Why do you play KSP?

[Aireglin]

Hey,

first, I did not find a similar thread for this kind of topic so I thought I'd start one. If there already is, I apologize.

Why do you play KSP and what got you into it?

Personally, I started after I got to know someone from ESA. I came across KSP much earlier through steam but never felt the desire to play. After this encounter however, I felt encouraged to pick it up.

I like the challenge that the game puts up and very much appreciate it's effort to combine science with humor (two things I really like). The freedom in design and modding capabilities is fantastic and the work the community puts into add ons, art, stories, tutorials and so on is just amazing. I guess without the time and energy people had put into this, I would have never gotten to the Mun and beyond (since I tend to be an impatient person and getting no results after some time would have surely made me quit soon).

So what's your story?

[Levelord]

I'm not so much a competitive player as much as I am a player that loves to dick around. I'm quite inquisitive so I originally wanted to be an astronomer when I was around the age of 5-6 because I fell in love with the mysteries of astronomy, space and science overall.

What happens in a black hole? What is it like to land on another planet? What happens if I collide the moon with earth? What's at the edge of the universe? If I was in an indestructible ship, what would the big bang look like? Can you jump start fusion in a brown dwarf by dumping a few earth masses into it's core? etc. etc.

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I'm in medical school instead of doing an astronomy course, so I have to supplement my scheming and all round buffoonery in KSP.

[AlamoVampire]

I for one love space and pretty much anything to do with space. I have always wanted to go to space and visit the ISS, but since I lack the huge amount of money to get my carcass up there, I use KSP as a surrogate for being in space. But, more than that, I love space games, and I was wanting something much like KSP and when I saw it on steam, I first passed on it, because, little green men, really? I picked up the demo in early july and from there, my life kinda went down this little green rabbit hole and I found jebediah standing at the bottom with a wrench saying: build my friend and see where your imagination takes you!

[Dooz]

Because i like space i aways find my self watching nasa videos and imagination and i love space games sci fiction its just really entertaining + im a nerd! Geek

Edited December 29, 2013 by Dooz

[Roastduck]

I'm a music teacher, specifically a marching percussion specialist. For those that don't know, the realm of competitive drumlines is super competitive and super high-energy. To balance out all that energy, I like to play games that are very low-key, where I can tinker, and where I can set the game to do its own thing while I eat or do homework, and only check on it every now and then. As I'm typing this, I'm listening to a Scott Manley video while a satellite scans for kethane in-game.

[Sapphire Snow Leopard]

It's because KSP delivers an experience really unlike anything I have had before in a game. Most games draw your path, give you the things to explore the path, and then guide you the whole way through. KSP hands me a wrench, and says "Knock yourself out". The fact that I can play the game however I please is amazing, and the almost-realism is so much fun. The tension and satisfaction of a large-scale mission is a surprising joy. Basically, I started playing because I had watched a video on it. Been playing since... oh, .13 I think? Never lost it's appeal to me.

[MiniMatt]

Why do I play KSP?

Number one reason: Because I no longer own any Lego.

Number two reason: Lego never had an orbital mechanics simulation.

[lextor]

Because Science .

[Boris_T_Roach]

I'm an engineer ( a proper one btw who gets his hands dirty)

And while its fun making various prototype aerospace/defence industry stuff and also made a few bits that have made it into orbit....

I just enjoy the challenge of making something that will first of all , hold together on the launchpad, then manage to hold together on the way uphill... if they hold together during landing... thats a bonus

Plus its suitably simple to use and can be played in a casual manner when you have a 30 min lunch break to spend in mindless fun before getting back to the realities of making a vital high pressure hydraulic locking arm thats used in a plane's landing gear... if its not right... welll those passengers dont smile like Jeb does when that plane lands....

Boris

[Tuareg]

i don't. i just have it on my account atm no reason to fly

[nine_iron]

The kerbals have funny names

[Gods315Pawn]

Like many have already stated, the first reason is that I have a great passion for astronomy and space travel/exploration. I am not really good enough with math or science to do it professionally and ksp allows me to do it as a hobby.

Secondly, while I really enjoy reading about recent discoveries, ksp (and its forums) has really helped and encouraged me to learn some things. Simple things like what apoapsis, periapsis, and the Kessler effect are to more complicated things like Tsiolkovsky's rocket equation (which I finally learned yesterday).

Thirdly, it is very rewarding to spend hours on a project, making a series of small adjustments after each new failure, and finally getting it right. Currently, that is trying to send my heaviest Mun lander yet for a science run.

[razark]

Because space is awesome. The space program was part of my life growing up and it's part of my life now, but KSP brings much different aspects into my hands.

[KvickFlygarn87]

Because um.. Oh, I know! Wait, no...

I honestly do not know.

[irongut]

On my 5th birthday I went to the cinema to see a film called Star Wars, I've loved anything to do with space ever since. As a kid I spent hours designing spaceships and robots with lego and eventually got into electronics and programming. KSP lets me carry on playing with spaceships just like lego but in a way slightly more appropriate for my age.

[Jon Tash]

I play KSP to dream, but Squad is making it harder to dream, I already did everything you can do in the game. There is no more sense of achievement for me. I still love the game tough.

EDIT: On a more serious note, I play the game because it's like Lego, I love Lego but I don't have them anymore. Besides as MiniMatt said, "Lego never had an orbital mechanics simulation."

Edited December 30, 2013 by Jon Tash

[Dante80]

For two reasons..

1. I love space exploration and astronomy. I used to play games as a child like Elite, Shuttle, Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space...and that kinda sticked until now (Eve online, AstroEmpires, Ogame etc).

2. I am the perfect customer for sandbox games! I do not need the game to hold my hand and tell me what to do, I have a wild imagination and run with my own ever changing sets of goals and restrictions. The awesome thing about all sandbox games is that they provide you with a playing field to go wild in...and thus its impossible for me to grow bored with them...C:

[Mak33]

I've always been fascinated with flight/aviation, which is what drew me towards the game/simulation. Having a career as an engineer is a nice fit. I love physics-oriented games/simulations, especially when simplicity and efficiency are important - What we engineers are taught in school! The collection of the aforementioned is what meshes well for me, and makes it very fun to be a "KSP'er."

[Liowen]

I love outer space, on summer night I could sit outside and just watch the stars. I have one thing on my bucket list that I doubt I will ever get to do in my life and that is to go into space, since having some issues with my heart (oddly enough I have one of those it seems) I do not see this being a possibility. This brings me to why I I play KSP, while I do not get the full effect of space I do get to imagine I am the one doing the missions. So yeah a bit more personal than what I wouldnormally post, but that is the reason why I play, oh and for the fun of playing a game as all games should be fun not work.

[InterCity]

For some reason, i love maths + physics. KSP gives me plenty of both. Also it's nice to see your own designed craft flying to the stars (until being torn apart by the space kraken )

BTW, why am i working as a surgeon now?

[Liowen]

BTW, why am i working as a surgeon now?

Because you want to become the first rocket surgeon??

[Simon Ross]

Very simple really.

Do I want to play hardcore, no help, launch tough missions, fail miserably....KSP lets me do it

Do I want to mess around, build insane spacecraft and fly them...KSP lets me do it

Add to that an amazing, supportive mod community !

Have probably have had more laugh out loud moments with KSP then every other game I have played put together

That's why we love it :-)

[ThatKerbal]

I like to play it because i enjoy the feeling of making rockets and landing on planets. I've always liked the building/engineering games. I also like the feeling of creating your own missions to planets. It's very fun, Especially when you finally land on a planet after fails and fails and fails.

[Kinglet]

Because it is the only decent game I know that is not only for windows.

[InterCity]

Because you want to become the first rocket surgeon??

Yep.That may be the reason