Game Mode Idea - Fuel Shortage

[roguelycan]

Kerbin is experiencing a massive energy crises due to letting Jeb run wild building whatever he wants for the last 3 years. Fuel reserves have been drained to dangerous levels and without more KSC will come to a grinding halt.

I came up with a rough idea for a new game mode that could offer a scenario driven experience outside of the Career mode and career mode lite (science mode). I also wanted something that would make the new resources really come into play. While I originally came up with this as a mod idea I think this could be a fun stock game mode along side the other 3 and wouldn't require any major features to be added into the game.

Down to the meat and potatoes. This game mode would be much closer to Sandbox than Career as you would start off with all the science researched and there would be no funds limiting you. What you would have is a limited volume of fuel to start the game off with and more fuel cannot be purchased. This would require players to setup mining colonies and refueling stations in order to keep their ships fueled. While there would still be Ore on Kerbin there should be options to remove Ore from the KSC with a slider to adjust how far out from the KSC you wont find any ore. Any leftover fuel or ore on a recovered ship gets added into your stockpile of fuel but still falls under the same recovery rules where the further away from KSC you recover the smaller percentage you get back.

Edited May 11, 2015 by roguelycan

[Shadows2b]

Grindfest for fuel, could be interesting as a late game event in career mode, but there is to few parts about ore to be viable.

[Captain Sierra]

This could probably be scripted real easily. A mod to tweak the resource distribution from KSC & prevent the purchase of fuel would be interesting.

I've always thought it would be cool to have a fuel depot at the KSC where you can buy and stockpile fuel (and store whatever you bring back) with a difficulty option to auto-purchase on launch.

Also, with good self-diligence, it could be done as a scenario without any mods. Hmmm . . . . *grabs notepad, starts crunching numbers* I might have to try this as a scenario/challenge now.

EDIT: I'm totally using Karbonite as well but because of it's high infrastructure investment, I'm gonna have to work with stock resource system as well.

[roguelycan]

Lol Yeah I can understand this isn't something everyone would universally like but I would imagine there is a good chunk of the community that would find something like this interesting.

- - - Updated - - -

This could probably be scripted real easily. A mod to tweak the resource distribution from KSC & prevent the purchase of fuel would be interesting.

I've always thought it would be cool to have a fuel depot at the KSC where you can buy and stockpile fuel (and store whatever you bring back) with a difficulty option to auto-purchase on launch.

Also, with good self-diligence, it could be done as a scenario without any mods. Hmmm . . . . *grabs notepad, starts crunching numbers* I might have to try this as a scenario/challenge now.

EDIT: I'm totally using Karbonite as well but because of it's high infrastructure investment, I'm gonna have to work with stock resource system as well.

Yeah I would imagine at its basic concept it wouldn't be difficult as it wouldnt require any new parts or anything crazy like that. Unfortunately I dont know the first thing about modding and don't have the free time to try to learn on my own. I could just roleplay the scenario in my head but like many movies based off books sometimes it is more fun to see the idea realized on screen.

I see no reason why this idea wouldnt work with modded resources and mining.

Edited May 11, 2015 by roguelycan

[arkie87]

What about a game mode where players can create scenarios/challenges.

They can specify budgets, allowed parts, and goals etc...

[roguelycan]

Grindfest for fuel, could be interesting as a late game event in career mode, but there is to few parts about ore to be viable.

I dont think the number of mining parts would negatively affect this idea. I mean theres drills and ore containers, as well as the ISRU to do on the fly fuel conversion. What other parts would be needed to make this scenario work?

[Starwhip]

This would be a really fun challenge...

[roguelycan]

Hmmm, did forum stats get wiped again when they redid the forums for launch. I just noticed I am only credited with 16 posts. I have been gone a few months but I know I should be in the hundreds at least.

[The Yellow Dart]

I love this idea! I would love to see this and more things like it in the game. I haven't checked the scenarios section since 1.0 but last time I looked at it, it was pretty lame. This idea reminds me of when I used to play Rollercoaster Tycoon. There were lots of interesting scenarios to try out like guests that couldn't stand scary rides or guests who were really cheap/hated spending money. I would love to see more of those kinds of things in KSP, where, unlike career or sandbox, you have a specific goal and a specific challenge.

Another idea would be a "tourism only economy" where the only contracts offered are tourism ones and you have to find the cheapest way to get lots of Kerbals into space and to other destinations to make enough money to stay afloat, as well as do science.

I think this type of thing would add a lot to KSP.

[roguelycan]

Science mode I think is great for beginners to learn the game but offers little to more experienced players. Career is fun but so much of the focus is on the business side of a space program making money and completing contracts.

A Fuel Shortage game mode would bring the focus back on the KSC and your own missions instead of fulfilling company contracts while also giving at least a vague objective to play for in a sandbox style mode.

[Captain Sierra]

Science mode I think is great for beginners to learn the game but offers little to more experienced players. Career is fun but so much of the focus is on the business side of a space program making money and completing contracts.

A Fuel Shortage game mode would bring the focus back on the KSC and your own missions instead of fulfilling company contracts while also giving at least a vague objective to play for in a sandbox style mode.

^^ +rep

On this basis, I would totally play this mode.

[roguelycan]

Was building a big ass refueling station around Minmus using Roverdudes FTT parts that I dubbed the Exxon Mobile when I came up with the idea. As much as I like the idea of mining and refueling stations I find that they are not that insanely useful 90% of the time. In career the fuel itself is so cheap compared to the cost of actual parts that setting up a refueling station would provide very little benefit. In Sandbox they are practically useless because it is almost always easier to just send another flight into LKO for a refuel. By limiting the fuel you start with plus no option to purchase more fuel would not only make mining actually useful, it would be mandatory.

[roguelycan]

I am curious how difficult something like this would be to create a mod for. I would imagine it could be done with a single plugin. I know nothing about modding so if anyone could help me out or point me in the right direction that would be great.

[Wjolcz]

Not bad idea. Would be interesting to see this implemented in the stock game.

[roguelycan]

I agree. It seems like something that would be easy to implement just by adding limitations into a sandbox environment. I'd be happy with it as a mod if i knew how to do it myself.