So... I've decided to write a report about the KSP Forum, long before...

[Cesrate]

Because I found KSP Forum is one of the best (game) forums. I'd like to write a report about KSP Forum for others to refer. I've been thinking it for long, now I'm gathering others' ideas.

So,

·What do you think about KSP Forum?

·And why it keeps like this?

That's it.

[Drunkrobot]

I am a relative newbie at forums, but this one... is brilliant. The people are friendly and informative, the managers are responsible and just. In a sense, KSP really is a multiplayer game, since if you try to do it alone, your not doing it right.

[Gniuz]

The KSP forum is the best forum I've been a part of. The community as a whole is brilliant, and I can't sing the praises of everyone who makes it so enough.

Generally all you see on forums is people complaining, but not here. Instead you get people making their own multiplayer experience via passing save files, solutions on gameplay issues, solutions on how to do things your having trouble with, even just pointing out the maths behind the game. It really is a great place to chat with others.

Praise should not only go to the forum users either, the management team is very good and is worth mentioning as again on other forums you get mods who are just plain power crazed.

I think Squad and the forum sets an example that the gaming side of the tinterweb should ad ear to.

G.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Gniuz

[Shrike42]

Interestingly, we've just had a bit of a flare up about growing pains and concern that popularity will doom the KSP community. It's part of what I consider the lifecycle of a community, that the drama kicks in eventually and it either takes over or settles down.

But think about this: KSP isn't a game that is easy to pick up and play. It requires a certain amount of introduction and interest in exploration and achievement. Even if your typing isn't great, you can build rockets and planes, and ask for help... and pretty much every single person who actually plays KSP has faced the same or similar problems, and are interested in helping out.

You might want to pick up a copy of "Reality Is Broken" by Jane McGonigal for an uplifting, easy to read book about why KSP appeals to us (unnecessary obstacles to overcome, the feeling of achievement, the ability to create) and why we, as humans, are inclined to collaboration and generally acting to further communities. We are psychologically inclined to establishing connections and assisting each other.

Evolved tendencies, combined with the intellectual hurdle presented by KSP that will attract people who have very specific interests and outlooks, are helping the community maintain cohesion.

Steam brought a huge influx of new players, and that's what's causing the current angst about new people ruining things, or old players being elitist. But that's mostly people worried that their community will fall apart because of change. That'll come and go with each new influx, such as those that I anticipate at Beta and release.

Do you know how hard it is to troll this game? Even if intentionally stupid questions are asked, they get answered by a lot of people eager to share their experience, on the assumption that the question was asked out of genuine curiosity. The rest of the time, we're trolling the physics engine, and then sharing our insane victories and epic failures with equal abandon. The most aggressive topics I've ever seen were people arguing over not passing on bad build habits to new players (surprisingly, strapping on another SRB is not the best school of design).

Unlike an MMO or RTS or FPS or MP Minecraft, the KSP community can't directly compete or hinder each other. We aren't tied to factions or playstyles or DPS or really able to be elitist, because it takes so much effort just to get off the ground, and once you've gotten one landing, it's just a matter of time until you've got the rest, and a bunch of stories to tell. We have to make challenges with each other, promoting friendly competition, and it's hard to cheat with modded parts because we can do the math to figure out what's within the realm of possibility. Some of our most popular Youtube stars aren't serious at all, or are so informative that they inspire you to try something new.

There's always problems within gaming communities, little factions that form, people who will always take the side of the developers or be excessively insulting when posting, but KSP has the major advantage of being KSP. It's a community game, all of us reaching for the stars alone, yet together.

Was that quotable enough? I can try again.

[Shrike42]

Oh, and I forgot another reason for the KSP community cohesion: Memetics.

Jebidiah, wonky ASAS, space tape, moar SRBS, explosions, Asparagus systems... It's a commonality of experience that we either get first hand, or are exposed to in a manner that makes the experience of others 'real enough' to the point that we can easily understand and communicate. We're taught specific memes in short order, and that makes it easier to relate to each other, even if the actual communication is difficult in words.

Mutual understanding in a very narrow (but deep!) environment eliminates a LOT of faux pas.

[DisarmingBaton5]

The community is FANTASTIC

The mods are FANTASTIC

The devs are active and thus FANTASTIC

The spacecraft are FANTASTIC

The game is FANTASTIC

I like the forums

[Specialist290]

I had a nice long post done in my typical style forming in my head, but as it basically repeats everything Shrike42 says, I'm only going to add: Seconded. Including the book recommendation.

[sjwt]

·What do you think about KSP Forum?

That the Moderators are awesome!

·And why it keeps like this?

Cause of the Moderators!

<G>

[sjwt]

Real feedback of course....

I think that the forums are awesome, always brewing with interesting new ships challenges and game Mods as well as updates!

It stays this way because of a few things, a sense of community, we basically have a choice between KSP and Orbitor, not a overfilled line up of FPS Version X. We don't have to stick together, but most of us do, we have a high signal to noise ratio, and although some users take offence to the forum rules, any community is built around a set of limits, and enforcing them helps to keep the quality of the posts, users and content.

[Cesrate]

Good. Thanks for guys.

[automcdonough]

I think the overall volume of traffic is too much. A lot of redundant threads, people asking questions before searching, challenges that are redundant and/or not thought out very well, people starting new threads to show off screenshots instead of using the megathreads, stuff like that.

That said, everyone is nice and helpful. I just think the signal to noise needs improvement.