Kerbal Space Program 2 Release into Early Access Feb 24th

[TLTay]

How are you giving us tech progression and science before colony parts, way before interstellar parts, and even further before resource harvesting parts? Won't  the progression need to be revamped with each new release of parts and functionality?

[KSK]

I don't have a dog in this fight since I was already firmly in the 'buy it once the reviews are out' camp and I'm not especially interested in a sandbox only version of KSP2 since I had plenty of 'building cool rockets' already in KSP1. Hence, I'm not particularly likely to pick this up in early access.

With all that said - are the developers trying to get review bombed to Eeloo and back on Steam? Because a $50 early access game without any of the major features that've already been trailed is going to get review bombed to Eeloo and back on Steam.

And sadly, although most Steam 'reviews' aren't worth the paper they're written on (in my opinion), Steam review scores do seem to have a disproportionate impact on a game launch.

 

[The Aziz]

6 minutes ago, TLTay said:

revamped

Is a big word. I think "adapted" would be more fitting.

[Pthigrivi]

1 hour ago, TLTay said:

How are you giving us tech progression and science before colony parts, way before interstellar parts, and even further before resource harvesting parts? Won't  the progression need to be revamped with each new release of parts and functionality?

I think the question it will be asking is whether the underlying paradigm and mechanics are running smoothly--are the slate of experiments fun and useful? Are science lab mechanics working? Are boom events doing what they're meant to do? How is the pacing? (Just guessing on these because we don't know much yet). If the underlying system is working well enough to get players through the early part of the tech tree they'll know they're on the right track at least. Of course you're right though that once you add in those other big systems you'll probably want to see some rebalancing. I think even in KSP1 there were some initial assumptions about how players would approach science collection and contracts that were not quite right and never really had a thorough shakedown with everything else they were trying to accomplish. In KSP2 for instance you wouldn't want to create the same incentive to science-grind by endlessly biome hopping for diminishing returns around KSOI. You'll be hoping to encourage players to explore much further much earlier, which means you might want part research to gate or be temporarily mined out near Kerbin until later-tier experiments are unlocked. It'll be important for them to know that those kinds of bedrock dynamics are working before they go and apply them to multiple star systems. 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Pthigrivi

[Kerbart]

2 hours ago, TLTay said:

How are you giving us tech progression and science before colony parts, way before interstellar parts, and even further before resource harvesting parts? Won't  the progression need to be revamped with each new release of parts and functionality?

One thing to keep in mind is that pretty much no one is happy with the current system of science, tech and How It All Relates. The question may, for KSP 2, be completely irrelevant, or solve itself as new parts become available. Without knowledge of how the new game works it's hard to make any "don't worry" claims but I suspect it's less of an issue than you'd think it is.

[Rutabaga22]

5 hours ago, The Aziz said:

You guys know that all these features looked pretty playable according to official sources? Everything on the list was in the works since the very beginning, footage from colonies, new planets, interstellar parts looked pretty good years ago. The mechanics are already there, just need some refinement.

KSP1 introduced science in update 0.22, only 3 months after 0.21 - that's assuming they started from scratch. We're not starting from scratch here.

Intercept is using time between updates to get our feedback on things, and maybe drop a few hotfixes if something doesn't act like it should. Not to remake the whole science system or whatever.

This. People are acting like we haven't seen working interstellar engines. The first feature video had interstellar engines happening.

Edited October 25, 2022 by Rutabaga22

[TLTay]

3 hours ago, KSK said:

With all that said - are the developers trying to get review bombed to Eeloo and back on Steam? Because a $50 early access game without any of the major features that've already been trailed is going to get review bombed to Eeloo and back on Steam.

 

This is my concern as well, but they are at least fairly upfront about it lacking those features.

My primary concern at this point is avoiding cancellation. I'm not thrilled at all with the state of development, but I've waited 2.5 years and there is not likely to be an alternative on the horizon.

Since I was going to spend 50 bucks on it anyway, I'll be buying on day one to keep it alive... At least I can see if it'll run well on my current system. Probably won't play much in day one state.

Edited October 25, 2022 by TLTay

[Bej Kerman]

11 minutes ago, TLTay said:

This is my concern as well, but they are at least fairly upfront about it lacking those features.

It doesn't lack anything. Most of the features that we'll see unlocked have been completed for years now.

[TLTay]

6 minutes ago, Bej Kerman said:

It doesn't lack anything. Most of the features that we'll see unlocked have been completed for years now.

You forgot the /s, mate. Someone might think you're serious before bursting out laughing.

[Gargamel]

13 minutes ago, Bej Kerman said:

It doesn't lack anything. Most of the features that we'll see unlocked have been completed for years now.

And that's why I think they're doing EA now (also known as paid open beta), so they can work out the bugs while listening to input.   With most of the components at ~80% complete, my guess is we'll see a Christmas 2022 release for the vast majority of components being included, and looking for a couple major updates later on when other not so completed components are brought into the fold.    But that's a guess based on no exact info.  

EDIT:   Let's change that Spring 2023.   For some reason I have it stuck in mind it's May

Edited October 25, 2022 by Gargamel

[Bej Kerman]

1 minute ago, Gargamel said:

And that's why I think they're doing EA now (also known as paid open beta), so they can work out the bugs while listening input.   With most of the components at ~80% complete, my guess is we'll see a Christmas 2022 release for the vast majority of components being included, and looking for a couple major updates later on when other not so completed components are brought into the fold.    But that's a guess based on no exact info.  

Beats "you're just being silly, none of these things we've been seeing for years are actually complete" for an answer 

[Pthigrivi]

1 hour ago, Bej Kerman said:

It doesn't lack anything. Most of the features that we'll see unlocked have been completed for years now.

I would say underway for years certainly. I forgot who mentioned the quote "The first 90% of the project takes 90% of your time, and the last 10% takes the other 90%" but my guess is running up to release they're digging into that last 90%.

[Bej Kerman]

21 minutes ago, Pthigrivi said:

I would say underway for years certainly. I forgot who mentioned the quote "The first 90% of the project takes 90% of your time, and the last 10% takes the other 90%" but my guess is running up to release they're digging into that last 90%.

Of course, but some people seem to think Intercept isn't even 1% of the way towards its goal.

[MechBFP]

12 minutes ago, Bej Kerman said:

Of course, but some people seem to think Intercept isn't even 1% of the way towards its goal.

The interesting part is that the closer they are to completion the less usable any community feedback they get is, unless they decided to discard alot of progress. I can’t see that happening. 

[PopinFRESH]

7 hours ago, Bej Kerman said:

It doesn't lack anything. Most of the features that we'll see unlocked have been completed for years now.

Would love to know who/where you've got this inside scoop? Got any links to posts or evidence of this since you've stated it so factually?

[Vl3d]

3 hours ago, PopinFRESH said:

Would love to know who/where you've got this inside scoop? Got any links to posts or evidence of this since you've stated it so factually?

 

[MechBFP]

2 hours ago, Vl3d said:

 

Seems you made a mistake when you posted that link. It just goes to the first page of that thread. Can you edit your post to include the actual post in that thread you are referring to?

[Vl3d]

17 minutes ago, MechBFP said:

Seems you made a mistake when you posted that link. It just goes to the first page of that thread. Can you edit your post to include the actual post in that thread you are referring to?

You can see in the OP everything that has been shown publicly about the new features.

[Kapitalizing Every Word]

Unrelated but I have a very important question.
I live in Argentina wich is a third world country that happens to be in constant economic failure no matter what as such our currency is very weak and inflation is enormous. Even if I am not so personally affected by this I feel the necessity to ask if the game will have steam's "price adaption" thingy for third world countrys.

[ondrafialka]

While I am excited to finally have a release date (I was afraid the game might get scraped and not released at all), I feel like this is just a very fancy way of saying "The game is not complete at all, we have to anounce another delay, but we  need to generate income or Take Two will close the project". Still better than having no game at all.

Edited October 26, 2022 by ondrafialka

[The Aziz]

Last time I saw it, in case of some titles that adaptation meant rising the pricetag by over 400% in countries like Argentina and Turkey. Of course it's up to the publisher, and by the looks of it, big publishers opt in for "suggested" local prices.

However, inflation aside, before the change it sometimes meant that people in some countries could afford games for much less than the others (producing much less profit for a publisher) - and I'm not talking about direct conversion rate, but percentage of average income - and by the looks of it, now it's evened out between currencies, more or less. It looks like it's fair for everyone.

[Vl3d]

Guys and girls, stop being cheap and buy / support this game starting February. We know the team is passionate about it, we know they have corporate support for the dream and the future. Pay the damn 50$ and show we want it too.

PS: I'm buying it also to become a client so that some people will stop saying I should have no expectations because the devs don't owe me anything.

[Gargamel]

17 minutes ago, Vl3d said:

Guys and girls, stop being cheap and buy / support this game starting February. We know the team is passionate about it, we know they have corporate support for the dream and the future. Pay the damn 50$ and show we want it too.

PS: I'm buying it also to become a client so that some people will stop saying I should have no expectations because the devs don't owe me anything.

While I agree with your sentiment, couple of things.  
 

People aren’t being cheap.   Each person has their own motivations and budgets that we don’t know about.   

And even when you do buy the game, the devs still don’t owe anybody anything.    Short out of outright legal agreements, implied or explicit, buying a game is always caveat emptor. 

[PopinFRESH]

6 hours ago, Vl3d said:

9 hours ago, PopinFRESH said:

16 hours ago, Bej Kerman said:

17 hours ago, TLTay said:

This is my concern as well, but they are at least fairly upfront about it lacking those features.

My primary concern at this point is avoiding cancellation. I'm not thrilled at all with the state of development, but I've waited 2.5 years and there is not likely to be an alternative on the horizon.

Since I was going to spend 50 bucks on it anyway, I'll be buying on day one to keep it alive... At least I can see if it'll run well on my current system. Probably won't play much in day one state.

It doesn't lack anything. Most of the features that we'll see unlocked have been completed for years now.

Would love to know who/where you've got this inside scoop? Got any links to posts or evidence of this since you've stated it so factually?

 

None of that post, or thread, show "most of the features...have been completed for years now.". If that was the case then we wouldn't be having an EA release, or at least we wouldn't be having an EA release of just the basic sandbox.

[MechBFP]

3 hours ago, Vl3d said:

You can see in the OP everything that has been shown publicly about the new features.

Yup you sure can.  Can you explain how that is at all relevant to @PopinFRESH question to Bej though? 
 

EDIT: See his response above for additional clarification. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by MechBFP