to take up the idea, feel free... i can't do it myself... i'd just ask to be listed in the credits

thanks

Captain Noname