Sense of Discovery - POIs etc.

[Moons]

I think what could improve this game a lot is to not only make flying a big part of the game but also the rewards for a player to actually doing something. This is just what i would imagine beeing a fun addition to the game - i think its best to describe how i would think the impressions would be like:

I would imagine that visiting new plantes shows interresting and new landscapes - with amazing views - for example:

 

So the first step would be to send probes to see a planet in general similar to how it works in real life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observations_and_explorations_of_Venus

The next step would be to either launch a real mission to discover the planet randomly or another mission for example putting satelites in orbit of a planet to find POIs.

I even think it could be a fun feature to have different planets require way more different builds similar to real life that actually make sending probes etc. a requirement for a successfull mission (special heat-protection, radiation etc.) - so like KSP1 but more advanced.

 

And that would be the next big thing i think should be improved a lot - Planets also need way more interresting POIs - maybe even inside caves (caves would be a really nice addition) to discover - obviously these shouldnt be randomly generated but handmade - and it would be enough to have a few on each planet. Those could either be found by accident, or by using satelites to find interresting POIs. Those POIs could be linked to game progression or simple great looking scenery etc. - maybe even small relics of a past civilization - with or without any impact on science etc.

To me it would even be a fun POI if there was a random stranded Kerbal in a small basic base on some of the planets etc. that could be taken back home when found etc.

 

This could also lead to new gameplay - for example building rovers and doing missions with limited avaliable ressources due to beeing in a cave and not having solar energy etc.

I think the ressources mechanic sounds interresting but i think discovery is way more interresting in a game like this than ressource management.

[Grounder]

I for one would like to see the Kerbal controllers in mission control celebrating/tossing papers in the air/high-fives, etc, whenever a "first" is accomplished. First launch;orbit;docking;landing; etc.

[Moons]

5 hours ago, Grounder said:

I for one would like to see the Kerbal controllers in mission control celebrating/tossing papers in the air/high-fives, etc, whenever a "first" is accomplished. First launch;orbit;docking;landing; etc.

I think that would be great aswell - everything that gives the game a more alive feeling is welcome.

 

Someone else suggested this:

 

I think there is a lot of potential to make KSP a better game - and those gameplay mechanics will also help getting more casual players into the genre and i doubt even veterans would be against having mechanics that add things to do instead of making up your own story all the time.

 

 

A first step could also be getting a telescope into orbit to discover planets and research them to get info on atmosphere etc. - maybe without that we wont even know their trajectory etc.

I think what i probably missed most in KSP1 was the a ctually "game" - i really disliked the way it was done with carreer mode a lot.

 

 

To me it would make a lot of sense to have more discovery and research and in general mechanics similar to real life (not beeing able to simply fly to XY without a lot of extra issues without probing etc.) - i think the planned ressource management is probably the thing im looking forward to the least. I wonder how other people feel? I would prefer more reserach, discover etc. instead of ressource management.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Moons