Anyone want to try multiplayer turn-based KSP?

[Galane]

The simplest implementation would be to e-mail the quicksave file back and forth between two players after each move, plus a "gentelplayers' agreement" as to what constitutes a turn/move/action and time limits on how long a player has to complete a turn and send the quicksave back. Also, no sneaky switching to the other player's ships to check out their makeup, fuel load etc.

If you want to check out the opposition you do it the old fashioned way, close rendezvous and Mark 1 Eyeball. I'd say moving in to rendezvous should constitute the end of a unit's move, giving the other player a chance to respond to the visit/provocation in some way.

If you want to get more hardcore about it, someone could gin up a game management server with check in/check out of the quicksave files with player settable time limits and a history of all the save files for game replays. Miss your check in time and you lose your turn, reverting back to the previous save file. All your stuff is on its own while the other player gets another go.

It would still rely on the honor system to not peek at or fiddle with the other player's ships since everyone would have to share the same game space and (without a multi launch pad mod) the same launch site at KSC.

Any system of play should have a way for players to agree on breaks during which nobody opens the shared game.

[Dortmunder]

I tried asking for this a couple times, and no one was interested.

I'd be interested for sure if there's some sort of competition involved. Like Kethane Wars.

Or some sort of colonization of Moons/Planets.

[Galane]

Someone needs to Just Do It. Figure out the mod set (if any) and rules for what is allowed for a unit move, what constitutes a turn, time limits etc. then post the proposed rules for comment.

Once the rules are pinned down, come up with a game goal/scenario to playtest to see if the rules are workable in practice.

[Richy teh space man]

Why would it be bad looking at the other players ship?

[Kerbal01]

I'm interested, sign me up!

[Galane]

Why would it be bad looking at the other players ship?

If it's a friendly contest, think of it as industrial espionage. If you're having a battle with intent to damage or destroy each others ships, think of it as spying on the enemy.

With the alternate sharing of the entire game space giving each player access to everything, only the honor system of not having a look at the other players stuff will keep it a fair contest or fight instead of a cheat-fest.

I'm interested, sign me up!

What I suggest for a first try at this is an all stock KSP setup in a newly started game and a simple goal like being the first to land six Kerbals on another planet using *at least* two ships, without MechJeb. Winner is the first to safely land all six. Kill a Kerbal, run out of fuel, anything else that causes the mission to fail is a loss.

Suggested turns.

Pregame is building your ships. Once they're built, players contact each other to confirm they're ready to begin.

First turn is launching first ship to orbit.

Second turn is launching the second ship OR initiating a maneuver of the first ship to start transit to the planet, player's choice.

Third turn is launching the second ship - if not launched in the second turn OR initiating a maneuver of the second ship (launched in the second turn) to start transit to the planet OR do something else with the first ship.

If both ships were launched in the first two turns, then in turn three a player may make one move with each ship OR if a support ship is required by your mission plan, take a full turn for the launch. Any launch from Kerbin = a full turn since you can't do anything else anyway until the ship reaches orbit.

And go on from there. Not hard and fast rules but in general any major action with a relatively quickly achieved beginning and end like launching a ship to orbit = one turn or move. Beginning an action with a somewhat indefinite end or that will take a long time to end, like a Hohmann transfer to a distant planet = one turn or move. A move or turn can also include finishing any actions that are required to leave your ships in a state where they will be safe when left unattended while the other player is running the game.

It's similar to a turn based strategy game. In those the typical setup is units may either move OR do some action with some units having the ability to move AND immediately do an action if the player chooses. With 'fog of war' a unit that moves and discovers an enemy unit may be automatically attacked or may be allowed to attack in that move if not normally allowed to (element of surprise).

KSP doesn't have 'fog of war' and sharing the quicksave file back and forth won't allow players to immediately respond to challenges or attacks so to start with I figure it's best to keep it a friendly match and not try to sabotage or otherwise interfere with the other player. Save that for when mods and improvised weaponry are added to the mix.

I've always preferred real time strategy games over turn based because I can immediately respond to things as they happen. With turn based it's moving units one at a time or initiating actions then ending the turn and sitting there helplessly as the other player or computer pounds my forces, or watching with glee if my actions turn out better for me - yet still being unable to pull back if my units are getting stomped.

But since KSP has no built in multiplayer, the only way to compete or cooperate is by sharing the quicksave and/or persistence files.