Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator is too late in the Tech Tree

[Superfluous J]

If you're going argue realism, about 75% of the items in the game should be unlocked at the start of the game, and the other 25% are the SLS parts that used to be in the NASA pack but are now just part of the game.

[tntristan12]

The number one thing that bugs me about the tech tree is that it forces you to start in exactly one place. I like manned rockets just fine, but there are some saves I start out with where I'd really like to launch unmanned sounding rockets, or begin a purely airplane focused save. The tech tree should have multiple points of entry. Not just the one!

[herbal space program]

Well I'm not saying that, I'm just saying that the tech tree doesn't have to be realistic. But since you want to discuss things like that, you don't even need ladders for most of your inner planet landings. Lights aren't even needed 90% of the time (But there's not really a point in them being high up either). A small extendable ladder could be nice at the start, but again, not really necessary.

To clarify, I mentioned the ladder and the lights specifically because they aren't really critically necessary for most of the things you'd want to do, they just make playing the game a big pain in the behind in the situations where they come in handy. Fumbling around in the dark trying to find the dang thermometer before leaving zone JX-QTX or trying to hover with the jetpack with one hand while hitting the f key with the other are not my idea of fun things to do. Squad should just let us have these little things at the beginning, because for one it makes no sense to have to land on the Mun before you can have a ladder or landing lights, and for another not having them is mostly just annoying rather than challenging.

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The number one thing that bugs me about the tech tree is that it forces you to start in exactly one place. I like manned rockets just fine, but there are some saves I start out with where I'd really like to launch unmanned sounding rockets, or begin a purely airplane focused save. The tech tree should have multiple points of entry. Not just the one!

I totally agree with this also. There should be a separate first-tier entry point for Kerballed, unkerballed, and atmospheric vessels.

[Kegereneku]

Not really, no. KSP is a game not a historical simulator.

As said by some other people here, this isn't so much a question of realism than game balance and having a non-insulting/non-trolling logic.

What is the point of choosing which tech-bundle to unlock if in the end you have to unlock 3, 5 or more for 90% of the parts to have any point ?

And how are you supposed to learn good rocket-design if the lack of some dumb-as-hell part like the Ladder keep you from making a sound design ?

The realism isn't a goal, it would be an after effect of a more rational game-progression.

Starting, or a least having the choice of starting with unmanned spacecraft would give the opportunity to train with cheap probes before killing Kerbals. And the player having the ability to spend RP/money precisely on the technology we need would make our choice matter.

That's all I have to say on this.

Edited May 20, 2015 by Kegereneku

[Wolf Baginski]

Have you considered bringing... a fuel cell?

Considering a mere half an Oscar-B tank of LFO mix can produce enough power for an ion engine to burn through two full tanks of xenon, using a fuel cell to power science transfer shouldn't even make the numbers in your tanks change. It'll be a "somewhere far behind the decimal point" affair.

The RTG is so far at the back of the tree because fuel cells already cover its niche at earlier tech levels. They were added precisely for that purpose.

I think I lived through too much history.

I recall fuel cells as something that could go boom at the wrong moment.

The numbers look possible.

The use of LFO is different to reality, that depended on cryogenic storage of hydrogen and oxygen. It's a general simplification, bringing everything down to a choice between monopropellant and LFO, but while you might use Liquid Oxygen in a launcher once you're heading for another planet that becomes dubious. One alternative is the Nitrogen Tetroxide oxidiser used by the Proton, with UDMH as the fuel. That is a storable propellant combination. no cryogenic limits and with a Specific Impulse in the range for KSP.

There's all sorts of compromises in the Tech Tree. NASA never needed to worry about game balance. But using a fuel cell just feels wrong for something that takes three years to reach the target planet.

[Wjolcz]

I would like it if it got nerfed first. Decreasing it's power output over time is a good idea. Maybe 6 years until they completely run out? Or just early probes be very power hungry. In addition they could probabably cost more and be before solar panels in the tech tree.

[Tankman101]

As said by some other people here, this isn't so much a question of realism...

I'm going to stop you right there, to the person I was responding to, it WAS a question of realism. To the point where they said "Parts should be available in roughly same order as their prototypes were developed in our world". I don't really have a say in the whole tech tree debacle because I find it to work fine.

Can people please stop taking what I said out of its context, please?