Future DLCs--what would you suggest?

[Klapaucius]

In reading through the DLC grand discussion thread today, @fourfa asked about underwater features.  This is something I would love to see, but while sea exploration is a big part of KSP for many of us, it is not something that the whole community does or necessarily wants more of.

 

So that got me to thinking about DLCs, KSP's longterm financial viability and what the future holds.

 

If a DLC adds features that:

A: a significant portion of the players would be interested in...

B: ...but does not appeal to the whole community and for that reason, is not viable as a base game update...

then it seems perfect to include it in a DLC. 

 

In my case, I would happily pay for a nautical DLC that added parts and features to the underwater environment, and perhaps even a port.  And while this does reduce the number of folks with whom I can share my submarines, by its very nature, the folks who are going to want to download my builds will already share the same interest and will likely have the DLC.  If you don't care for submarines, you are not going to download them--whether you have a DLC or not.

As others have noted, having these parts in the stock game means we have them available reliably in a way we may not with mods.

 

Or perhaps you feel parts should not be part of a DLC (due to sharing issues) but it should include other features, such as new launch areas or terrain features.  My favourite aspect of Making History is not the parts, it is the Dessert Airfield.

 

Other possibilities:

* Career expansion.  Many players are very keen on career mode (something I am not) and so may be willing to pay for a vastly expanded career game.

* Airport expansion. A DLC that adds new places to fly out of or allows for building of airports. (something already done in a few mods, but you get the idea)

* Perhaps the folks over at the Dres Awareness Thread would toss a few coins in for a Dres re-imagined DLC.

 

 

 

So, and this is really directed at those who are not philosophically opposed to DLCs:  What DLCs would you suggest for the future keeping in mind the following:

1.  Viability.  (eg. No matter how much you want a Star Wars DLC, copyright and licensing make things like that out of the question for a developer not affiliated with Lucasfilm/Disney.)

2. Is there a arguably a significant minority of players interested?  (As much as it would appeal to the literary nerd in me, a DLC that re-imagines KSP as Shakespearean drama is unlikely to find a market)

3. Is it still general enough?  As in, does it expand base functionality of a specific part of the game?

4. Is it not something that should just be in the base game?  (I have no problem at all with DLCs and am excited about the prop options the new DLC may open, but I still think KSP needs in the vanilla game at least one stock prop engine of the type found in the Firespitter mod.)

 

Since the pro and anti DLC argument has been expressed in other forums, please don't recycle those arguments for either side here. My point is, if DLCs are going forward, how would you like to see it done?

Edited May 19, 2019 by Klapaucius

[Pthigrivi]

I had always hoped for surface features and robotics but honestly never thought we'd see them so soon, so I'm pretty excited about Breaking Ground. I agree with your criteria, so my hopes for the next one still lie with a 'building the future' DLC with life support including greenhouses and habitation modules, along with some fancy VASIMR engines and reactors.

The trouble is this would basically be the same as USI+SSPXR/NFT, so maybe they could throw in some better supported submarine parts, dirigibles and ballutes to make it really worth it?

[Challyss]

Well.... to be fair to the modders, all the "new features" we've had recently were already accessible through mods....

The only advantage of having these features stock is not to wait after updates.

That's the deal with modern games business plans. You start paying  to play a v0.0.1 and the game is then never really finished/optimized and so heavily modded that it looks like Frankenstein's creature.

But to make sure developpers still have money to (hopefully) work on optimizations and finalizing the game, it's DLCs.

[cantab]

A science fiction inspired DLC would be viable and popular I feel. I also wouldn't count out Squad tying up with an existing franchise, maybe not Star Wars but there are a lot of great movies, shows, and books around. The main downside I feel is the SF parts would probably want to be deliberately out-of-balance with the modern-day ones, but that's not a deal-breaker.

A DLC focussed on the management aspect of the game might work. At the moment the game is called Kerbal Space Program but mostly it's just flying the rockets yourself. Adding a lot of richness to hiring and firing, business decisions, the ability to schedule routine missions and have them flown in the background, and so on would add a new dimension to the game. Marketed effectively, it could bring in new players to the game, people who are not so interested in flight sims but are fans of tycoon games. On the other hand, if it's not marketed well it'll probably fall flat.

On a related note, I had an idea for a "commercial market" multiplayer. True "live" multiplayer is tricky in a game with timewarping like KSP has, but how about something where players can create craft with defined capabilities in the game and then have the option to buy and sell launches in career mode for Funds. This would probably work best with the base game offering a basic feature, but tying in to a management DLC for more options.

[halleyyy]

Star systems. Simply star systems. Same quality as Kerbol, maybe even procedural.

Plus the warp parts and stuff needed.

[mattinoz]

Rover racing.

Lightweight terrain remodelling so you can built racecourses anywhere (that counts as landed*) and invite friends to race their rovers against you. 

- Races would be time trial - or stretch goal-  peer to peer multi-player.

- Ground and constructed surfaces would need serious traction upgrade. 

- *Bonus points if racing options expanded to boats and planes.

[Chel]

PlaNe PaRtS dlC FoR StoKc ProPs

[Renae]

DLC can't fix what Kerbal needs, the engine is woefully dated.

[purpleivan]

I'd have to agree with @Noah the Smol as additional star systems would allow for content that was purely additional, i.e. wasn't mixed in with stock like extra parts are, so leaving a level playing field for things like challenges and career games. It's also one of the things most often mentioned as people being interested in and a natural way to extend the "additional payment required" part of the game.

Personally I'd throw 15-20$ at just one additional system the size of the current one, the day it launched.

Yes I know there's the "there are mods for that" argument against it, but some "cannon" planets to visit, with the resources that the developer can throw at them would still have my vote.

[halleyyy]

16 minutes ago, purpleivan said:

I'd have to agree with @Noah the Smol as additional star systems would allow for content that was purely additional, i.e. wasn't mixed in with stock like extra parts are, so leaving a level playing field for things like challenges and career games. It's also one of the things most often mentioned as people being interested in and a natural way to extend the "additional payment required" part of the game.

Personally I'd throw 15-20$ at just one additional system the size of the current one, the day it launched.

Yes I know there's the "there are mods for that" argument against it, but some "cannon" planets to visit, with the resources that the developer can throw at them would still have my vote.

especially if there was:

an optional homeworld

a submoon

a superkerbin

and R I N G E S

[purpleivan]

1 hour ago, Noah the Smol said:

especially if there was:

an optional homeworld

a submoon

a superkerbin

and R I N G E S

I think instead of having the optional homeworld (I guess that means having a planet in the new system that you can build and launch from) that the ISRU "fueled" launch pad could be taken there as a very large part. That way there is a real colonisation motivation, with the more stuff you send there, then more you can manufacture and launch from that other world(s).

Certainly if such a new planetary system was ever made as DLC, it should be something radically different to Kerbin's, preferably with some bodies having the more striking mix of terrain features that Kerbin has (water, land, mountains, rivers etc.), that other planets don't.

An inverse Laythe could be cool (think desert world, with small number of large lakes) as well as a moon moon (a planet's moon, that has its own tiny moon).

[Star-Eagle]

Hmm, what DLC's would I like to see?

1) An expanded habitation pack, not as a life support mod,  just something to extend the range of parts for space stations, large explorer ships ect.

2) Parts for ground bases, though I would be perfectly happy to see these in a general hab pack.

3) An extended range of rover parts, cabins/cockpits ect. Though again some of these could be part of a general hab pack.

4) A selection of electric population parts including electric propellers or ducted fans at least big enough for UAV's.

5) An expanded range of LF tanks for the NERVA engine.

 

That's all I can think of for now.   

[SolarAdmiral]

You know something I'd really love to see implemented in the game? Some more space program management stuff for career mode.

 

You know all those other tracking stations scattered around kerbin. What if those were something you had to pay for and build. Bring able to choose locations for them. Maybe being able to build new runways and launch pads in suitable locations.

 

If they bring that Mun launch pad over from the consol versions, I'd like to see it implimented as something you have to pay for set up and supply in career mode.

[Klapaucius]

4 hours ago, Star-Eagle said:

Hmm, what DLC's would I like to see?

1) An expanded habitation pack, not as a life support mod,  just something to extend the range of parts for space stations, large explorer ships ect.

2) Parts for ground bases, though I would be perfectly happy to see these in a general hab pack.

3) An extended range of rover parts, cabins/cockpits ect. Though again some of these could be part of a general hab pack.

4) A selection of electric population parts including electric propellers or ducted fans at least big enough for UAV's.

5) An expanded range of LF tanks for the NERVA engine.

 

That's all I can think of for now.   

I love all this, but I reckon that most it should probably be added to the base game (the work to create it funded, of course, by the other DLCs mentioned above )

Edited May 23, 2019 by Klapaucius

[Dirt The Space Dirt Fox]

Nuclear, nuclear and more nuclear stuff. We could use nuclear reactors, more nuclear engines, and perhaps electroplasma whatever they are called engines that reactors can power as well. in other words I'm a big fan of Kerbal Atomics and the Near Future series electrical and engines mods, but I'd like to see stuff like this in the stock game to give more options when it comes to building immense ships capable of going anywhere!

[Star-Eagle]

26 minutes ago, Klapaucius said:

I love all this, but I reckon that most it should probably be added to the base game (the work to create it, funded of course, by the other DLCs mentioned above )

I agree that the base game could do with a handful of extra habitat parts but I would really like is a much more extensive parts pack like Nertea's Stockalike Station Parts Redux mod.   

[kBob]

On 5/22/2019 at 7:09 AM, Noah the Smol said:

Star systems. Simply star systems. Same quality as Kerbol, maybe even procedural.

Plus the warp parts and stuff needed.

I and other have suggested this in the distant past.  I think it's still a good idea.  Mine is to be able to generate random systems that can be saved and shared.  Lots of optional settings so I can guide it towards certain types of systems when desired.  Fun math to make sure systems are stable.  Some enhanced textures etc. too.

[StrandedonEarth]