KSP committed to multiplayer career and sandbox modes

[Firov]

So out of curiosity, did they explain their sudden shift of opinion on multiplayer? It's a good thing, absolutely. It's just odd that after so long of firmly insisting that they would never add multiplayer to KSP that they've pulled a 180 and now made multiplayer a priority.

[Cooly568]

Now honestly, in my opinion multiplayer wouldn't do much to the game, and Squad is only doing it now because it has been proven possible.

Here's what I have to say:

1. Squad used to think it was going to be near-impossible, until KMP.

2. Squad used to say that it may of been a possibility after release. (I think, don't hold me over that)

3. KMP proved it possible, so now Squad wants to do it themselves for the final release.

4. I wouldn't expect this until VERY, VERY late into the development, 0.98 probably, at least my guess.

5. About the whole griefing thing, there may be a way to connect KSP to the world-wide web, like for crafts, science totals, images, and mods, but I don't think it would be possible to have a MMO type style, it would be secluded to servers of 32 or so, at the VERY most, such as the way of Minecraft. (unless you count those insane 1000+ people servers)

6. I don't mean to get off-topic, but what is with the general stereotype that all people under the age of 15 or so are stupid people with much less mature actions, words, and intelligence, heck I'm 13, and I speak more intelligently and thoughtfully than most adults I meet, but I shouldn't get off topic now.

7. I don't think multiplayer would to a ton for KSP, sure it would be very fun and very cool, heck I might have the time of my life with it, but it isn't something that need to be focused on now, so linking back to my fourth point...

If we are going to see multiplayer, it wouldn't be for a very, very long time.

Yes they said they would start working on it next year, but with most likely thousands of bugs to iron out, I wouldn't expect a stable multiplayer for... about 2 years.

Nothing in that post you just read is 100% correct, accurate, or fact in anyway.

[The Jedi Master]

-snip-

KSP makes 13-year-olds with well-informed opinions who talk like adults!

[Bigcheecho]

Oh boy, oh boy!

Believe me, I don't want may ship attacked by SRBs, either. The solution, though, is simple: Allow users to have a list of people that can touch their ship. That way, massive ships can be built without fear of griefing, and people can still SRB joust if they want to.

[iMAniaC]

I'm really happy about the announcement! I've had hours and hours (or rather days and weeks) of fun with my friends in multi-player Minecraft and I believe that there's loads of fun to be had with friends in KSP, too. I'm also happy about them announcing it for an earlier build than post-1.0. Minecraft started out as single-player only (iirc), but during development it became clear that their prefered solution for single-player, code-wise, was to have the single-player player play offline alone on his own multi-player world. If that is what SQUAD ends up with, then the sooner they begin implementing it, the less work it's going to be adapting stuff to a multi-player based code later. (Although, of course, that may not be what they go for at all. But if they go for such a solution, then it's a good thing they don't wait until post-release, I think).

[Comrade Jenkens]

As much as I'm looking forward to multiplayer, I'm very worried that many features will be cut to make room for this.

As for worrying about ppl blowing up your ships, I sugest you play with friends rather than griefers.

[Turvok]

During the closing ceremonies I think it was harvester talking about it? He did mention that it wouldn't be coming until AFTER campaign mode was done at the very minimum. But definitely didn't confirm a time.

[FITorion]

I for one don't care to have or use multiplayer in KSP.

That is my simple and initial stance on the subject. I could see the KSP IP becoming great fodder for a second game that would be a space MMO like game. That could be good. Adding multiplayer to the current game really won't add anything to my game play. I don't care to have it. While it's the focus of attention then the game play experiance I do care about (sandbox and career) will be neglected.

[Whackjob]

Sometime in the near future... this multiplayer server log is recovered.

[system] Server boot time 21:38

[system] Rawkitt man has logged in

[system] Flaiboi has logged in

[chat] Rawkitt: Ok, server's up. Looks good.

[chat] Rawkitt, Flai, do you see the rocket I put on the pad?

[system] Moarboosters has logged in

[chat] Flaiboi: yeah now launch it so I can launch something

[chat] Rawkitt: sec

[chat] Moarboosters: w00t! multiplayre!!!

[system] Whackjob has logged in

[chat] Rawkitt: Ok, I just took my rocket off the pad. Gonna change something. All yours

[system] Englebert Humperdink has logged in

[chat] Moarboosters: omg FLEE U FOOLS

[system] Jebediah has logged in

[system] Moarboosters has logged out

[chat] Whackjob: Check this rocket out lol

[chat] Rawkitt: DUDE NO

[system] Flaiboi has timed out

[system] Englebert Humperdink has timed out

[system] Rawkitt has timed out

[system] Whackjob has timed out

[system] Jebediah has timed out

Edited December 14, 2013 by Whackjob

[pigletx2]

I cant wait for multiplayer...

Edited December 14, 2013 by pigletx2
Quotation fail

[Savage117]

I like the idea of multiplayer for this game but agree with those that want the game fleshed out first before multiplayer starts putting holes in it. Finish the main game, as it is, first then start with multiplayer, or make them separate tracks that converge here and there so the single player doesn’t suffer. In other words, single player comes first.

A quick idea I had of my ideal multiplayer for this game would be a coopetition kind of mode, place 4-5 KSC's around Kerbin, each would be part of their own "country". At the beginning of the game the players either choose they’re location or are given one randomly from the 4-5 preexisting KSC's. Give each player the ability to trade with the other players if they chose to, or compete in a kind of "Space race" scenario, but make it so other player can only see other players creations but not touch them unless some sort of permission is given.

I really like the idea of a "Kommand & Kontrol" mode too, one person teams up with another and one is the "Pilot" and the other is "Kommand". The pilot is stuck in IVA, make it so hes stuck in a first person space suit as well, and all he has is his instruments and those tiny windows to guide his craft. And then you have "Kontrol" who’s stuck with maps and telemetry from the craft in question and the two players have to kommunicate to get things done. You could add this to the coopetition mode and allow a total of 8-10 players as 4-5 teams of 2. A little thing I just thought of that would keep things interesting, make it so the "Pilot" and "Kontrol" could switch places if they wished. Let "Kontrol" have some support rolls, like they control the rovers and probes, unless the pilot is given equipment to do so, they can control things that take two different craft like a X-15 test craft type scenario, "Kontrol" flies the drop craft while the pilot flies the X-15 analog, that way the drop craft doesn’t just crash ruining all the K-bucks you spent on it.

Multiplayer could be an awesome experience, as long as they cater to both the PvP and cooperation crowds, hopefully providing tools to keep them separate. I can see the appeal of a space war with another player, as long as iv agreed to it or am aware it could happen and can prepare myself for the eventual conflict. Maybe give players some political tools, trade agreements, declarations of war, etc.. and these things would be needed to be agreed on by both players for there to be any effect.

For example: At this moment no player can touch another players property, but Player A declares War on Player C, Player C agrees to the war, now Player A and Player C can destroy each others property provided they can find ways to do so. Player A also declares war on Player B, but Player B declines, no war happens, both parties still can not touch each others property.

Sorry got a bit long, when I brain storm its more like a hurricane.

[iMAniaC]

A quick idea I had of my ideal multiplayer for this game would be a coopetition kind of mode, place 4-5 KSC's around Kerbin, each would be part of their own "country". At the beginning of the game the players either choose they’re location or are given one randomly from the 4-5 preexisting KSC's. Give each player the ability to trade with the other players if they chose to, or compete in a kind of "Space race" scenario, but make it so other player can only see other players creations but not touch them unless some sort of permission is given.

I've been thinking along those lines as well. I thought maybe there could be 4-5 equatorial KSC's, because those are the easiest ones, and then a number of KSC's all around Kerbin. Possibly even the option of placing your KSC wherever you like. (Extra challenge; place it in a slope so that all your creations have to take off from the runway or be built with a special slope-compensator leg). Of course, this should resonate back to single-player, so that it's possible to choose a start location in single-player as well. Implementing additional KSC's into the code will give modders a lot of new tools to work with as well, I think.

I also think that it would be nice for several players to be part of one KSC, so that they don't have to have their own KSC far apart from each other if they don't want to. That way, they don't need to trade at all in order to sync their progress (if technology and science points are tied to KSC's instead of players). Perhaps we could get to build KSC's from the ground up, as it were, so that it's possible to have several launch pads for a KSC with several people. Having modular KSC's would also open up a lot of possibilities for modders.

If only science results are allowed for trading, as opposed to trading technology itself, then it would not be game-breaking, I think, because the largest total amount of science input into any tech tree would only be the sum of all distinct science results among all the KSC's, instead of the sum of all science results from all KSC's multiplied with the number of KSC's (which could be achieved by everyone choosing a different tech after having completed one mission and then sharing it with everyone else). Of course, only getting to trade science results, wouldn't disallow people from choosing different technologies with the corresponding science points. Thus, one could end up with different players going different ways in the tech tree and open up for co-operation between players. Like, if one player goes for all the space station parts and another one chooses heavier rockets, then they could somehow co-operate in order to get the space station into orbit. This would require a joint mission functionality, but I think that would be a good idea anyway. Who wouldn't want to have a Kerbal from your own space program ride along with the rocket of someone else's

I disagree with holding off on multi-player until single-player is finished because I think it may result in extra work, but I'll leave that decision to the game developers. As long as the end product delivers, I'm not really concerned about how they got there.

(Also, they said that war is not going to be part of KSP and I really like that decision. Of course, enabling it through mods works really well, I think).

Edited December 14, 2013 by iMAniaC

[UNSC]

Also remember, you can still play single-player. Multi-player does not remove that feature.

[tobjv]

Also remember, you can still play single-player. Multi-player does not remove that feature.

I want MP cause I have a lot of friends who play this. Would be fun to have actual races, stations and other things to work with like KMP does. IMO though, will anything get dropped to make this fit? Also minimum requirements for computers would probably need to be raised a bit...

[GusTurbo]

Also remember, you can still play single-player. Multi-player does not remove that feature.

I think the problem people have with multiplayer is that it will divert the devs' attention away from enhancing the single player experience.

[I_Killed_Jeb]

I really like the idea of a "Kommand & Kontrol" mode too, one person teams up with another and one is the "Pilot" and the other is "Kommand". The pilot is stuck in IVA, make it so hes stuck in a first person space suit as well, and all he has is his instruments and those tiny windows to guide his craft. And then you have "Kontrol" who’s stuck with maps and telemetry from the craft in question and the two players have to kommunicate to get things done. You could add this to the coopetition mode and allow a total of 8-10 players as 4-5 teams of 2. A little thing I just thought of that would keep things interesting, make it so the "Pilot" and "Kontrol" could switch places if they wished. Let "Kontrol" have some support rolls, like they control the rovers and probes, unless the pilot is given equipment to do so, they can control things that take two different craft like a X-15 test craft type scenario, "Kontrol" flies the drop craft while the pilot flies the X-15 analog, that way the drop craft doesn’t just crash ruining all the K-bucks you spent on it.

this is an incredible idea, you should officially suggest it to them in the dev forum

[Guest]

Personally, I don't care about multiplayer. Sure, implement it, but after the SP version is pretty much done and is entering beta. Otherwise, it's a waste of resources that could be spent on improving SP experience, which is, always was, and always will be core of KSP. MP should be done so that it's not interfering with SP development, nor with SP features. And sure as hell I never want to hear stuff like "it can't be done because it'll break multi". If I had to chose between a gameplay-enhancing feature and a multiplayer mode, I'll take that feature no matter what it is. Maintaining and balancing multiplayer is a huge task, so it should be the lowest priority one so that it doesn't bog Squad down. Alternatively, if the game does well enough, they could hire a new guy (possibly the KMP one) exclusively for multiplayer development/maintenance.

The only way I'd play any form of multiplayer would be a "BARIS-style" competitive mode, with one friend of mine. We'd have different tech trees based on real Soviet and American space programs, then compete on RSS-based universe, the ultimate goal probably being putting a man on the Moon or Mars. A nice perspective, but would probably require a ton of mods anyway. Besides, it'd only be partially realistic. The fully realistic Space Race would be me (and perhaps one more person) on one side, my friend and about 10 of her collegues on the other, competing for resources and funding, with different, partial tech trees and managed by one of the aforementioned 13-years old griefers, changing every session. Really, if it wasn't for political squabbling, the Soviets would've probably got to the Moon, possibly before Americans.

[GusTurbo]

I might play a multiplayer mode where players operate space centers on opposite sides of Kerbin in some sort of persistent space race. Such a game mode might include spy satellites as a way of keeping tabs on your rival, and other means of detection so you can track their ships around Kerbin or in space. Some kind of photo functionality would need to be created for the spy satellites. Something like that might be interesting.

[panzerknoef]

I really like the multiplayer idea, but i can't get get away of my fear of 9 year olds ramming a whatever mechjeb-controlled thing into my space station, crashing onto my munbase, ... And believe me as a former minecraft server owner i know what griefers want to go through to wreck havock among people's most beautifull creations. Some even paid real money just to get their mod status then to start wrecking entire cities. The only think you could do about it is having a giant net of debris floating round your space station just to prevent any srb from getting close, ofcourse you will create giant lagg (maybe creating sufficient lag would be a legit way to keep griefers away) and you wouldn't be able to come close yourself. But if none of this happens than mp will be fantastic!

[GusTurbo]

I'm a bit less worried about griefers for one simple reason: orbital rendezvous is hard. Think about how often you see people talk about how they can't figure out docking. I think the learning curve will deter a significant amount of new players who might be inclined to be jerks.

[Luckless]

I have zero worries about griefers in multiplayer KSP. I would keep a running backup of the save file for security reasons (ie, game crashes and corrupts the save), and would only play with friends. If they do something stupid to ruin something, then they get smacked. Fairly easy process.

[panzerknoef]

After some thinking i came up with this: I built a giant dish ( 50+m across) and put it in a retrograde orbit at the same altitude as the other guys space station (not really though), although unlikely it might one day intercept and cause massive destruction. The only question is, is a 12 year old able to come up with a similar idea?

[GROOV3ST3R]

I'm happy that they are committed to MP mode - it's always more fun playing with other people especially if you could collaborate on a large space mission.

Besides, you don't have to keep open servers - maybe we will be able to connect to private servers with only selected players? I mean, why would anyone worry about this at all? How is MP a bad thing? It's fun ^^ People will be able to collaborate on crafts and give live feedback to one another during game or test each others planes etc. There will be so many things we can do with that. It will likely improve the longevity of the game and bring the community closer together. That's just my opinion. ^^

[GusTurbo]

I don't really understand why people think multiplayer will significantly "widen the fan base," which they seem to imply will bring a flood of immature new players. The game isn't going to get any easier for new players to pick up and play. This isn't an FPS like Call of Duty.

[Luckless]

I don't really understand why people think multiplayer will significantly "widen the fan base," which they seem to imply will bring a flood of immature new players. The game isn't going to get any easier for new players to pick up and play. This isn't an FPS like Call of Duty.

I know a dozen people who have said the game looks interesting, and that they would play it, but they're not going to buy a single-player only game. People want multi-player, and some of those people don't already own the game.