Public Funding Mod (Idea)

[iamchairs]

Building space stations and bases is expensive but beyond challenging and fun. I just got done trying to build a Duna base by connecting modules around Kerbin orbit using docking ports and transferring everything as one piece to Duna. Unfortunately it was either too ambitious of a base, done incorrectly, or just not a great idea. Whatever the reason for it's failing, it was a very expensive lesson and now I'm back to looking for contracts to make enough money to make another attempt. Having a consequence is what makes it fun. I tried playing in sandbox mode but it's easy to ignore expense, inefficiency, and not be phased when a plan explodes. So I want the risk of going broke, have steady income, and follow my own missions outside of the contracts window and be rewarded for it.

So what about..

Public Funding

Public funding will add another revenue path that reoccurring. It's the best of both world in my opinion. Once you're far enough along you can make money without doing contracts, but you still want to make your rockets efficiently and inexpensively so you don't run out of money. Additionally, if you are careless your budget will get cut.

Background

It is believed to be in the interest of the USK (United States of Kerba) and the USSK (The Union of Soviet Socialist Kerbals) to have a space program for whatever reason. Each with their own perks, you can accept which state funding works best for you. With state funding, your organization will be scrutinized every fiscal period and funding may be increased or cut depending on your performance and the state's confidence in the program. Random global and economic events may also have an impact in your budget.

Government Contracts

With no track record, private contracts will be non existent when you start a new game. The government will issue you contracts that you must except. The only reward for these contracts is increased public opinion or state confidence. There may be multiple paths or benchmarks for exceptional or poor performance that will modify the public opinion or state confidence. If you fail the contract you will receive a penalty to your public opinion or state confidence or both.

Public Opinion / State Confidence

There are 2 new metrics. The funding you receive is determined by both the public opinion and state confidence. Achievements and failures affects these metrics. Depending on the government you choose, one metric may be more important than the other in budget reviews.

As far as reputation goes, consider this more like reputation in the free market. It will not affect state funding.

Private Contracts

Private contracts still exist and function in the same way. They may have a small affect on public opinion but won't affect state confidence.

Permanent Modifiers

While reputation may go in either direction, so can public opinion and state confidence. However, certain achievements can add a permanent modifier so state confidence and public opinion cannot drop below a certain point. This means at some point you would not need to take on additional government contracts to stay afloat.

State confidence can be modified permanently by having more satellite coverage over Kerbin and other planets. Having surveying equipment on these satellites may also be necessary. They wouldn't want to cut your funding if they need those satellites!

Public opinion can be modified through the use of Kerbals. Peoples hearts don't pour out for satellites or robots, but having a space station with Kerbals onboard will fascinate the masses. Manned missions and bases to/on other celestial bodies will also have the same affect. The public also favors non-military research. Not only will each Kerbal in space gain public favor and fascination, but having science centers on space stations and on other planets will also boot public opinion.

Penalties

Failing or ignoring government contracts will affect state confidence similar to reputation penalties for failing private contracts.

Kerbal death will have a huge impact on public opinion. Kerbals love Kerbals. That's someone's mother/father/son/daughter.

Everyone knows going to space is difficult. The mishap here or there is understandable. But too many consecutive destroyed vessels may also have a consequence to both state confidence and public opinion.

Governments

USK: Unites States of Kerba

The peoples opinions play a larger role in the USK. Use of Kerbals will have greater rewards while Kerbal death can be devastating. The USK is larger economically then the USSK and starts with a lower percentage to your budget but the net income is larger to start.

GDP: 80 mil

Budget: 16 mil (20% of GDP)

% of Budget: 0.5

Total: 80 k

SC Modifier: 1

PO Modifier: 2

SCP (Penalty) Modifier: 1

POP (Penalty) Modifier: 3

Net: -1 [sC+PO - SCP+POP]

USSK: The Union of Soviet Socialist Kerbals

The USSK government is less concerned with the people opinions. They are generally more secretive about their operations so Kerbal death will not be as widely observed as in the USK and as a result does not have a large impact on public opinion. However, failing a government contract will have more severe consequences.

GDP: 10 mil

Budget: 2 mil (20% of GDP)

% of Budget: 3

Total: 60 k

SC Modifier: 1

PO Modifier: 0.5

SCP (Penalty) Modifier: 2

POP (Penalty) Modifier: 0.5

Net: -1 [sC+PO - SCP+POP]

Cheesing

To prevent cheesing. State confidence and public opinion would decline slowly with each passing year and reach a point where no public funding is acquired (unless you have permanent modifiers)

New Contracts

Ballistic Missiles

We've heard rumors that the USK/USSK have been experimenting with rockets to deliver explosives to our shores! We think it's very kind of them for wanting to share their bombs with us and we'd like to return the favor. Build a rocket and attach the supplied "care package". Take it in a suborbital trajectory within 5km of the target.

Recoverable Parts (once)

Building rockets is expensive. We're not telling you how to run your organization but we would feel more confident in your abilities if you could recover some of those early stages. Build a multistage rocket that takes the supplied payload into orbit around Kerbin. Then recover any of the earlier rocket stages. - Kelon Musk

Low Orbit Mining (once)

Analysts estimate at this rate with the amount of kPhones being manufactured and sold we could run out of precious raw materials by Khristmas! If that happens it's likely plans for the kPhone S will be scrapped next year. We can't let this happen. Our analysts also believe there is useful ore in astroids but they are too far away to be of any use. Build a mining rig on any sized astroid in an orbit of Kerbin no greater than [n]km away.

Sciency Bits

[Contract requires there is a space station in orbit of Kerbin] [Possibly need Inventory System mod for this]

Our scientists would like to see their sciency bits on a space station orbiting Kerbin. We're not sure how important this really is but to be honest we'd rather their "bits" be as far away from us as possible. Add the supplied parts to your inventory in your next trip to the space station and move the parts into the inventory of that space station.

Homesick

[Contract requires there is a space station in orbit of Kerbin]

{name} Kerman is homesick and the media insists we get them home for the holidays. Unfortunately we really need their services as a [pilot|scientist|engineer] up there. Take another [pilot|scientist|engineer] to the space station and return {name} Kerbin home.

Konjugal Visit

[Contract requires there is a space station in orbit of Kerbin]

I can't believe we're doing this but {name} Kerman is having a breakdown and is requesting a visit from his/her wife/husband to the space station. Have {name} Kerman visit them on the space station for... Therapeutic purposes. And then return {name} Kerman to Kerbin.

Understaffed

We have been reviewing your crew and believe you require more skilled Kerbanauts. Hire a new Kerbal of [Any|Pilot|Engineer|Scientist] profession and promote them to Rank [1|2|3|4|5].

Garbage Collection

We've always said the best part about space is that it's one big landfill. Apparently "space rights" activists don't think so and are picketing outside government buildings. Remove as much existing debris from Kerbin's orbit by year [year] and we'l pay you [funds] for each piece.

Space Race (once per scenario)

The {USK|USSK} are going to {any|eva|manned-flight|unmanned-flight} {flyby|orbit|land-on} {celestial body}! We can't let them do it before us. Kisney Studios has already produced a very convincing video showing we've already done it, but while there's still time we should try to do it legitimately. {any|eva|manned-flight|unmanned-flight} {flyby|orbit|land-on} {celestial body} before {year}

Crash Into the Sun (once)

There is a new director of space operations. He says to... Crash into the sun. Well, what are you waiting for?

(After completing contract it's revealed that the director of space operations was a {USK|USSK} sympathizer and was immediately taken into custody)

Escape The Solar System (once)

No one is sure what lies beyond the solar system. Well, actually that's not true, we have telescopes. But someone thought it might be nice to get something out there just to say we've done it. Couldn't think of a reason why not.

One Big Runway (once)

We think you're just not being creative enough with reentry of vessels from orbit. Safely land a vessel that has been in orbit of Kerbin WITHOUT parachutes.

Furious Space (once)

Kerbals fascination with space is at an all time low. The blockbuster hit, "Too Ferociously Fast 9", makes us think they are more interested in cars than rockets. We're not saying build a car. We're saying build a space car, take it to the Mun, and use it to travel {d}km.

Furious Space 2 (once)

[Available once Furious Space has been completed]

Our land rover stunt was a huge success! But I think we can do better. Actually perform a land rover stunt. Take a land rover to the Mun and jump it. Get {d}m of height from your jump. If that doesn't work, I really don't know what will.

Furious Space 3 (once)

[Available once Furious Space 2 has been completed]

Remember how I said "If that doesn't work, I really don't know what will". I was lying; I knew exactly what we'd have to do. But it's just too dangerous and WE should not attempt it. That's why YOU will do it. Take a land rover to the Mun, jump it, and while in air do a 360deg rotation in any direction. Yeah, you're gonna flip it.

~

I could come up with more. But there's a start.

Thoughts?

[MoeKitsune]

I like it. I support this.

[Feradose]

I want this. Probably with 30 more contracts. This is very clever!

[RainDreamer]

Can we work this somehow using the existing reputation stats?

[ADK]

Love the idea. What about People's Republic of Kerba?

[iamchairs]

Can we work this somehow using the existing reputation stats?

Probably. The SC/PO modifiers can just be applied to reputation.

My thought was, I didn't think private contracts should have an affect on state budget so a different metric would be needed. But maybe I could consolidate SC/PO into one metric.

Love the idea. What about People's Republic of Kerba?

Thought about that as well. I don't know as much about Chinese space program as US/Soviet/Russian. Maybe you could give me some clues.

Edited August 2, 2015 by iamchairs

[iamchairs]

Haven't written much C# at all but i'll give this a shot.

https://github.com/iamchairs/StateFunding