ChrisSpace Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 (edited) So, if you were to ask me a month ago what I would want to see in Kerbal Space Program 2, the following is what I would say. I know a lot of these are confirmed to not even be considered for the game, but I’m just putting this all out there for the record. Since most of these features are present in KSP1 in mods, I’m also taking note of which mods I have to approximate certain features. So without further ado, let’s begin. Note that there’s some overlap with some of the mods’ features. Again, this is not a wishlist for KSP2, just my pre-KSP2 thoughts on what such a game could include. Everything in KSP1 Mods I use for this: N/A Featured in KSP2: No This here is currently the biggest disappointment to me. The fact that there are elements of the first game that probably won’t be in the second is, it’s really annoying. Interstellar travel Mods I use for this: Haven’t tried any but I know there’s a few Featured in KSP2: Yes Okay, I’m really excited about this one. Even though we’re only getting two or three new star systems, that’s a lot to worlds to explore and colonise. Offworld colonies Mods I use for this: USI Kolonization systems, Kerbal Planetary Base Systems, Ground Construction Featured in KSP2: Yes This is a big one. The ability to build and launch vessels from other worlds is going to make things far easier, and a bit more realistic too since all IRL interstellar spacecraft designs involve being constructed in space and not down here. Planetary rings full of actual rock particles Mods I use for this: None Featured in KSP2: Yes So, here’s something which no-one I know of has modded in and which I’ve been wishing for for years. I really hope it’s possible to properly interact with the ring particles too but I won’t ask for too much. More space station parts, including inflatable and rotating modules Mods I use for this: Stockalike Station Parts Redux, Dark Side Technology continued, Wild Blue Industries DSEV Featured in KSP2: Yes The inclusion of more “advanced” habitation modules for interplanetary and interstellar travel is an important addition, and I’m very glad that this has been added in. More/better landing legs Mods I use for this: Kerbal Reusability Expansion Featured in KSP2: Yes This one may seem like a small detail but it’s actually a pretty big deal. A lot of the landers I make use long engines, and as such require longer landing legs than what’s currently in the game. So I’m happy that we have some new legs shown in the trailer. New Propulsion Systems Mods I use for this: Kerbal Atomics, Near Future Technologies, USI Project Orion, Far Future Technologies, Wild Blue Industries DSEV Featured in KSP2: Partially Besides the Orion Engine, Metallic Hydrogen Engine and Daedalus Drive, we have no indication of what’s going to be added in KSP2 as far as engines and propulsion systems go. But even if it’s just those three, that alone is enough to be extremely excited about. Fission/Fusion reactors Mods I use for this: Near Future Technologies, Far Future Technologies Featured in KSP2: No So far we have no indication that any kind of nuclear energy generators are going to be in the game. This is really disappointing, especially considering how easy it would be to add them in. Clouds Mods I use for this: Environmental Visual Enhancements Featured in KSP2: No Probably not This one’s a real pain. You can’t convince me that Kerbin at the start of the KSP2 trailer didn’t have clouds on it, so there’s no way to get around the fact that they intentionally misled us. Even some of the official art for the first game featured a Kerbin with clouds, so this marks the second KSP game in a row to have tricked us with this. A completed solar system Mods I use for this: Outer Planets Mod Featured in KSP2: No Initially I was upset that the Kerbol system itself isn’t going to expand in KSP2, but now that I think about it more I don’t think this is such a bad idea. I mean, all those new worlds that were going to be added to KSP1’s Kerbol system can instead be used to add onto other star systems, so the number of unique worlds is more evenly spread between the three or four systems in the Kerbal galaxy. Real Solar System game mode Mods I use for this: Real Solar System Featured in KSP2: No I never expected this to ever be a thing in KSP or any potential sequel, so I wasn’t surprised that it was excluded. But now that we have axial tilt, the RSS mod for KSP2 is going to be a lot better than in the first game, and that’s something I’m looking forward to. Life support systems Mods I use for this: TAC Life Support Featured in KSP2: No I have no idea how colonies are going to work without life support systems being implemented. Actually, I do know, but it’s going to feel really incomplete to me. A larger spaceplane size Mods I use for this: Mark IV Spaceplane Fuselage Featured in KSP2: No This is a smaller detail but one that’ll be quite important for making spaceplane launch vehicles and similar vessels. But I don’t use spaceplanes that often so it’s not too big a deal for me. A larger variety of radiators Mods I use for this: Heat Control Featured in KSP2: No The Daedalus Drive realistically should produce vast amounts of waste heat, so the lack of any new radiators being shown is quite concerning from a realism perspective. Non-instantaneous research and construction times Mods I use for this: Kerbal Construction Time Featured in KSP2: No One of the things I really didn’t like about the first game is the fact that you can basically finish the entire tech tree and launch expeditions to every corner of the Kerbol system within one in-game year of your first suborbital hop. And it doesn’t look like there’s going to be any improvement to this in the sequel. Inventory systems for Kerbals Mods I use for this: Kerbal Inventory System Featured in KSP2: No I personally don’t use KIS much, but I figured it would be quite important to have something like that in the game. Replacing “Liquid Fuel” with a real type of fuel Mods I use for this: Cryogenic Rocket Engines Featured in KSP2: No The generic “Liquid Fuel” in KSP1 doesn’t have properties matching any known liquid rocket propellant, and as such I avoid using it whenever possible. With the introduction of colonies it makes sense for propellant to be produced on-site, so this would be a perfect opportunity to replace LF with Methane, Hydrogen or a combination of the two. But I’ve seen no indication of this. Living ecosystems on Kerbin and Laythe Mods I use for this: None Featured in KSP2: No This is something I honestly never expect to be any KSP game, or even as a mod, but it’s still worth briefly mentioning. We all know that Laythe has oxygen in it’s atmosphere, so it must also have some advanced aquatic ecosystem, but what if you could actually see that in the game, with alien versions of fish and coral and stuff? It would be a lot like the ocean biosphere from Subnautica, except the creatures probably shouldn’t interact with spacecraft or Kerbals besides swimming out of their way. Is this even possible to code into the game, as a mod or an official thing? I highly doubt it. COaDE-style acceleration-based trajectory planning Mods I use for this: None Featured in KSP2: No One of the things that the developers of KSP2 have been very vocal about is the fact that, in order to travel to other star systems, you’ll need to accelerate and decelerate for a long time. This idea is completely incompatible with KSP’s current system of trajectory planning, which approximates every node as an instantaneous burn. Thankfully, this problem has already been solved in the game Children of a Dead Earth. While trajectory planning in there is very similar to that of KSP, it takes into account the time it takes to accelerate and the impact that this has on the actual trajectory. More easter eggs, plot, storyline etc Mods I use for this: None Featured in KSP2: No KSP is, at it’s core, a sandbox game where the player shouldn’t be restrained by specific goals and missions (except in contracts, obviously). With that being said, it’s still pretty disappointing that so much backstory is left incomplete, with so many questions left unanswered. In particular I’m referring to the various easter eggs in the game, which we probably won’t be getting any more of in the second. Concluding thoughts So, from that huge list, what’s my final perspective? There’s two very different but equally correct ways I can answer that. First, I’m cautiously optimistic for KSP2 itself. There are a lot of cool things that have been confirmed, and many more things that aren’t going to be in, but overall I’m happy with what’ll be included. It’s certainly better than what we have right now, but there’s also a ton of stuff that could still be added to improve things, many of which aren’t even shown on my personal wishlist. But while I’m only cautiously optimistic for the stock game itself, my overall excitement is through the roof. To see why, look back at KSP1. I’m not going to sugarcoat the fact that Squad sold us an incomplete game, nor am I going to forget the various features they’ve promised over the years which were never implemented. But how did we, the KSP community react? We didn’t complain, we filled in the blanks ourself. We never got given fusion engines or outer planets or life support systems, so we modded them in. At this point I don’t know one person who plays KSP without a large amount of mods, and I think it was part of Squad’s plan all along. And, mark my words, the same will happen with KSP2. Just like in the first game, the individuals who spend their time modding in the features we all want will play just as important a role as the developers themselves. You know, I first joined this forum when I was fourteen years old, and if I found out back then just how far this game and it’s fanbase has come in the last four years, I mean I wouldn’t be surprised but I’d still be very impressed. It wasn’t just the developers that made KSP the phenomenon that it was, but this amazing community too, and the perfect blend of the two that emerged. And that blend is what will make Kerbal Space Program 2 incredible. Edited September 7, 2019 by ChrisSpace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldForest Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 (edited) 26 minutes ago, ChrisSpace said: Everything in KSP1 Mods I use for this: N/A Featured in KSP2: No This here is currently the biggest disappointment to me. The fact that there are elements of the first game that probably won’t be in the second is, it’s really annoying. All planets and moons are going to be in KSP 2, the kerborler system isnt changing at all. Just a face lift. As for parts, KSP 1 parts will be in KSP 2. They just said not ALL the KSP 1 parts will make it in at launch. They might add KSP 1 parts as free dlc down the line. So everything, most likely no. Most things will be in the game. And a lot of the other features you mentioned are actually going to be in game or they will see about bringing them. Clouds: Nate said they are working on it. Life support: May actually be in the game, Nate danced around the question. Replacing Liquid Fuel: Again, Nate danced around this one so maybe. Acceleration based trajectory planning: Nate said there are tools in KSP 2 to help you plan and execute burns. No details, but he said they did have tools for us. Edited September 7, 2019 by GoldForest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GluttonyReaper Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 54 minutes ago, GoldForest said: As for parts, KSP 1 parts will be in KSP 2. They just said not ALL the KSP 1 parts will make it in at launch. Frankly, whether this depends pretty heavily on what parts aren't being included, and whether they're given suitable replacements. Like, would anyone even notice if the Micronode went, uh... 'missing'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 55 minutes ago, ChrisSpace said: I have no idea how colonies are going to work without life support systems being implemented. Actually, I do know, but it’s going to feel really incomplete to me. With all the basic assets already in place (containers, colonies, extraplanetary launchpads, ground construction) every "hard mode" KSP mod from LS to colonization will only need a plugin and at most a part or two to be implemented in the game. As I stated before a big chunk of those mods was about filling the gaps in the surface parts and construction and the resource system, this game will have all of those stock from the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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