Devnote Tuesdays: The "Almost Forgot to Title This Post" Edition

[SQUAD]

<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/0ff9377afa68dc3ad3fe6844aaf1bd38/tumblr_inline_n050hurA3C1rr2wit.jpg"/></p>

<p><strong>Felipe (HarvesteR)</strong><span><strong>:</strong> Working on the newly-announced-and-no-longer-a-secret NASA mission pack with Chad, this is a very cool set of features we have lined up, and looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun to develop this.</span></p>

<p><strong>Alex (aLeXmOrA): </strong><span>Last week, we officially launched <em><strong>KerbalEdu</strong></em>. I did some changes to the <em><strong>Kerbal</strong></em> website, so people can see there’s an educational version of the game. Right now, I’m setting up a page that will be announced soon. </span></p>

<p><span><strong>Mike (Mu):</strong> Still in the batcave.</span><span> </span></p>

<p><strong>Marco (Samsonart):</strong><span> I’ve been checking the in-game tutorials after being told many times that they are really, really outdated, and indeed they are, so they will be getting an overhaul. </span></p>

<p><strong>Chad (C7)</strong><span><strong>:</strong> That cat is finally out of the bag, and the project that I’ve been working on was recently covered by Polygon. *I’ve been working closely with Felipe, to try and make an awesome pack of content for everyone.</span></p>

<p><strong>Daniel (danRosas):</strong><span> *</span><span>I’ve been doing new animations for Gene Kerman, for his appearance in the new UI screen. Now I’m starting to plan out the new <strong>Kerbal</strong> animation, and have some ideas floating around. Keyword here is: asteroid. </span></p>

<p><strong>Jim (Romfarer):</strong><span> </span><span>This week i have been finishing up most of the gui functionality for the new interface i’m doing with Dan.</span></p>

<p><strong>Miguel (Maxmaps):</strong><span> Working on the tutorial design with Samsonart. Designing away, figuring out how. Also so happy to get the message out that we’re working with NASA. It’ll be amazing.</span></p>

<p><strong>Jesus (Chuchito): </strong><span>Finished the server low level design.</span><span> </span><span></span></p>

<p><span><strong>Bob (Calisker):</strong> </span><span>Yesterday’s Polygon feature (if you haven’t read it, go here now: <a href="http://goo.gl/yfZd4D"><strong><a href="http://goo.gl/yfZd4D">http://goo.gl/yfZd4D</a></strong></a>) was something I’d been working on since I started with the team so it was a very special day for me to see it published and on top of it, earn so much admiration. My focus continues to be on a few “events” and how we will participate in them. One thing we do know is that C7 is speaking at GDC this March. That’s going to be a good one.</span></p>

<p><strong>Ted (Ted): </strong><span>Kept working on documentation this week and begun to get very excited about the features and content to come!</span></p>

<p><span><strong>Anthony (Rowsdower):</strong> Thanks to everyone who chimed in with help for mascot stuff. Don’t know if we’ll be able to come through, but I’ve at least been able to get in touch with some rad companies. Hopefully time and budget will work in our favor! Speaking of budgeting, I’ve been doing some of that, as well as analyzing some social media metrics. Oooooo exciting stuff, huh? While I’ve got the mic here, I’m finalizing some contest plans where you all will be VERY involved. However I’m having trouble with prizes. What kind of prizes would you like to see for a contest that may or may not have many multiple winners. Keep it realistic here. We’re not about to book Black Sabbath to play a company lunch. That’d be pretty cool, though.<br/></span></p>

<p><span><strong>Eduardo (Lalo):</strong> <span id="docs-internal-guid-15456331-db7e-e1ab-7353-8b07f9c4cc79">I played <em><strong>Kerbal</strong></em>, I’m becoming insane!!!</span></span><span></span></p>

[box_brain]

ooo can't wait for this downloadable pack! Will it cost money I wonder?

[henryrasia]

Oh, so you're working on the asteroid thing NOW? That's great! But I'd still like to know how is the main development cycle going, if at all. Also, is it going to be KerbalEdu only?

[Tw1]

Eduardo (Lalo):</strong> <span id="docs-internal-guid-15456331-db7e-e1ab-7353-8b07f9c4cc79">I played <em><strong>Kerbal</strong></em>, I’m becoming insane!!!</span></span><span></span></p>

Welcome to the club!

For some reason, the thing that exited me the most in this devnotes was hearing about the Gene Keman animations. Wierd.

Maybe it's because I like speculating on their backstories, and this will give more info for that. Or maybe it's because it sounds like we'll see him in the screen for contracts.

Also odd that the devnotes post is using HTML, rather than BB. Intriguing. So it can be used on other sites as well perhaps?

[Deathsoul097]

@henryrasia

No, no, It's a mission pack. I don't know if you will have to pay (I doubt it, but you never know.) but it should be able to be used by all KSP'ers, EDU or not, IIRC.

[gardocki]

Oh, so you're working on the asteroid thing NOW? That's great! But I'd still like to know how is the main development cycle going, if at all. Also, is it going to be KerbalEdu only?

Asteroids have always been part of the official plan for KSP. I think this is a pretty cool thing to add right now. We haven't seen much in the way of new game objectives in a while. Well, science kind of adds objectives but it doesn't really change what people were already doing in space. So this should be pretty interesting.

[IvanTehFennec]

@henryrasia

No, no, It's a mission pack. I don't know if you will have to pay (I doubt it, but you never know.) but it should be able to be used by all KSP'ers, EDU or not, IIRC.

There will certainly be hell to pay if they want shekels (or Kekels) for a "Mission pack".

Edited January 29, 2014 by IvanTehFennec

[box_brain]

I remember reading somewhere that if you bought the game before May 2013, then you would get all future dlc free. I could be wrong, don't know.

[Rowsdower]

In full disclosure, fail on me for originally misspelling "Almost" in the original thread title.

There will certainly be hell to pay if they want shekels for a "Mission pack".

Leave your shekels and your hell behind. No payment is needed here.

Also odd that the devnotes post is using HTML, rather than BB. Intriguing. So it can be used on other sites as well perhaps?

The Daily Kerbal posts are pushed from Tumblr, which for some reason also has been delaying the times they've been getting posted here. Sorry for that.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Rowsdower

[Seshins]

much excite

[SkyRender]

I've always wanted to run a proper asteroid capture mission in KSP. And now it's not only going to be possible, but even part of the game's career mode content! That's pretty nifty, all things considered.

[FITorion]

Rowsdower

Prizes ideas:

Shapeways stuff.

Put a name in the Kerbal name generator. Pending approval.

Write a science flavor test. Pending approval.

KSP posters, hats, tshirts, and other such merchandise.

personal phone call with one of the devs?

hope those help.

[Rowsdower]

Thank you. You know, I've pitched that second one before for something else, but that would be perfect here.

[frizzank]

I will second the Shapeway's stuff. Maybe some of the planet models we saw in one of the PC mag pictures.

Your name in the game is a fun one as well. I would love to see Frizzank Von Kerbin zooming around....

[Captain Sierra]

So . . . there is an asteroid mission pack under development . . . as opposed to simply integrating asteroids into the stock game like so many of us beg for on a weekly basis . . . . not really sure what to make of this other than much disappointment in the choice of direction.

[tanuki_chau]

So . . . there is an asteroid mission pack under development . . . as opposed to simply integrating asteroids into the stock game like so many of us beg for on a weekly basis . . . . not really sure what to make of this other than much disappointment in the choice of direction.

I would think this is a bit of a win/win for everyone. You get something closely integrated with the game. Quality assured because it's NASA. On top of that Squad wins because now they can continue active development and fixing bugs. While at the same time opening up the option to incorporate the code NASA makes into the final release. I see it as a stop gap and PR push for NASA and KSP.

[Shuttle]

Are developers going to post a feature list for .24?

[Palleas]

I feel That this NASA pack is a great news for squad and the team. But as a player... I "don't really care". It is not the most important... Am I the only one?

[The Destroyer]

What's the difference between KerbalEdu and normal? Just friendly and learning activites?

[Captain Sierra]

I feel That this NASA pack is a great news for squad and the team. But as a player... I "don't really care". It is not the most important... Am I the only one?

Did I not just say that?

. . . as opposed to simply integrating asteroids into the stock game like so many of us beg for on a weekly basis . . . .

I did.

Make that two people who feel this isn't super great news for everyone. I'm happy for squad, but it seems like it's not a wise choice considering where that development time could and should be going.

[O-Doc]

I'm happy for squad, but it seems like it's not a wise choice considering where that development time could and should be going.

It's a good business decision. The education market is huge. Squad doing good business means they have more money to hire more developers to make the game better.

[arq]

Personally, I would prefer that Squad worked more on developing the core capabilities of the game, such as career mode. However, if these asteroids are a new class of object (neither a celestial body or a vessel) then their addition involves a significant contribution to the 'engine' and is not simply a set of models, which I would be happy to see.

Because KSP is so easily and actively modded, my vote will always be towards features that modders cannot easily do themselves (ie tweakables, science, SAS improvements). It remains to be seen how this mission pack will pan out in that regard.

[KerbMav]

but it seems like it's not a wise choice considering where that development time could and should be going.

Like ... expanding possibilities and developing the games environment?

[jcraft]

So . . . there is an asteroid mission pack under development . . . as opposed to simply integrating asteroids into the stock game like so many of us beg for on a weekly basis . . . . not really sure what to make of this other than much disappointment in the choice of direction.

It really depends in how they going to implement this. If indeed it will be only a additional separate scenario then it is kinda disappointing, but if they need to implement actual asteroids to stock game to make this mission pack work then we will get a nice new feature in addition to this mission pack.

[XIRA]

i wouldn't be suprised if they release a couple of normal astroids in orbit around kerbol that never encounter kerbin. and in combination with that we get this mission pack, with an actual astroid on a collision course with Kerbin.