What are the rocket parts stylized after?

[ModZero]

I think that's more the "youtube culture" than anything else. Most of the better channels I watch these days fly at a lightning pace. It's the new generation.

It's not the new generation, they're talking as fast as people always did, we're all just getting old and think slower.

*creaks*

[KSK]

If they would have brought back the barn as they said they would, I could see the early tech all having a junky, cobbled together feel and the later tech being more steam-lined and consistent. But without the barn, there really is no reason to keep with that concept and everything just needs to be a consistent art style. I would prefer the first way as I loved the barn and rather like the drum barrel

That would be my preference. Spruce up the Rockomax parts a little and have them as an intermediate stage between the built-at-Jeb's-junkyard aesthetic of the early tech and the very sleek and shiny Kerbodyne parts. Look at the difference between the FL-T400 tank and the FL-T800 - that's the sort of progression I've got in mind. Maybe re-write the part descriptions as well for consistency - there's an odd mix of styles and humour there as well. Again start with the found-by-the-side-of-the-road meme but gradually move that along to a more professional style by the time you get to the end of the tech tree.

I very much like the amateurs in a barn on a shoestring budget idea but I don't think it works for the whole tech tree.

[Plume & Akakak]

As mikegarrison says, you can witness the different geological layers of the game's art style as different artists made their mark. It's... messy.

I find this historical layering very interesting. Nowadays, with companies trying to expand the lifespan of their games through updates and content additions, it is quite unavoidable. Most modern games aren't definitive products, they are advertised and sold as ongoing.

Keeping an authentic, in-game trace of this evolution has its value, and charms.

A new illustrator may take over creative duties for a comic book series, and his style may be different from his predecessor's. I wouldn't want him to redraw the entire series.

Regarding gameplay, I see this diversity as an asset. Seems to me that the possibility to mix, or pick out between a few different styles is relevant in a sandbox environment.

Besides, I don't see any terrible incoherence in KSP's graphic design right now, but I certainly belong to the other team (not much concerned with historical or simulation accuracy) regex has mentioned.

So about redesigning/harmonizing everything, no, thanks. I wouldn't want the game to fit the ultra-polished standard. IMO, it usually makes things as boring as an auto-tuned voice, or as freckles, wrinkles and stretchmarks being shopped out of photos.

(and I do feel some compassion for the artists whose work would be wiped out of the game.)

Play your game your way of course, but personally I dislike the idea that Kerbals are stupid and make rockets from junk. It belittles the achievement of getting into space, both historically and for the player.

I think both the player and space exploration can survive this. : )

Cheers

Edited August 22, 2015 by Plume & Akakak

[NovaSilisko]

(and I do feel some compassion for the artists whose work would be wiped out of the game.)

I wouldn't mind very much, at least.

I don't really agree with the "freckles" comparison. It's like when people talk about the bugs and glitches and broken parts of the game as "part of the charm". I don't get it at all, really.

[Plume & Akakak]

I don't really agree with the "freckles" comparison. It's like when people talk about the bugs and glitches and broken parts of the game as "part of the charm". I don't get it at all, really.

Yep, that's me... to some extent. : )

Glitch became less pejorative than bug since the popularization of computer glitches in music and visual arts.

Over the past few years, there has been a rising interest for "alternative" gameplays, in game studies and from game companies. Tinkering with glitches is just an example of the many (not so) "unconventional" uses players can come up with. It goes hand in hand with the whole DIY, open-space and sandbox spirit.

Depends on how one plans to use the program, of course.

From a "traditional" gaming perspective, I'm not saying there's nothing to fix in KSP, but I enjoy certain irregularities that give character to the game.

Also, why are we talking about bugs, glitches and broken parts ? The thread is about how the parts look.

A few differences in their design and some pieces getting a bit old ? That's just freckles and adorable wrinkles at the corners of the eyes.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Plume & Akakak

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

That would be my preference. Spruce up the Rockomax parts a little and have them as an intermediate stage between the built-at-Jeb's-junkyard aesthetic of the early tech and the very sleek and shiny Kerbodyne parts. Look at the difference between the FL-T400 tank and the FL-T800 - that's the sort of progression I've got in mind. Maybe re-write the part descriptions as well for consistency - there's an odd mix of styles and humour there as well. Again start with the found-by-the-side-of-the-road meme but gradually move that along to a more professional style by the time you get to the end of the tech tree.

I very much like the amateurs in a barn on a shoestring budget idea but I don't think it works for the whole tech tree.

That's all well and good for career, but in sandbox you might build a rocket with parts from all over the tech tree, and want all my parts to look the same.

[Whirligig Girl]

You know what? The more I think about it, the more I think that Porkjet should be officially hired by Squad, given a raise, and just remake most of the parts. His Spaceplane stuff looks amazing, just imagine what he could do for the stock parts. I could care less what art direction they go in as long as Porkjet is doing them. And with 64-bit coming, perhaps also will come multiple textures or even models for each tank, so Rockomax could have Saturn-V tanks as well as Titan II or Apollo CSM tanks. Kerbodyne could have big ol' SLS/STS-orange tanks as well as striped Saturn-V esque ones. Jeb's Junkyard could have Vangaurd and Redstone and Juno looking tank variants. And they should definitely have some variation within each company's design.

NovaSilisko's parts (And HarvesteR's and whoever else still has parts in the game) have served us well. But with KSP as advanced as it has become since 0.18, the art style needs to be updated as well. It can stay cartoony and have some slightly exaggerated proportions, but it can also be given far less junky models. And while I have no idea how practical it would be for Squad or Porkjet, I think Porkjet is just the person to do a model rework. Maybe this slight change of heart was brought on by my recent playthrough of Real Solar System, or perhaps just based upon me being hyped with Porkjet's aircraft parts project.

Edited August 22, 2015 by GregroxMun

[GoSlash27]

Amy Teitel is a steely-eyed missile woman and she really knows her stuff when it comes to space history. I'd get all worked up about it, but I'm too old for such foolishness

Best,

-Slashy

[Plume & Akakak]

You know what? The more I think about it, the more I think that Porkjet should be officially hired by Squad, given a raise, and just remake most of the parts.

[...] NovaSilisko's parts (And HarvesteR's and whoever else still has parts in the game) have served us well. But with KSP as advanced as it has become since 0.18, the art style needs to be updated as well.

I politely disagree. This is getting feverish.

Amy Teitel is a steely-eyed missile woman and she really knows her stuff when it comes to space history. I'd get all worked up about it, but I'm too old for such foolishness

Ah yes, missiles being fired. They are projected right here, between the volcano eruption and the piston machinery.

[Zucal]

I don't want to overstate my opinion here, but it seems a bit incongruous to me that these parts:

are in the same game as these parts:

That is all.

[cantab]

It fits somewhat with how I see the Kerbals at KSC though. Yes, they're decent pilots and engineers, but they're not above making their rockets out of whatever components they get. While the game would benefit from some unity in "art style", the components aren't all coming from one manufacturer so they shouldn't look like they do.

[KSK]

That's all well and good for career, but in sandbox you might build a rocket with parts from all over the tech tree, and want all my parts to look the same.

Well in that case nothing changes from the current game. You just get slightly shinier 2.5m parts.

[Hcube]

Well, at least the mk1 cockpit and jet engines are getting a nice texture revamp in 1.1 ! this is really good news. I hope the stock SRBs (hammer and flea, urgh), the 2.5m tanks, and the mainsail/poodle/other ugly engines are next on the list.