What is Kerbal Space Program in your perspective?

[obi_juan]

All of above, and a game of colonization of planets...

Playing with TAC Life Support, and USI Kolonization Systems (MKS/OKS) increase the problems and rewards of making autonomous bases.

[vixr]

I knew virtually nothing about how things work in (KSP) space, now I can dock anything I can build.

[WWEdeadman]

All of the above?

[cantab]

Well it's all to an extent, I suppose that's kind of the point.

But I'd say it's in a genre of games I'll call "Build-and-use", for want of a better term. You try and construct something using parts in the game in order to do a certain task. It's not too common for games to give the kind of freedom KSP has; I expect more of the genre than merely selecting things to fill a small number of defined "slots". In this respect I'd relate KSP to games such as the Bridge Builder series, Robocraft, and Minecraft.

[Vallius]

Gosh, how can I answer. Most of these answers are correct, and none of those statements excludes the others. I wouldn't go as far as to call it a true spaceflight simulator (although 1.0 is certainly a lot closer in that direction. We do explore planets and moons (sort of--unless you're on Kerbin or close to an easter egg, there's not all that much to see). We definitely assemble and design our own crafts (you really should have added "pilot" to that one). You can learn some orbital mechanics from Kerbal, but I had to go to the community to really learn how to fly. We manage a space agency a little bit, but the real focus is designing cool stuff and moving it through the Kerbol system.

[Flixxbeatz]

Usually a game to build and design crafts, and do stuff you won't be able to do on most games.

Also, for fun. KSP acts as a "time-dump" mechanism if you got nothing to do or bored or whatever. I tend not to go deeper on science stuff, but only on basic and essential ones. My "realism" is only limited to rocket designs.

(screw efficiency, dV and oberth effect, I'll just bring more fuel than I should just in case. YOUR SCIENCE HAS NO POWER OVER ME! )

[rockowwc]

Its more like minecraft in space for me... Whatever you want to call it, its damn good fun

[Aragosnat]

For me this sums the above votes "A game where you manage a space agency." Which for me means all of the above.

[Warhawk]

It's a shell of a space simulator packaged for easy consumption. It comes equipped as a box full of explosions, but with a little elbow grease you can turn it into something grand.

[NovaSilisko]

Why do I have to pick only one?

It's a moderate-light simulation of spaceflight where players design and assemble their own crafts to explore planets and moons, and learn about orbital mechanics and engineering in the process.

[Frozen_Heart]

Why do I have to pick only one?

It's a moderate-light simulation of spaceflight where players design and assemble their own crafts to explore planets and moons, and learn about orbital mechanics and engineering in the process.

^ This sums it up perfectly.

[Frank_G]

I simply cannot vote here. To me its all of the above in all of it excellency.

[John FX]

Now that is interesting. Actually running a space program is currently last and building craft and space simulator are first and second respectively.

(I voted simulator)

With the amount of people who play sandbox though, I suppose I should not be surprised.

EDIT :

When I saw the possible responses I did assume it was multiple choice...

[SkyHook]

I bought this game to make craft, engineer, and complete missions. There is the irreplaceable perk of the view from orbit though