Infinite tech tree

[Crusher8000]

There comes a point in the game that you unlocked the entire tech tree, probably new parts will be added in the future that expand the tech tree but you'll still unlock it all at a fairly fast pace. It's also important to unlock it so fast because some of the more important parts are at the end.

The problem is the game loses a reason to play the moment you unlock everything, it can be delayed with money and missions but you will still reach that point.

How about you can upgrade the existing parts?

Nothing over the top like engines doing double the thrust. more like +2% thrust. Maybe it's better you specialize parts like more thrust but less efficient, fuel tanks could be stronger or carry a bit more fuel but heavier, pods could have more torque but require more power, etc.

That way you can keep collecting data forever.

[konokono]

Reminds me of Master of Orion II where continued research beyond the tech tree results in miniaturization, allowing you to build existing technology at lower cost and weight

I like the idea

[Holo]

I like it, a reoccurring Future Tech.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

Yea I had this problem. I like the idea of using science to upgrade parts but I'm not sure how much extra upgrading parts would want to make you keep playing. It doesn't quite have the same feeling as that NEW PART feeling. It would be good to be able to spend science upgrading parts during the tech tree climb so that you had to choose between a new type of part or making everything slightly better. All the parts could be slightly reduced so that they had a bit to go but fully upgraded would be better than before. This way by the time you get to the highest tech you would have already spent twice the points to get there. I would also like to see a larger tech tree. I did make a set of parts to add more tech parts to the game, but I'm not going to spam the link unless someone asks for it as it only uses stock welds for part graphics.

[minerman30]

I'm pretty sure this was discussed a while ago, and it was decided that this would limit the sharing of craft. It is a career option, but it would still mean that ships could have varying performance on different people's saves.

[Merinsan]

The biggest problem with this idea is that eventually you'll run out of science, so you are still limited. You can't keep collecting data forever - if you could, you'd be able to max out the current tree sitting on the launchpad.

[rosenkranz]

Well currently you can max out the tech with with a bit over 10k science. If you squeeze say 80% of Kerbin's potential and 80% of Mun's potential, you're alreaady there. Minmus and beyond are all gravy and that is before they get the 'biome' treatment.

Now I assume there will be balance passes and such but right now, I can hope for future tech to work toward.

[Dwight_js]

I don't think you can pass judgement on the tech-tree in isolation. It is only one piece of the career mode puzzle. Once resources are implemented (both financial and natural) you will have other constraining factors that force you to structure your space program so as to generate enough revenue, and extract enough natural resources. Your overall motivation in the game won't be limited to the collection of science points, and collecting them will most likely become more difficult.

That being said, over the course of a very long term game, if science and all resources are limited, then you will eventually completely run out of reasons to fly missions. Actually, running out of resources will pretty much mean the collapse of your space program if you did try to keep flying; a sort of natural game-over scenario, and a not entirely unrealistic one.

[UberFuber]

Instead of changing parts performance, I would imagine that additional science could be invested into making the parts cheaper.

So, once you unlock enough tech trees, you get additional research nodes that can reduce your parts/fuel (and whatever other cost you have with spaceships) by a certain percentage value each time you "research" it.

For example:

"Research New Construction Paradigm" - Reduce part costs by 10%

"Improve Fuel Manufacturing Efficiency" - Reduce fuel costs by 10%

This way, spacecraft flight behavior don't change, but you can keep using science to make your spaceship cheaper and cheaper to build.

[Killerdude8]

By the time of full release, I'm 110% certain we'll have like 20x the amount of parts we currently have, So I'd imagine getting all the way to the end of the tree would take some time.

[Seret]

The problem is the game loses a reason to play the moment you unlock everything, it can be delayed with money and missions but you will still reach that point.

Couple of points:

• People seemed to be happy playing sandbox for the last couple of years without any tech tree providing a "reason to play"
  
• The tech tree has been described by devs as "chapter 1" of career mode, so they're clearly intending to provide plenty of things to stimulate gameplay once the tech tree is complete.
  

In general the devs seem quite keen to allow lots of freedom even in the finished game. KSP's great strength is that allows you to be creative and do whatever you want. I'd expect the final version of the game to be essentially quite freeform in it's gameplay. So the main "reason to play" is likely to still be achieving goals you set for yourself, rather than ones imposed on you by the game.