stijnovic

I am often very scared when coming out of time acceleration/map-view in close proximity to a planet, frantically trying to drag it into view but unable to find it, I can feel it staring at my back and its gravity pulling me in, like a predator in the shadows...

Yes! A galactic database / science tree! Something like so: Sun - planets - moons - altitudes - biomes - science instruments - science points (y out of x)

Yes, space stations need a real role in the science part. Maybe for developing better life support systems? I have always found it rather strange that my Kerbins survive in their little capsules indefinitely if I don't make them crash. Maybe a space station could also be used to test newly unlocked "prototypes" of new parts.

Yes! I like this idea! I think there should be a science tree similar to the tech tree. This gives much more meaning to the science. In stead of going to Mun and do as much science on the way as possible, you would would go to Mun for a specific reason. Also a science tree gives a very good overview of the science you have already done. Because right now, you have to remember for each science instrument on which location you have used it. Another thing: Right now, for science it only matters WHERE you do it, but not at which speed, time of day (light or dark), what type of ship and what size this ship is. Also do you get points for special manoeuvers like staging, docking, landing, EVA-ing (and I don't mean just on the ladder for a second and then return to your capsule), etc.

I would think that a Type III civilization could support many different levels of intelligence and moral, much like our current Type 0.xx civilization. So it would depend on coincidence which individual we would meet. The scenario described by the OP, is more based on the difference in size of the individuals of a civilization, not the size/type of the civilization.

What do you all mean by "terminal velocity"? That would be the velocity you would reach when falling down, when drag forces are equal (but opposite) to the gravitational acceleration. So I would guess that this is only true if your thrust-to-weight ratio is exactly 2 (to go from -1g to +1g). But my rockets usually have a starting t/w-ratio of 2.5 and this increases as the rocket burns fuel. Anyway, is there a way to calculate your terminal velocity?

Actually, in an atmosphere, you don't even need a negative mass, a density lower than the density of the atmosphere is enough to make you float upwards like a balloon.