Progression of instrumentation

[Soapy]

I don't know if this has been suggested already or not, but an IRC friend would like to see progression of instrumentation implemented into the game

Logs for explanation:

(10:06:52 PM) AbyssalSquid: and 2) progression of instrumentation

(10:07:24 PM) AbyssalSquid: you know that thing that "makes the game too easy" be it orbital maps or nodes or mechjeb or whatever?

(10:07:41 PM) AbyssalSquid: put all that into the game, but you don't have access to it by default

(10:08:30 PM) AbyssalSquid: like, until you reach the karman line (kerman line get it :$) you don't even have an altimeter, just a barometer

(10:08:45 PM) AbyssalSquid: "wait, the atmosphere STOPS?" so they invent telemetry

(10:09:05 PM) AbyssalSquid: you can buy instrumentation/UI upgrades without hitting milestones if you want

[cpast]

Of the things you list, one (Mechjeb) isn't in the game and isn't going to be, and one (nodes) already *is* something you have to unlock. Of the orbital map, not having it until you unlock it would be the *opposite* of good progression: it means that initially you need to already know orbital mechanics and spreadsheet your rockets in order to get past LKO (actually, you'd basically have to do that to *enter* LKO as well, as you otherwise wouldn't know you were in LKO until you'd finished an orbit and so would end up expending all your fuel and wouldn't be able to land without getting out and pushing, which you can't do right away). Altimeter/barometer is likewise a really odd choice of progression: I guess it could theoretically be used, but when your first contracts ask you to reach a given altitude, it's somewhat cruel to not tell you what altitude that is.