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One thing I would like to see is more realistic levels of automation, i.e. not having to land / dock / fly everything manually all the time. Like being able to fully automate self-sustaining supply runs of ore or fuel from a planet surface base to an orbital station.

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2 hours ago, Zarkov2 said:

One thing I would like to see is more realistic levels of automation, i.e. not having to land / dock / fly everything manually all the time. Like being able to fully automate self-sustaining supply runs of ore or fuel from a planet surface base to an orbital station.

Dunno what that has to do with realism, but I would also like it very much! 

They have said that they don't want the late game to turn into milk run simulator so they do have something in mind for addressing the need for repetitive supply missions. They haven't said what though, it could be automation, it could be some more abstract system, or it could be something completely different...

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53 minutes ago, Brikoleur said:

Dunno what that has to do with realism, but I would also like it very much!

I meant that it would perhaps be a bit unrealistic to have access to near-future propulsion tech, but still have to dock manually (we've had docking computers IRL for over 50 years).

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42 minutes ago, Zarkov2 said:

I meant that it would perhaps be a bit unrealistic to have access to near-future propulsion tech, but still have to dock manually (we've had docking computers IRL for over 50 years).

Ah yeah, I see. 

Only problem with realistic automation is that if it's overdone, or available too early, it'll change the gameplay from "build and fly rockets" to "build and program rockets and then watch them fly," which wouldn't be anywhere near as fun for most of us I think. 

I would quite like mission automation later in the tech tree as it could be used to greatly reduce the amount of frankly pretty boring busywork, but I do think something of value would be lost if you didn't first have to learn how to make orbit, re-enter and land, and RV and dock manually.

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22 minutes ago, Brikoleur said:

I would quite like mission automation later in the tech tree as it could be used to greatly reduce the amount of frankly pretty boring busywork, but I do think something of value would be lost if you didn't first have to learn how to make orbit, re-enter and land, and RV and dock manually.

I agree. Manually (and successfully) doing those things is a big part of what makes the game fun initially. Maybe some levels of automation could be unlocked as players create their first colonies, which I assume will be a fair bit later.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/25/2019 at 2:39 PM, Zarkov2 said:

I agree. Manually (and successfully) doing those things is a big part of what makes the game fun initially. Maybe some levels of automation could be unlocked as players create their first colonies, which I assume will be a fair bit later.

Perhaps they could make it so that basic, required supply runs could be automated but nothing like exploration, new colonies or space stations.

Edited by ThatDieGuy
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  • 1 month later...
On 9/25/2019 at 9:11 PM, Brikoleur said:

Only problem with realistic automation is that if it's overdone, or available too early, it'll change the gameplay from "build and fly rockets" to "build and program rockets and then watch them fly," which wouldn't be anywhere near as fun for most of us I think. 

Perhaps an "AI computer" that unclocks at a certain node after unlocking habitats?

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On 9/25/2019 at 11:11 PM, Brikoleur said:

Ah yeah, I see. 

Only problem with realistic automation is that if it's overdone, or available too early, it'll change the gameplay from "build and fly rockets" to "build and program rockets and then watch them fly," which wouldn't be anywhere near as fun for most of us I think. 

I would quite like mission automation later in the tech tree as it could be used to greatly reduce the amount of frankly pretty boring busywork, but I do think something of value would be lost if you didn't first have to learn how to make orbit, re-enter and land, and RV and dock manually.

Instead of a part or a new ability it could be tied to Kerbals themselves.

Give them learnable skills and assignable to facilities. So it becomes part of the game to balance keeping Kerbals Safe vs sending them on adventures so they learn new things. Instead of upgrading facilities like the tracking station, mission control or training centre the capacity of these would be tied to the staff assigned to them or the remote counterparts.

 

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