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    Rowsdower
    Polygon writer, Charlie Hall spent a week with us seeing the sights, experiencing KerbalKon as it happened and getting to know the story of Kerbal Space Program. You may find out some things you never knew about the game's history, where we are today and the seemingly bright future, which includes NASA-partnered content. Here's a quick taste:

    "Since the day it was released, less than three years ago, KSP has grown to be so much more. Beneath its childish surface lies a a complex physics system churning through mathematical calculations so expertly, real rocket scientists would blush to see it. KSP has even earned the respect of NASA  many of its employees play it regularly.

    These past few months the team at KSP and the team at NASA have developed a professional, although distant, relationship. And this year they will begin to work together.

    Soon the Kerbals will embark on the next phase of space exploration, more than a decade before their real-life human analogues. NASA hopes to land humans on an asteroid by 2025. It's their most daring mission in a half century, and they've asked the small team of eight developers headquartered in Mexico City to help promote that mission through their game."

    The article is a lengthy, well thought piece that everyone on the team highly suggests you go read.
    Rowsdower
    Teachers and students can now work together to learn rocket science and the joys of space travel with the official launch of KerbalEdu, an educational modification of the popular, award-winning space agency game Kerbal Space Program.

    Squad, the developers of KSP, have partnered with TeacherGaming to launch this project. Still in early development, interested educators and students can go to www.kerbaledu.com for more information on the game, which is available on compatible Windows, Mac OS and Linux computers. Squad will continue to develop KSP, which is currently available through early access on its website as well as Steam and other popular online gaming retailers. TeacherGaming, like its prior popular release MinecraftEdu, will modify KSP to enhance its value to professors and teachers in a classroom setting.

    “KSP is about making rocket science fun, which is why we didn’t need any complex algorithms to realize an educational version is a great extension,†said Squad co-owner Adrian Goya. “TeacherGaming’s experience makes them an ideal partner and we believe KerbalEdu is going to be a great tool for science teachers throughout the world to teach our next generation of rocket scientists and astronauts.â€Â

    TeacherGaming hasn’t released the first KerbalEdu mod but is planning several features specifically for teachers, including:



    Metric system and other systems for easier data comparison and integration with other school topics



    UI alterations to include analyzer and data collector tools for easier data gathering, data summarization and problem solving with ship designs



    Premade lessons that introduce or need a specific scientific method or formula to be solved, such as a rocket with too small of an engine needing more thrust



    Valuable materials outside of the actual game, but with heavy connections to it, that help educators drive home important lessons


    While Squad will remain focused on making sure every new feature in Kerbal Space Program is fun, TeacherGaming has the same goal – with an educational emphasis.

    “KerbalEdu is going to help players do more than just dream of the stars in their classroom. It’s going to give them the tools to learn how to reach them,†TeacherGaming CEO Santeri Koivisto said. “Squad is a great partner and a believer in our mission to use games to help educate the next generation of students.â€Â

    Schools and other educational institutions interested in KerbalEdu can purchase the educational version of Kerbal Space Program for a discounted price and schools who do decide to use the software will also have the opportunity to offer their students a discounted price on Kerbal Space Program.
    Rowsdower
    Our very own C7Studios will be conducting a discussion about modular design in Kerbal Space Program during the Independent Games Summit at GDC 2014.

    Meant for KSP fans, professionals and enthusiasts at all levels, C7Studios will talk about how changing the KSP's structure expanded possibilities, the game's modding support and insight on how to create assets that lack repetition. For more info, click HERE.
    Rowsdower
    Kerbal Space Program was named as an honorable mention for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 2014 Independent Games Festival. While ultimately not a finalist, it's still a huge honor for an unfinished title, such as ours, to be acknowledged among some of the biggest and most innovative indie games out there - especially for the top prize.

    The Independent Games Festival was formed in 1998 to encourage innovation and highlight the best that independent gaming has to offer. To view the full list of awards and nominees, go HERE.
    KasperVld
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    <table width="100%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">

    <table width="80%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">A personal note

    The year 2013 is coming to a close, and what a year it's been! I joined the community team back in January. Being asked to do this was a big honour. I had some previous experience, such as being the community manager for a small open source clone of Theme Hospital called CorsixTH, but nothing quite prepared me for what I was about to face. It's been a great learning experience and overall I'm very pleased with how things went over the last year. In my current position as senior global moderator I work directly with Rowsdower to manage the community and perform administrative and moderation tasks. This community is a shining pearl in the ocean of gaming communities: people treat eachother with respect, make constructive contributions and share their common enthusiasm in a way that is not often seen. Sure, things can go wrong sometimes but we have a great community moderation team that steps in, often because the community members report problematic situations to us. The community as it is now would be impossible without this co-operation.

    2012 was a year in which the community management professionalized, and 2013 is no different. We've had a big restructuring in the moderation team, we've got a new community manager, the PR department got involved, the rules were rewritten, the infraction system revised, helpful sticky threads were introduced.... the list is very long and represents hundreds of hours of work by many people. The foundations of improvement were laid by people who have since left us, of course this includes the former community managers Captain Skunky and Damion Rayne, but also the moderators who came before me, and we mustn't underestimate their share in forming the community; we owe them a lot and their work has been invaluable. The most challenging time for me was the void between the departure of Captain Skunky as community manager and the arrival of Rowsdower. Together with the other senior global moderators sal_vager and Ascensiam I was left in charge of the forums with background support from Maxmaps, who did a great job in what must've been a stressful time for him as well. It may have been the most challenging time, but it also represented a great opportunity to get to work on things that had bothered me for quite some time. Cutting overhead, re-arranging user groups, the new infraction system... Community management almost became a full time job for me at that point which didn't go too well with my Criminology study and regular job, but things worked out in the end.

    We've had challenging times as well, think of 'the great April forum Kraken attack' which wiped almost all content from the forums between September 2012 and April 2013. I think you can understand the amount of work that generated for the community team, but again everyone soldiered on and chipped in to make sure the forums went back to normal as soon as possible. The move to our new host also presented some issues but they were quickly solved. Many improvements were made to the stability of the forums: those of you who were around during the pre 0.19 era will remember that when a new version of KSP was released the forums would not work at all for at least a day or two because the servers were being used beyond their limits by people downloading their new copy of KSP. In 2013 the forums were put on their own server, the downloads were moved to an off-site cloud service and a patcher was introduced. The 0.23 release was the smoothest I've seen so far, and looking at how much work Squad is putting into it I believe it can only get better.</td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/md81msU.png" /></td></tr></table>

    <table width="80%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" colspan="3">People who moved on</td></tr><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/CvpsLN5.png" /></center></td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="34%"><center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/mym46VT.png" /></center></td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ZtdfI6t.png" /></center></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><b>Damion Rayne<br /></b>Then: Community Manager <br />Now: Lead Designer on <a href="http://www.seedofandromeda.com/" target="_blank">Seed of Andromeda</a><br /> </td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="34%"><b>Ted<br /></b>Then: Senior Global Moderator<br />Now: QA lead for Squad<br /> </td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><b>Captain Skunky<br /></b>Then: Community Manager<br />Now: digital currency trader<br /> </td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%">Working for Squad and being a part of the KSP Project was some of the best times in my life. I never thought I'd go from Military service to working in the games industry, and the team and Squad made that whole thing happen. They launched my career and gave me something to strive for. I learned a lot, mostly from a great deal of mistakes, but still learned a lot nontheless. I use what I learned now in several projects that keep me busy day to day. The KSP community was, and still is (in my opinion) the best damn community on the internet. Thanks to all of you who supported me. All of you who were there for me, and all of you still there for me to this day. It was an honor and a pleasure.

    Fly Safe</td><td style="vertical-align: top; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="34%">In 2013, I watched as KSP grew from a relatively 'underground' game to a top seller on Steam and the Community growing superbly alongside it. Managing a Community is no easy task and whilst it was never my discrete or specifically assigned task, I offered assistance in it where it was needed and volunteered innumerable hours for it. Mid-year I was employed as the QA Lead and took a step back from Community Moderation/Management. I'm inexpressibly glad to have interacted with the Community and watched it grow the way it did - undoubtedly due to each and every one of you contributing the outstanding KSP content that you do. Here's to the 2014 KSP Community!</td><td style="vertical-align: top; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%">Watching KSP grow in 2013 with its release on Steam has been amazing. Seeing where KSP came from, how it was getting there, and thinking about where it can go has been wonderful experience. <br /><br /> I wish KSP and Squad an even bigger 2014 and a long future!</td></tr></table><table width="80%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/XgdHfUS.png" /></td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">Initiatives that stood out

    You guys have produced many, many exceptional things. Whether you make Youtube videos, mission reports, mods or just participate in the general discussions surrounding KSP you contribute to the community. Some of those contributions stand out and we love to show them. The most notable community initiative of the year without doubt must've been KSP-TV. Yargnit started rounding up KSP streamers with the vision of a channel where they could share the best live video content available for KSP. The names of Spootyman, EJ, Tanuki and the other KSP-TV streamers will be very familiar to most of you, and even before the project launched it was picked up by Captain Skunky and Squad, which resulted in a great channel with even better content. I haven't seen anything like this for any other game and everyone involved deserves a big compliment.

    Of course, KSP-TV is not the only intiative that stood out, but how do you make sure that the best ones stand out? To facilitate this the community team picks a list of threads every month and sticky's these, so they get maximum visibility on the forums. These threads of the month were an initiative started by sal_vager and I'm sure that the people who have been featured in them have (deservedly) received a lot of attention because of it. Modders, streamers and fan work artists have also been given a permanent spot in what was first the KSP Weekly but is now the Daily Kerbal.

    Another shout goes out to the International forums. They've been expanded this year, giving more room to the most popular foreign languages on the forums. Of course, having people post in a foreign language a lot also requires that the community team can keep an eye on it, so new moderators had to be found. Compliments all around: the International forums are made possible by the support from the community members who applied to moderate them.

    Mods
    Mods are and always have been a part of KSP. The modding community produces quality work which has become an invaluable part for most people here on the forums. Mods allow you to customize your game and will make KSP provide a gaming experience that closely resembles what you want, and that's what makes KSP great in my opinion. In itself, KSP is a great game but when you combine different sets of mods you get a completely different experience. You can go the realistic route and add mods such as [thread=54954]Deadly Reentry[/thread], [thread=26935]Ioncross Crew Support[/thread] or [thread=56399]RemoteTech[/thread] and [thread=24646]Figaro[/thread], or you can do different things with mods such as [thread=25241]B9 Aerospace[/thread], procedural [thread=39512]fairings[/thread] and [thread=29862]wings[/thread]. Of course there are also the mods that enhance already existing game features, for example the [thread=50524]Enhanced navball[/thread] and the [thread=60227]Alternate Resource Panel[/thread]. And lets not forget two of the most popular mods: [thread=12384]Mechjeb[/thread] and [thread=23979]Kethane[/thread] as well as the promising [thread=55832]Scansat[/thread] and [thread=55835]KMP[/thread]. The list is nearly endless.</td></tr></table>

    <table width="80%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" colspan="3">People who joined the community team</td></tr><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/S0a76kE.png" /></center></td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="34%"><center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/dj0qy4a.png" /></center></td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/FXYo5KN.png" /></center></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><b>Maxmaps<br /></b>PR Manager</td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="34%"><b>Calisker<br /></b>PR Manager</td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%"><b>Rowsdower<br /></b>Community manager</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%">
    Joining the team, seeing the game and fanbase grow with release after release has been incredibly rewarding. Putting my skills to use in an environment like Squad and with a team like ours is so fun that I hesitate to call it work. Here's to making it all even bigger and more fun in 2014. A big shoutout to the moderation team here in the forums as well as the awesome people in KSPTV and Media group. You guys rock.</td><td style="vertical-align: top; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="34%">
    Thanks to each of you who play KSP. It's a fun group of gamers to support and we appreciate the support we've been given for a game that's not even finished yet! 2014 should be a special year for Squad, KSP and those who participate in our community. Happy New Year!</td><td style="vertical-align: top; align: center; text-align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;" width="33%">
    When I stepped into the role of CM, I came to find out one thing very, very quickly. There's no community more passionate, with more direct access to the people behind the game than this one. I take pride in being your community manager and look forward to every single change - every single tide that turns in 2014. Big things are on the way and I can't wait to share in these upcoming experiences with you. Thanks for being a community truly worth being a part of."</td></tr></table>

    <table width="80%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">Statistics

    So you're thinking to yourself: they can tell me all they want, I don't believe 2013 was such a good year before I see some numbers. Fear not! We've sent out our Kerbal interns to the innermost dungeons of the forums and they returned with suitcases full of meaningless numbers, and a single sheet of numbers we could actually work with. Lets start with the member count: on December 31st 2012 the forums were home to approximately 59,000 members, which has risen to approximately 101,000 on December 31st 2013, a rise of 71,2%. Together with the 59,000 existing members the 42,000 new members have left us more than 560,000 new posts in 35,392 new threads, which, compared to the 235,139 new posts in 17,591 new threads in 2012, means a rise of 138.3% in new posts and 100.1% in new threads between 2012 and 2013.

    2012 also marked a new peak in the amount of users that were online at the same time: 4,128 people visited our forums on the 22nd of May, around 8:30PM GMT. The most often viewed thread is the [thread=12384]Mechjeb[/thread] thread. The most often replied to thread is the [thread=24533]Show off your awesome KSP pictures[/thread] thread. General KSP Discussion is still the most popular forum and our very own sal_vager has posted more messages than any other member: 6,905 posts!

    Moderation

    Tens of thousands of new members, tens of thousands of new threads, hundreds of thousands of new posts, what does that translate to in terms of community management? To put it bluntly: it translates to a lot of work! In total we have recorded just over 26,000 moderator actions since the middle of August, ranging from approving posts from new members to closing threads and handing out warnings or infractions. Moderators are watching over 2,000 - 3,000 new posts every day and log between 6,000 and 7,000 actions every month.

    </td><td style="vertical-align: bottom; align: center; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/zGR3IDb.png" /></td></tr></table>

    <table width="80%" align="center" class="cms_table" style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tr style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;"><td style="vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">

    The year 2014


    The year 2014 is one of many opportunities and hopefully fewer problems than 2013. We're going to try our hardest, but for now we can look back at a very successful 2013, despite the bumps. Community Management is not an exact science and different people approach it differently so there will definitely be changes over the coming year, but we'll worry about them as they arrive.

    On behalf of the whole community team I wish you a happy new years & best wishes for 2014!
    </td></tr></table>
    </tr></td></table></div>

    Errandum: the initiative for KSP-TV came from the old community managers, though Yargnit does maintain it.
    Rowsdower
    Ian Birnbaum of PC Gamer was recently invited to sit in on "SquadKon." Taking place a day before the public KerbalKon event, SquadKon was a chance for the KSP team to sit behind closed doors to discuss the past, present and future of the game. PC Gamer is now able to reveal some of the talking points that came out of SquadKon.





    Here's a taste for what lies within:

    “The two most critical things for career mode are contracts and budgets,†lead developer Felipe Falange said. “We’re going to see how much we can squeeze into the first one, then if it doesn't fit, it will go to the next one. It’s the very near future, because it’s something that needs to happen for scope completion.â€Â

    Read the entire article here: http://www.pcgamer.com/uk/2013/12/27/kerbal-space-program-devs-hope-to-add-budgets-reputation-in-2014/
    Rowsdower
    PC Gamer's Ian Birnbaum interviewed HarvesteR and Calisker during KerbalKon about the steady rise and bright future of Kerbal Space Program. Here's a taste:





    PC Gamer: Was there a moment where you realized that [Kerbal Space Program] was actually going to work?

    Felipe Falange: I think it was a series of small moments that would actually lift the always looming concern of impending failure, up to the point where it built up a sense of accomplishment. But I’m still overly cautious of everything. I’m scared to call the game a success. Bob is always teasing me.

    Bob Holtzman: Yeah, I had in the press release, “the popular, award-winning….†and he was like, “is that right?†From the marketing standpoint, the Steam Summer Sale was when everyone was like, “OK, we’ve got something pretty serious."

    Click HERE to read the article in full.
    HarvesteR

    KSP 0.23 Is Live!

    By HarvesteR, in Developer Articles,

    Hi,

    Just in time for the holidays! I'm very pleased to announce the 23rd update to KSP is now available.



    This update, as you all probably already know, was mainly focused in smoothing out the features we've added all through this year, patching up long-standing bugs, doing optimizations, and adding a few new features that were long awaited.

    More Specifically:

    * The Science Archives:
    Browse through all the science you've done in your Career games in this new section of the R&D Facility.

    * Tweakables:
    Several parts can now be tweaked individually by right-clicking them during construction, allowing for entirely new possiblities in spacecraft construction.

    * Science Revisited:
    We've revised the way experiments are performed, stored and transmitted based on the feedback we got from the last release, to make Science much more engaging and interesting. Endlessly-repeatable transmissions that would let you max out a subject in a single mission are a thing of the past now.

    * The Lab Module:
    With experiments and transmissions no longer being freely repeatable, we've added the Lab Module to let you process your science data on the field, increasing the science gained by transmitting it. The Lab also allows you to reset single-use modules such as the Goo Canister and Materials Bay, since those will now become inoperable if their data is removed for transmission.

    * The R.A.P.I.E.R. Engine:
    The new 'Reactive Alternate-Propellant Intelligent Engine for Rockets' is a hybrid propulsion system that can run on external intake air while flying through the atmosphere, and will switch to internal oxidizer supply as you leave the atmosphere behind.

    * EVA Data Collection:
    Kerbals on EVA are now able to collect and store data from experiment modules and other science containers, including other EVAs.

    * Part Tooltips Overhaul:
    The old tooltips seen when hovering over part icons in the R&D or construction facilities have been completely overhauled. The new layout is a lot easier on the eyes and organizes information much more efficiently, making it easier to compare stats between parts and seeing what does what.

    * All-Around Optimizations:
    We've gone over a huge amount of code this time, to make sure the game is doing things as efficiently as possible. The optimizations were mainly focused around sources of lag with high part counts, so the game should be smoother around large ships. (Your mileage may vary, as no hardware setup is quite the same).

    * 6-DOF Device Support for Windows:
    Few games can benefit from a 6-degrees-of-freedom input device such as the Space Navigator like KSP. Seamless transition/rotation camera control on all scenes, plus pitch-roll-way and linear XYZ inputs in flight control mode, allowing for an unprecedented level of control. This feature is Windows-only for the time being, but we're ready to implement OSX and Linux support as soon as the drivers become available.


    Plus a heap of other additions and fixes. Here's the complete changelog:



    ==================================== v0.23.0 =========================================================

    New:

    * The Science Archives:
    - Browse through all the science you've done in your Career games in this new section of the R&D Facility.

    * Tweakables:
    - Several parts can now be tweaked individually by right-clicking them during construction.
    - Landing Gear can be set to start out deployed or retracted, and can also be made steerable.
    - Engines can have a thrust limiter set on them, so you can balance out asymmetrical thruster configurations (or use differential thrust for taxiing).
    - Wheels can be tweaked to have their engines toggled, steering locked, all before launch (and after, of course).
    - Control Surfaces can be tweaked to toggle response to pitch, roll and yaw input individually.

    * Science Revisited:
    - Transmitting scientific data no longer allows you to max out the value of a subject just by repeating the transmission multiple time.
    - Removing the experiment data from some experiment modules (for transmission or by EVA) will render them inoperable.
    - Resetting an experiment can still be done freely as long as the data is not removed from the module.

    * Solar System:
    - Added a new Biome Map for Minmus.
    - Cleaned up the Biome Maps for Kerbin and the Mun, to remove areas where Biomes would be detected incorrectly.

    * The Lab Module:
    - Added a new part called a Laboratory Module, which allows experiment data and samples to be processed before transmission, increasing their science value.
    - The Lab Module requires 2 crews inside to operate and a whole lot of power as well.
    - Added a new button to the experiment review dialog to process collected data on the Lab if one is available (and operational) on your vessel.

    * EVA Data Transport:
    - Kerbals on EVA can now collect the data from experiment modules and store them on crew-carrying modules.
    - Kerbals can also collect data from other data container modules, including other Kerbals.
    - EVAs can also store samples collected from other experiments on the Lab.

    * Part Tooltips Overhaul:
    - The tooltips that pop up when mousing over a part on the editors have been completely redesigned.
    - The tooltips show essential info only at first, but can be expanded to show more info with RMB.
    - Once expanded, you can right-click again to collapse, or to pin other tooltips if you hover over other parts.
    - Re-organized the part information to group stats for each module and resource container on a part.
    - Added a larger icon for the part on the tooltip itself, featuring a scale to give an idea of size before picking.

    * All-around Optimizations:
    - We've gone over all our code to make sure it runs as efficiently as possible.
    - Upgraded to Unity version 4.2.2 to make full use of its own bugfixes and tweaks.
    - Texture loading has been sped up, loading times are noticeably reduced.

    * [Windows-Only] 6-DOF Device Support:
    - 6-DOF input devices such as the Space Navigator are now supported both as camera and flight controllers.
    - Scroll Lock will toggle the device mode in flight.
    - Due to driver limitations this is a Windows-only feature for now. We're ready to implement support in OSX and Linux as soon as those drivers become available.


    Bug Fixes and Tweaks:

    * Parts:
    - The logic for all-vessel resource flow (such as Electric Charge and MonoPropellant) has been re-done.
    - Fixed those resource containers not being able to drain fully or store an amount larger than their current available space.

    * Docking:
    - Fixed an issue that caused docking ports to resume their states incorrectly after docking, making it impossible to undock afterwards.
    - Fixed a big issue with docking operations through physicsless parts in the hierarchy between the port and the original vessel root.

    * EVAs:
    - EVAs now use actual resources for their jetpack propellant, instead of their own fuel system.
    - Fixed an issue with collision resolution that caused EVAs to sometimes fall over and become uncontrollable.
    - Kerbals other than you will now pick themselves up from ragdoll state if they are involved in any 'accidents' or are flat out being used as Kerbowling pins.
    - Parts that land onto splashed-down parts are now considered to be landed. This allows EVAs to walk on floating platforms.

    * Other Fixes:
    - The Return key will no longer reset the staging sequence in the Editors, or return you to the Main Menu at KSC.
    - The Main Menu now remembers the 'page' you were at when you left it, so if you return from a loaded game, you'll find it still at the "Start Game" screen.
    - Fixed several issues with joystick axis mapping and indexing.
    - Updated the Input settings screen to expose a few new control options that weren't accessible before.
    - Fixed an issue that could lead to loss of GUI responsiveness after leaving flight during reentry or supersonic flight.







    As always, you can get the new update as a full download (zip file or installer) through our KSPStore, or use the patcher tool to update your existing install. Or if you're on Steam, just sit tight as it auto-updates itself (Might be a few minutes. Restart Steam if it's taking too long).


    Compatibility with previous versions:
    We haven't had to bump the last-compatible versions on this update, so all previous saves and craft files should work just fine through the update. Do keep in mind mods may not work correctly, so it's always advisable to start out with a clean, unmodded install.


    Happy Launchings, and Happy Holidays!

    Cheers
    HarvesteR
    Happy Holidays!

    Technical difficulties with our Twitch.TV stream made things unclear with our announcements during KerbalKon. We wanted to clear the air and make sure there was a record of what we said and why we said it.

    We are working every day to improve our communication while also making sure the community knows what to expect from us.

    So let’s go over what we shared at the end of KerbalKon:

    1. Completing the scope of KSP: This is our top priority for 2014 and we will be focused on completing Career Mode, which will link Science with new contracts and reputation systems. We don’t have a date on this for you, but we will be working on it starting on 0.24.

    2. Resource Mining: The old resource-mining plan is being shelved, which by all means, is a good thing. It wasn’t fun once we got down to it, so we’re not losing anything worth keeping here. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for more “end-game” activities. We aren’t ready to disclose any new ideas now because we’re focused on Career Mode and anything we bring up now could end up getting scrapped later and we’ll have the same issue we have now.

    3. Multiplayer: There’s been a LOT of misinformation about this specific feature, so let’s clear up a few things. This has always been a goal of the development team and has always been on the plans. Regardless of any public declarations in the past, fact or fiction, internally, multiplayer was always a possibility and we wanted to spread this info when the time was right. We decided to share this news now because multiplayer will be part of completing the scope of KSP. It won’t be prioritized ahead of Career Mode but as part of our scope, we will start working on it in 2014.

    One last thing we wanted to discuss was what it means to be an Early Access game. While we share a lot in common with MMO-style development processes, it is different in that the MMO is essentially complete from the start and receives new updates to extend content for players who have done everything. The Early Access game is still incomplete and must devote development time to adding features that might not seem important to experienced players, but make it easier to be picked up by new players, or make the overall game experience more complete, even if it doesn’t make it more lengthy.

    We hope this explains our plans a little more clearly and answers any questions from last week’s event.

    Happy Launching!

    Cheers
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