Maintenence of old KSP mods

[dozerman]

I'm looking through my CKAN instance and I'm pretty sure I've had something like 1000 addons over time. The vast, vast majority of these are completely unmaintained and can not be used on modern KSP installs. With KSP2 coming down the pipe, is there any motivation these days behind maintaining addons for old KSP, or is this just the end?

 

[Xavven]

The opposite is usually true.

When devs stop updating the base game, generally it's the start of the golden age of mods. It's easier to mod because you don't have to worry about the base code changing and breaking your mod. More time is spent adding features to the mod and less time is spent keeping it working with new base game versions.

[Gargamel]

Moved to add-on discussion. 
 

 

[zer0Kerbal]

well, then there is @zer0Kerbal

[Jacke]

On 5/18/2022 at 4:31 PM, dozerman said:

I'm looking through my CKAN instance and I'm pretty sure I've had something like 1000 addons over time. The vast, vast majority of these are completely unmaintained and can not be used on modern KSP installs. With KSP2 coming down the pipe, is there any motivation these days behind maintaining addons for old KSP, or is this just the end?

There are a number of addons that really aren't needed, either ever or now.  Others got integrated into the game or combined.

I'd say there are somewhere between 100 and 200 mods that are really useful and/or needed.  I'm still working on my mod set for KSP 1.12.x and it's just over 60, but that's without graphics and parts mods, which should add about 10 to 20.  And most parts mods are overkill or needless complicate the game.  And some mods are total conversion mods or close to it and really only 1 of them can be used at a time.

Mods need to stand the test of time.  Things like Module Manager are essential.  Most others, not so much.

[dozerman]

On 5/18/2022 at 11:48 AM, Xavven said:

The opposite is usually true.

When devs stop updating the base game, generally it's the start of the golden age of mods. It's easier to mod because you don't have to worry about the base code changing and breaking your mod. More time is spent adding features to the mod and less time is spent keeping it working with new base game versions.

Odd little sense of hope there. Thank you.

I will say that it doesn't really assuage my larger concern, though, in that I fear that (unlike in many other games, which don't have such similar

sequels) KSP2 will be such a straight-line continuation of KSP that most people will just move right over and leave OG KSP behind.

 

On 5/18/2022 at 9:26 PM, zer0Kerbal said:

well, then there is @zer0Kerbal

Didn't know they existed. I'd chip in on a patreon if available.

 

5 hours ago, Jacke said:

I'd say there are somewhere between 100 and 200 mods that are really useful and/or needed. 

The reality of that situation seems to bear that out (hence the "over time" statement). CKAN says I have 156 installed on my most played instance, which is 1.4 for compatibility with older mods that I like.

5 hours ago, Jacke said:

And most parts mods are overkill or needless complicate the game. 

Maybe. Then again, isn't over-complicating things a core tenant of KSP?

[damerell]

On 5/22/2022 at 10:09 AM, dozerman said:

KSP2 will be such a straight-line continuation of KSP that most people will just move right over and leave OG KSP behind.

Suppose they do; suppose literally everyone but you and me stops playing KSP1 immediately. This isn't the end of the world, because every mod that works now for KSP1 continues to work indefinitely.

(Linuxgurugamer is also maintaining an astronomical number of mods and has a Patreon...)