Programs

[Javster]

I have an idea: long-term programs. It might have been suggested before, but I think I can expand on them so that they're not just a list of set missions.

A program would have a specific goal: eg. Landing on Mun.

Each program would have a series of tasks, such as:

Fly-by Mun

Orbit Mun

Survey Mun

Land on Mun

Return from Mun

The big twist here is that you'd choose whether you would want to do those tasks in order, with several spacecraft, etc.

The idea would be that they guide you towards landing, instead of getting in a situation where you've landed on the Mun, but aren't getting the reward because you didn't do a dedicated fly-by mission first.

EDIT: to clarify, a program would be almost like a collection of contracts.

Edited May 27, 2014 by Javster

[Ruinsage]

Also known as contracts

[Javster]

Also known as contracts

First of all, don't be so unpleasant.

Second of all, I always took contracts to be a single mission, rather than a full program, and AFAIK, that's what they are.

[sal_vager]

Guys, there's no need to take a defensive attitude over everything, seriously.

[Javster]

Guys, there's no need to take a defensive attitude over everything, seriously.

There also isn't a need for dumbing down an idea and dismissing it as something else when it is in fact a different idea...

And yes, maybe I am defensive, but I also can't help noticing that there has been no useful feedback besides "this is already coming" and "don't be so defensive".

Edited July 14, 2014 by Javster

[Kasuha]

I think the contracts system will be working somewhat along these lines.

A company will contract you to perform a flyby of Mun. If you succeed, your reputation will raise and you'll be offered a contract for orbit around Mun. And so on. It's not explicitly a space program but the gradation element is there.

[LethalDose]

I think the contracts system will be working somewhat along these lines.

A company will contract you to perform a flyby of Mun. If you succeed, your reputation will raise and you'll be offered a contract for orbit around Mun. And so on. It's not explicitly a space program but the gradation element is there.

Has this "gradation" ever been discussed by the devs? If so, can you please provide a source?

IIRC the devs have said that the contracts offered to the player will be based on what the player has accopmplished, but I don't believe that they've stated that some contracts will lead directly to others. If I understand what the OP is describing, the proposed system would be like a "contract chain" (Yeah, I'm borrowing it from "Quest chain" in WoW/other MMOs/RPGs).

I think it's a good idea and would like to see it as a variant of the contract system.

[Javster]

I think the contracts system will be working somewhat along these lines.

A company will contract you to perform a flyby of Mun. If you succeed, your reputation will raise and you'll be offered a contract for orbit around Mun. And so on. It's not explicitly a space program but the gradation element is there.

Contracts should be dependent on reputation IMO.

[Kasuha]

Contracts should be dependent on reputation IMO.

I think that's exactly what I wrote.

[Javster]

I think that's exactly what I wrote.

I'm just saying that I agree

[r4pt0r]

Jav, in what way is your idea different then contracts? more structured? would each task need to be done seperately or can i start the program and land/return right off the bat. cuz as ive understood it, the devs are making contracts optional, so you can play the way you want to. would your programs be optional?

[Javster]

Jav, in what way is your idea different then contracts? more structured? would each task need to be done seperately or can i start the program and land/return right off the bat. cuz as ive understood it, the devs are making contracts optional, so you can play the way you want to. would your programs be optional?

They would, but they would serve as some kind of "storyline". Each task should be done separately, although you could do max 2-3 objectives per mission.

From what i understand a contract is a simple objective eg. get into orbit, land on Mun etc. A program would have a structure, with certain objectives.

[Red Iron Crown]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to have several contracts tied together into a program. What if you bite off more than you can chew and don't realize it? With a single contract, you just lose out on that contract. With a program, you lose the whole thing.

I agree though, that there should be some progression in contracts, whether based on reputation or otherwise (I'm still not clear on how reputation is meant to work if you can exchange it for other currencies). Completing a Mun flyby contract might open up a Mun landing contract; that seems like a natural and intuitive progression. I'm just not convinced I want to commit to both contracts at the same time, before completing either of them.

[Javster]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to have several contracts tied together into a program. What if you bite off more than you can chew and don't realize it? With a single contract, you just lose out on that contract. With a program, you lose the whole thing.

I agree though, that there should be some progression in contracts, whether based on reputation or otherwise (I'm still not clear on how reputation is meant to work if you can exchange it for other currencies). Completing a Mun flyby contract might open up a Mun landing contract; that seems like a natural and intuitive progression. I'm just not convinced I want to commit to both contracts at the same time, before completing either of them.

Well, hopefully, you'll avoid biting off more than you can chew because the program will only be available once you've done some other previous tasks. Also the program will guide you, so it won't have a huge jump.

Also, I hope reputation will be exchangeable for other currencies in this way:

publish science discovery --> get money and some rep

get sponsored by corporation/ advertise products on spacecraft --> get loads of money and lose some rep.

[Red Iron Crown]

I suppose, too, that you could combine several parts of the program into one mission, like in your example do a flyby, orbit, survey, landing and return in one go. Is that what you were imagining?

Programs might be good, a lot depends on how contracts work exactly, I guess.

[Javster]

I suppose, too, that you could combine several parts of the program into one mission, like in your example do a flyby, orbit, survey, landing and return in one go. Is that what you were imagining?

Programs might be good, a lot depends on how contracts work exactly, I guess.

I'm thinking you could combine some objectives, but not too many or it becomes exploitable: why do a Mun landing contract when you can do an entire program and get 3x the reward?