Military Weapons in KSP

[CalculusWarrior]

I find there's no point to creating weapons. Who are you going to shoot? Besides, I find it a lot more fun to build peaceful ships that achieve purposes like exploration.

For example, I'm currently working on establishing a Laythe tourism base, as I thought that Kerbals would like to see the beautiful sights there!

[Uburian]

I adore the peaceful atmosphere, of KSP and i hope that the devs keep it for the full game. Still, i would gladly buy a militaristic steampunk spin-off game created with the KSP engine and construction mechanics.

Also, i think that a more "dangerous" atmosphere could be aded in a more scientific way: Solar flares that can destroy your ship's vital systems, earthquakes at Eve, sand storms in Duna, asteroids fields that you need to evade...

Anyway, even if we don't have any kind of "enemy" to destroy, i personally love to construct enormous vehicles loaded with lazord bombs to destroy debris fields.

[Trux]

Honestly, who can resist bombing runs on the SpacePlane Hanger It's just a bit of fun, don't judge how others want to play their game

[Comrade Jenkens]

a militaristic steampunk spin-off game created with the KSP engine and construction mechanics.

I'm looking for exactly that kind of game all the shooting games have gotten pretty stale as there is no new innovation in the industry.

[zekes]

Hey... you could say kerbals look a bit like zombies... plus they don't seem to bleed....

[MRab2]

There's some lunging for the moral high ground going on here

[Atanar]

What I think of this discussion:

[ShachonianX]

Lets hope this discussion doesn't turn into one of those giant arguments, like other controversial threads.

[karolus10]

I don't understand people deep fascination in weapons and warfare... I'm not sure You guys realize what war is all about :/.

Also competition was what killed 70-80s progress in US/russian space programs, only motivation to send people in space was gain in political power and national pride. When political will wear off, both space programs collapsed.

[Tada]

Well... Military ships taught me a lot in KSP... How to dock, how to get huge stuff into orbit... And I like the feeling when mission is succesful

[Comrade Jenkens]

I don't understand people deep fascination in weapons and warfare... I'm not sure You guys realize what war is all about :/.

Don't worry i think most of us understand that real war isn't a good thing. In real life I hate even touching somthing that can harm somone and i would much rather contries didn't spend money on military and put it into somthing usful like medicene or exploration.

I don't mind it in video games as it is simply a good test of skill and my interest in military hardware is simply because they get the high tech stuff before its availalbe in the general public.

I'm not a violent person naterally despite my obsession with battlecruisers in KSP and i've never even hit somone before

[9911MU51C]

because weapons are rockets (unless it's a firearm). You can drop a small rocket off a jet. Now, it's a weapon. What makes it that much different from normal rocket building?

[karolus10]

Comrade Jenkens, I'm not accusing anyone, but I get know in person few kids that inappropriate games and toys (and lack parent's attention) made their perception of weapons and reality shockingly distorted, so I am allergic to these things, especially that KSP are now without violence (Kerbal death or gore aren't an issue, they are consequences) of any kind .

When I was an kid, I was taught (my father was an sport sharpshooter) in first place what weapons are for (killing) and that You Can't point in random people even plastic toy Gun - doesn't matter if it's without imaginary ammo and with safeties ON.

Edited May 6, 2013 by karolus10

[_Aramchek_]

Because weapons in space are awesome, I'm not sure why people are equating fantasy weapons in a game to real life violence, I find that to be odd and disturbing myself.

The desire, I'd imagine, is largely in building the sci-fi ships we've seen in tv shows, movies and our fondest dreams.

I hope MOAR weapon mods are made, if you don't want weapons, don't download or use the mods. Much like mechjeb.

[MRab2]

I don't understand people deep fascination in weapons and warfare... I'm not sure You guys realize what war is all about :/.

As if the moral superiority wasn't bad enough, now someone has to be patronizing? Are you imagining that your dislike of war games stems from deeper understanding of war?

Consider this, since the end of World War 2 in the western world more people die each year due to vehicle accidents than warfare - does that make racing games, especially those that encourage people to drive irresponsibly (Grand Theft Auto, Driver etc), somehow morally reprehensible, that what we should have are games that simulate driving within the speed limit and adhering to the rules of the road?

How about building a crappy rocket with three Kerbals aboard that explodes 10 seconds after launch - is the player to be condemned for not testing the rocket in an unmanned state before recklessly endangering the lives of those Kerbals?

Personally, if people don't want to shoot at stuff that's fine but enough of the assuming that gives you the moral high ground or that people wanting weapons in the game is the result of naivety or immaturity.

[Tw1]

because weapons are rockets (unless it's a firearm). You can drop a small rocket off a jet. Now, it's a weapon. What makes it that much different from normal rocket building?

I would argue that something only becomes a weapon if that's its intended purpose. If someone is using a rock to hurt someone, then it's a weapon. If the rock is sitting on the ground looking cool, then it's a decoration.

When an SRB is firing on the side of a rocket, it's a device for propelling. When it drops of, used up, it's debris.

If it's fired of a plane with the purpose of striking and harming a Target, then it's a weapon.

But, if you're intending to stick letters to the side if the rockets you're firing from the plane, that's just a very Kerbal delivery system...

I wouldn't describe a game like GTA as morally reprehensible. Dubious maybe.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Tw1

[leopardenthusiast]

My explaination is that Kerbals developed weapons after debris became too much of a hassle. The only weapon-related deaths are due to stupidity.

"Hey, dude, I bet it'd be awesome if I launched a missile at a huge rocket, just before the rocket got above 3 kilometers."

"Do it. I'll fly the rocket, you fly the missile."

[Guest]

I would argue that something only becomes a weapon if that's its intended purpose. If someone is using a rock to hurt someone, then it's a weapon. If the rock is sitting on the ground looking cool, then it's a decoration.

When an SRB is firing on the side of a rocket, it's a device for propelling. When it drops of, used up, it's debris.

If it's fired of a plane with the purpose of striking and harming a Target, then it's a weapon.

Well said!

But, if you're intending to stick letters to the side if the rockets you're firing from the plane, that's just a very Kerbal delivery system...

Kerbal Express: We promised to get it to you, we simply didn't disclose how you would get it!

I despise war, to the point I even choose not to be entertained by anything pertaining to war. That is my choice, based upon my moral values. Moralising would be insisting that no one else should be allowed to be entertained by warlike things, and that is certainly not where I'm coming from. It's your choice, so do as you feel comfortable with. Personally, I applaud Squad for not including warfare as a mandatory aspect of KSP and shall continue to praise them for their decision.

[Charzy]

I honestly don't get what the problem is. Some people like to watch an explosion, so they shoot rockets at buildings and call them missiles.

Also, not adding a totally unrelated topic to the game as a mandatory part of the game isn't something that should be applauded. You don't applaud a person for going down the stairs without jumping off the banister, do you?

[Guest]

Also, not adding a totally unrelated topic to the game as a mandatory part of the game isn't something that should be applauded. You don't applaud a person for going down the stairs without jumping off the banister, do you?

When everyone else is jumping off the banister, yes.

[MRab2]

Well said!

I despise war, to the point I even choose not to be entertained by anything pertaining to war. That is my choice, based upon my moral values. Moralising would be insisting that no one else should be allowed to be entertained by warlike things, and that is certainly not where I'm coming from. It's your choice, so do as you feel comfortable with. Personally, I applaud Squad for not including warfare as a mandatory aspect of KSP and shall continue to praise them for their decision.

Actually no, the definition of moralising is; "Comment on issues of right and wrong, typically with an unfounded air of superiority." Which you ARE doing. I present Exhibit A: Jack Wolfe earlier "Lack of a "Duh, let's shoot people up for funsies, mentality sets KSP apart."

Clearly you're showing a contempt for games with a combative component and thus implying there's something "wrong" with them and therefor arguably moralising. Do you avoid all games with combat or just with war?

[Charzy]

When everyone else is jumping off the banister, yes.

Name one game that is based around a topic other than war that has made warfare a mandatory part of the game.

[Tw1]

Name one game that is based around a topic other than war that has made warfare a mandatory part of the game.

Could we have you define what you mean by warfare in this question?

Just to keep this discussion clear.

Some games could have war based scenarios. For example, a railway simulator which has a level that makes you carry arms to a dock to be loaded on to a supply ship, to support a war.

A pacifist would hate this level. Even more so if you could not progress if you didn't complete it.

Also, I have a dictionary definition of moralising as:

v.intr. To think about or express moral judgments or reflections.

v.tr. 1. To interpret or explain the moral meaning of.

2. To improve the morals of; reform.

Being condescending is not necessary a part of it.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Tw1

[TheWanderer]

I dont have a problem with people being creative, even if that creativity centres around recreating weapons in KSP. What I would like to see is them have identifiable sections of the forum to post in so that I dont have to sort through posts about Tanks, Bombers, battleships et al when looking for cool space ship ideas, pics and the like

[Guest]

Actually no, the definition of moralising is; "Comment on issues of right and wrong, typically with an unfounded air of superiority." Which you ARE doing. I present Exhibit A: Jack Wolfe earlier "Lack of a "Duh, let's shoot people up for funsies, mentality sets KSP apart."

Clearly you're showing a contempt for games with a combative component and thus implying there's something "wrong" with them and therefor arguably moralising. Do you avoid all games with combat or just with war?

Oh, dear heavens. I expressed a strong opinion. Silly old me. Yes, war games are wrong. They are wrong for me. I used to play war/combat games, and don't anymore. For me, there is no redeeming value to them. Therefore, war or other combat, I don't play them. The mindset of such games (speaking to the games, not the gamers, just to be clear) is wholly unappealing to me.

Once again, it's a person's choice if they want to play such games. It doesn't matter to me. Once again, I was expressing my opinion on the matter. Disregard it or take exception to it, that's a choice too.