Exploration Mode

[Pinkieseb]

Similar to Career mode, exploration mode is the exact same to Career mode except the map (m) view isnt full. You need to gather science and start off by looking through an observatory (new building) and try to look for planets or moons near kerbin. (Mun, Minimus) Once found on the telescope the planets will appear on the map. At that point you need to send rockets to the mun or minimus. Once there your kerbal on EVA mode can look through their telescope and find the NEAREST planet/moon. The observatory would have a stronger telescope, this is why. Then you need to keep gathering science and continue to expand.

The sun, kerbin and possibly the mun start already on the map. Everything else will need to be discovered, the observatory will need to be unlocked with science (50 maybe) then you can begin use.

Please give me critique and stuff! Thanks!

[dutch_iven]

wouldn't the kerbals already know about their system before launching rockets. we humans knew about most of the planets in our solarsystem before rockets even existed.

[jwenting]

as Dutch says, it's beyond silly to assume Kerbals know nothing about the sky and what's in it before they launch their first rockets into space.

Getting to those things up in the sky is precisely the reason you start building rockets in the first place.

[Sirrobert]

wouldn't the kerbals already know about their system before launching rockets. we humans knew about most of the planets in our solarsystem before rockets even existed.

We humans also had ladders before rockets. Stop trying to bring some alternate dimenion into this, this is Kerbol, not Sol.

I like it. Maybe let you discover the moons of different planets by sending a probe (or rocket) there. And most importantly: Not having any detailed information about the surface gravity, or atmosphere in game until you did the related science

[SilverWarior]

Developers already mantioned that they intent to implement something similar (not all planets are initially visible).

[peadar1987]

Maybe Eeloo or some of the moons of Jool could be invisible at first. Gilly as well. And gravity, atmospheric composition, temperature, radiation levels (if they are implemented) should definitely be hidden from you until you've done the relevant tests as well.

[Dart980]

I would add this when we have new planets. Something like you can see the actual planets (0.22) but not the new ones.

[Deejay2000]

I grabbed this from the planned features page on the wiki which says: "Observatory: Discover new celestial bodies to visit". This would more than likely be implemented in career mode, though. It'll probably be added when (or if it will be at all) after Squad has the basic structure of career mode down. I can't make any promises, only can I predict.

[KrimZon]

I think there'd be a bit of a disconnect between using science to unlock things and discovering information about the planets. Some experiments ought to acquire information as soon as they can deliver the result to Misson Control.

I really like the idea of only having low-res maps of planets until you've sent a probe to take pictures. Or even the non-map view being limited to what data the probe is able to acquire from its environment.

[coolitic]

So it's career mode with a fog of war? Maybe you should instead suggest they implement a fog of war into career mode.