KSP is intended for which ages of player?

[Jouni]

I'd say something like 10+ years. Playing KSP independently requires some ability for abstract reasoning, which usually develops at around that age.

[Thiel]

To me KSP is suitable to all ages. If they're old enough to understand how to use a computer they're old enough to play. Exactly how much they'll get out of it depends entirely on the child and her/his parents though. There's plenty of anecdotes on this forum alone about five-eight year olds who manages to build their own rocket and get it into an orbit. And even if they don't explosions are always fun.

[DunaRocketeer]

^Exactly, you get out of it whatever you can put into it.

[Jouni]

To me KSP is suitable to all ages. If they're old enough to understand how to use a computer they're old enough to play. Exactly how much they'll get out of it depends entirely on the child and her/his parents though. There's plenty of anecdotes on this forum alone about five-eight year olds who manages to build their own rocket and get it into an orbit. And even if they don't explosions are always fun.

That's an answer to a different question. Kids often enjoy things they don't fully comprehend, but that doesn't mean that those things are intended or targeted for them.

[Arran]

I'm 44 years old. This is the only game in all of gamedom that is interesting enough for me to tolerate.

I've done all that, I've plugged quarters into an Asteroids machine, I had a Commodore 64, I played Pong in the 1970's, I had an Atari 2600 when that was a geeky thing to have, I was there for Doom and Duke Nukem and KSP is hands down the most interesting thing happening in gaming today.

I'd say "mature" player with "advanced" tastes and "extra" requirements for a more interesting, involved game.

LOL, i could have written this.. exactly the same age, and played also those games as well

Oh man, i still remember when my dad gave me a Phongbox for my birthday early 70's.. half of my friends where yealous, the other half just coudnt understand what was fun about it

Still i think KSP is for everyone regardless of age, that has a healthy interrest in things like engineering, mathematics, space explorations, and adventure

[zarakon]

Everyone who's capable of using a mouse and keyboard

You don't have to be able to run complex missions to other planets in order to get something out of the game. You don't even need to be able to reach orbit. Someone, especially a little kid, can get plenty out of the game by just slapping parts together to see how well they fly before exploding. Then of course there are all sorts of silly contraptions you can build and antics you can perform just on Kerbin's surface.

[Madrias]

Everyone who's capable of using a mouse and keyboard

You don't have to be able to run complex missions to other planets in order to get something out of the game. You don't even need to be able to reach orbit. Someone, especially a little kid, can get plenty out of the game by just slapping parts together to see how well they fly before exploding. Then of course there are all sorts of silly contraptions you can build and antics you can perform just on Kerbin's surface.

Exactly. Dad likes throwing rockets together and sending them screaming into orbit. I build spaceplanes. One of my friends let his 7 year old brother try and he strapped a booster to the side of a cockpit and sent it flying toward the ocean, laughing as it exploded. Fun can be had at any time, by any age.

[The Destroyer]

Honestly, if your ready to break the difficulty cliff, ages from 8-50 will all enjoy.

[RSwordsman]

Has anyone said "all ages"? It is a hard game, but features stylized proportions, cute aliens, and darkly delightful explosions. I can see kids as young as 8 getting into it, and have seen stories around the 'net of kids that age getting into orbit and learning about real physics.

The advanced players demand more from a game than pure goofy destruction, and with KSP, they get it. Possibility is limited only by problem solving skills and imagination. And once a sufficient infrastructure is built, it almost gains elements of strategy games. It's so many things and can be enjoyed at any level of involvement.

EDIT: I see plenty have said "everybody." Who wouldn't love Kerbals?

[little square dot]

It's not about age. It's about interests.

I loved to read history texts as a kid, and pre-teen I was deeply into grand strategy games that most adults don't have the patience for.

That said, I was almost completely disengaged in school because I generally wasn't interested in the subject matter, in addition to which words such as "***" made me giggle uncontrollably at the time.

So, while I definitely wasn't mature in any way, shape or form, my interests motivated me to learn certain complex things.

*edit: really? REALLY?! s-e-x is a banned word?

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

I am almost 30 years old now but I wonder how my live would have changed, if I had such a game like KSP when I was maybe 16 years old.

I can not thank Harvester enough to stick to his dreams and to start developing this game with his Team even when I always have something to complain about.

[Palleas]

No quote, no debate.

It clearly targets people who are 28 years old.

I'm 28 years old.

[SSSPutnik]

IMHO KSP exhibits a vast range of player styles.

There are mature players like me, but I'm not a stodgy old bugger.

I like the physics realism, learning about rocketry and using realistic parts. I can happily discuss things like Oberth effect for pages.

But I still do silly things like see how far a rocket will go straight up and strap some jets on it just for the hell of it. I still laugh when I brake my rover at stop speed, watch it nose into the ground and the cab falls off.

The game also makes me all whimsical about the space program dying with Apollo, and why the hell we don't all live on the moon by now,

There s also the younger crowd who delight in blowing things up and yearning for weapons etc. I think a lot of different players get value from the game.

Hopefully it will make a few more people get jobs in space industries.

I'm 46 this year.

PS my 5 year old had a hoot when we built a space plane together and flew it but she almost cried when Bob fell off during his EVA wing standing maneuver and fell to his death at Mach 2+

Edited March 6, 2014 by SSSPutnik

[jdmgto]

Based off what I've seen with my kids, 3 and up.

[Poryy]

Your definitions seem discrimatory. I'm 13. I make planets. I don't play games just because my friends do. I play 2 games only, Planetside 2 and Kerbal Space Program. I see 8 year olds building complex bases on Minmus, and 40 year olds attaching MOAR Boostars and laughing as their Kerbals die.

[Wallygator]

I'm of the mind that it's harder for older people to learn a game like KSP than it is for a younger kid to get it. Orbital mechanics aren't exactly intuitive, so the less intuition you employ, then better

Hmmm... I'm 54, and I can attest that understanding orbital dynamics and interplanetary flight is NOT that difficult. KSP actually makes it quite a bit simpler to simulate and visualize. Now, if anyone (young or old) really wants to deeply understand it all, then perhaps KSP may be a "gateway activity" to help inspire pursuit of advanced mathematics and physics as part of a core education. Kerbal edu anyone?

[KerbMav]

Your definitions seem discrimatory. I'm 13. I make planets. I don't play games just because my friends do. I play 2 games only, Planetside 2 and Kerbal Space Program. I see 8 year olds building complex bases on Minmus, and 40 year olds attaching MOAR Boostars and laughing as their Kerbals die.

I think the trick is to accept that the human brain is designed to cope with diversity best when applying pigeonhole thinking - and then leave that fact behind and not dwell on how to actively categorize every aspect of life.

[Frank_G]

I'm 44 years old. This is the only game in all of gamedom that is interesting enough for me to tolerate.

I've done all that, I've plugged quarters into an Asteroids machine, I had a Commodore 64, I played Pong in the 1970's, I had an Atari 2600 when that was a geeky thing to have, I was there for Doom and Duke Nukem and KSP is hands down the most interesting thing happening in gaming today.

I'd say "mature" player with "advanced" tastes and "extra" requirements for a more interesting, involved game.

43 here and very much the same gaming history. Nice to see such a mixed community here. Thats, what makes KSP and this community real special

[Skyler4856]

Anyone willing to dedicate the energy it takes to learn this game!

[Wyseman76]

I think KSP is targeted at anyone who has the desire and will to learn about basic orbital mechanics and space exploration. I don't find age a determining factor. My son age six, sits with me often and we design and test rocket builds of various designs, some of his own for that matter.

[jalapen0]

EVERYONE

Content is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

[TimePeriod]

I'd assume this game is meant for everyone but it needs a certain kind of player to play this game "efficiently"

[karolus10]

I would say both... it depends how you approach the game - KSP can provide challenge for advanced players as well as let you fooling around with random creations... both ways are legitimate ways of having fun.

KSP don't had to be easy game as long as you can start playing the game as long as a newbie is able to start playing with very simple designs and had fun ... later he will learn by trail and error, KSP is one of few games that aren't frustrating if you fail miserably multiple times before success .

Edited March 27, 2014 by karolus10

[bigdad84]

I think if they're old enough to do basic math and read, they could probably beat the learning curve for KSP.

[Jank]

I'd also say it's for everyone. My 4-yo daughter asks me all the time if she can watch me play "my rocket game". She loves watching the "fail youtubes". She helps me pick Kerbonauts from the lounge based on how interesting their names are to her (sometimes I have to send them on suicide missions later because she picks names I hate - hmmm ok Merory Kerman, you will go jet-bike testing lol). She tries to construct rockets and gets angry at me when I correct her (well your rocket needs a fuel tank honey). I'm sure she'll be hitting me up to start her own save before long.

I on the other hand am 40 yo and I do play 3-5 games at once, and I have s***loads of money to spend on games. Pigeonholing different "classes" of players for a game like this just doesn't work.

And btw, orbital mechanics ARE intuitive... just like the Universal Law of Gravitation itself... never underestimate the intellect of others, especially kids.