[Open Letter] Multiplayer & DRM

[Scarecrow71]

1 minute ago, Dakota said:

Just for clarification, the "platform" that I'm talking about is PC(+Mac/Linux) vs Console(s) - not the storefront.

Aha!  The term has been used a bit loosely lately, so I was just providing (and hoping to get) clarification on the whole Steam vs. Epic thing.  Thanks!

And I don't get to do this too often, but...new page!

Edited July 6, 2023 by Scarecrow71

[TT213]

I do not plan on buying KSP2 for now because it lacks the features that I like, such as science mode and mostly a lot of missing parts. But if that DRM thing is implemented, I am 100% certain I will never do it. KSP2 does NOT need it, even for multiplayer purposes. And I sincerely don't wanna support that move, even tough I love the license (over 1500h played on it). Please understand this isn't a rant, just me being worried of what could come after that. All I want is for KSP2 to shine, not to be a sad glimpse of what great things it could have accomplished.

Edited July 6, 2023 by TT213

[ShadowDev]

1 hour ago, Dakota said:

Appreciate y'all bringing this up, and I 100% understand your worries about this.

I sent the above comment (and others) to calm the conversation surrounding DRM after the accidental release of KSP2 with Steam's DRM last week, before the hotfix. The community was rightly up-in-arms about us making such an unexpected change, especially one so against the "Kerbal-ness" of the game.

My initial comments were followed up with "ok, but will DRM ever actually come to KSP2?" and I poked a few people a heard back "maybe, but only for multiplayer. hasn't been decided yet" and I relayed that to you all.

Multiplayer is still a ways off, so your feedback surrounding what you want that experience to look like is super important to us as we slowly build it out. Cloud/hosted vs self-hosted, lobbies vs server browser, anti-cheat vs no anti-cheat, platform specific vs cross-play - all of these are decisions we have to make internally, while balancing our own goals for multiplayer versus the community's wants - and the technical limitations as well.

Keep making your voices heard, it helps us shape KSP2 into the game we all want it to be.

Thanks Dakota,  I appreciate your response. 

I personally would love to see the following:

A focus on Self hosted with the option to rent servers from PD
server browser that's fast and simple to use, with a dedicated direct connect button. similar to the image attached.
The lobby system sounds like more of a thing for a fast paced shooter game rather than a sandbox space game.

Would an anti cheat in a game like ksp even make sense? 

I would imagine that the crossplay will be dependant on feature parity between PC and console. and for console to have mods.

[dr.phees]

KSP is not really a game that you play with random people and switch often, right? I would expect people to get together via Forums or Discord and join servers. A typical lobby does not sound like something i would use, as this game is slow paced and it should be possible to find other players via slow communication (forum style).

[uglyduckling81]

I'm quite excited to buy this game in a few years when it's finished being developed (if Take-Two fund it to completion). Zero chance of a sale with DRM in the game.

[snip]

Edited July 19, 2023 by Vanamonde

[mattihase]

On 7/6/2023 at 2:53 PM, kspnerd122 said:

KSP isnt the type of game to have a cheating issue, I ran KSP1 multiplayer servers (LMP) and NEVER encountered a cheating issue

More importantly, in a sandbox game like KSP I can imagine multiplayer servers benefitting from cheatmode tools or mods to set up group things or sort out problems.

we're not exactly an esport. why have a referee get in the way of people setting up buggy races or stuff like that if people wanna just chill out and do something together easy.

[harveylates]

I believe that drm will hinder modding of the game (i.e. part mods and quality of life fixes) for multiplayer or breaking mods. and my biggest worry is that of preservation of the game in the far future as drm also hinders that aswell