Radiation

[p1t1o]

How about

Solar Flares and Radiation management - could include a basic spectrum of challenges, eg: seperate shielding types for different threats (neutrons, charged particles, EM etc)

This would make manned travel far more costly than unmanned, at least beyond the Kerbin magnetosphere (with the exception of the Van Kallen belts ofc.) so some extra advantage of taking crew would be appropriate - such as enhanced sciencing (but that is another topic).

Want to bum around Kerbin-Mun-Minmus? Not much in the way of shielding required, unless you intend to spend significant time orbiting within the Van Kallen belts.

Want to get to Duna? Gonna need some shielding.

Want to get to Jool? Gonna need shielding for the journey AND take into account the radiation environment of a gas giant.

Want to get to the far reaches of the system? You will probably want a nice tasty nuclear engine. With a nice heavy shadow shield.

 

Extra challenge. Extra detail. More ways to customise your craft ideas. What more do you want?

[Enceos]

@p1t1o Did you hear about the Kerbalism mod?

Radiation is a thing for hardcore players. If it appears as an option in KSP, it will probably appear after multiplayer

[MinimalMinmus]

 I have to agree with @Enceos, this feature should probably say as is it, namely a mod, as it would make everything beyond Kerbin a nightmare to visit.

[p1t1o]

@Enceos @MinimalMinmus

Pfffft other suggestions (multiplayer) deserve their own thread, since the discussion as to whether or not that particular suggestion is even viable is a long one, this suggestion stands on its own.

It needn't be a 1-to-1 simulation of space radiation hazards, but more a "kerbal version" much like we have "kerbal" ion drives, and since we are talking additions to KSP, oughtn't it to involve extra challenge?

Of course anything can be modded in, but then why discuss 1.3 or 2.0 at all?

 

12 hours ago, Enceos said:

Did you hear about the Kerbalism mod?

Did not know that it included radiation, although it also includes many other things as well.

[MinimalMinmus]

I am not saying this doesn't deserve a suggestion. What I am saying is that, since this feature would be xX!!!HARDCORE!!!Xx, not everyone would think it as fun (this game may be hard, but it's not called "I wanna be a kerbal" either).

In fact, this is why the subject of stock LS is fiercely debated, as it would create another large layer of difficulty.

[p1t1o]

10 minutes ago, MinimalMinmus said:

I am not saying this doesn't deserve a suggestion. What I am saying is that, since this feature would be xX!!!HARDCORE!!!Xx, not everyone would think it as fun (this game may be hard, but it's not called "I wanna be a kerbal" either).

In fact, this is why the subject of stock LS is fiercely debated, as it would create another large layer of difficulty.

I can understand that, I myself am still too intimidated to try RO!

However, in my head it was quite simplified, no high-energy physics qualifications required. For example (and this is just me spitballing, not a first draft of an actual feature) nuclear powerplants could have some radiation value dependent on their power and you'd need a certain thickness shield between it and your crew. Some widget or other would tell you what thickness (or mass) of which shield you need. Maybe you have 3 types of shield and tanks of various stuff could be given arbitrary protection-levels against differing kinds of radiation (of which there could be ,say, 3 types.). Radiation from space environment (solar wind, cosmic rays etc.) could be given an equally simplified treatment, a need-it-or-not with a few extra tweaks kind of level.

If though, people *are* being saturated with challenge (feature toggles? Like the relay system?), then KSP must be feature-saturated and all further additions must come via 3rd party mods. In which case my only suggestion would be "Bugs, polish, visuals and then finalise".