KSP is intended for which ages of player?

[Vanamonde]

I'm 54, and I can attest that understanding orbital dynamics and interplanetary flight is NOT that difficult.

Yeah, I'm 51. We're the generation who watched Apollo on live TV while we were in grade school. This stuff is as familiar to us as Miley Cyrus is to you punk kids.

[Nepos]

Yeah, I'm 51. We're the generation who watched Apollo on live TV while we were in grade school. This stuff is as familiar to us as Miley Cyrus is to you punk kids.

LOL so true. On a related note my brother and I played with this back in the day

[EvilotionCR2]

11 here, Ive played this game for more than 2 years now. And when were talking about IQ I have 140.

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For small children, up to 1024 years old.

nah, more like 2100, who gets the reference?

Edited March 27, 2014 by karolus10
double post merge

[Cerberus738]

I'm 32! I was 31 when I first discovered this game. I used to play an assortment of games but my addiction has become so great I haven't even opened anything else since last October. Lol. My girlfriend hates this game.....

[Boris_T_Roach]

I remember when rocks was MONEY.

And then we learned to bang the rocks together

I'm an old phart, with a dodgey heart and my doc says the excitment caused by one more spectacular failure could be enough to send me to the great launchpad in the sky....

So... its time to hit that space barrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Boris

I'm not dead yet

Edited March 27, 2014 by Boris_T_Roach

[Rowsdower]

Are you a human? KSP is for you. Do you happen to be a well trained animal? Yeah, you, too. Inanimate object that comes to life without others seeing? Come aboard. In short, it's for everyone.

[xxjetterxx]

I'm 13.

[Sovek]

After dealing with a certain someone in the KSP chat channel on steam, I'm compelled to post the following.

This game is not for everyone. This game is not the best for younger people. This game should not be played by those of a younger age who are unwilling to learn.

Countless people (myself included) attempted to mentor this kid in his futile attempts in getting to the Mun. Every single one failed. He couldnt wrap his head around Scott Manley's tutorial on getting to the Mun. At that point we gave up and I eventually was forced to block him after he made his immature comments in the chat.

This game IS for you if you are at least willing to sit down and LEARN. That is the barrier right there. You dont need an ingame tutorial, we have youtube and Wiki for that.

[Red Iron Crown]

After dealing with a certain someone in the KSP chat channel on steam, I'm compelled to post the following.

This game is not for everyone. This game is not the best for younger people. This game should not be played by those of a younger age who are unwilling to learn.

Countless people (myself included) attempted to mentor this kid in his futile attempts in getting to the Mun. Every single one failed. He couldnt wrap his head around Scott Manley's tutorial on getting to the Mun. At that point we gave up and I eventually was forced to block him after he made his immature comments in the chat.

This game IS for you if you are at least willing to sit down and LEARN. That is the barrier right there. You dont need an ingame tutorial, we have youtube and Wiki for that.

In fairness, I don't think age is the factor there, but willingness to learn as you say. A 50 year old with the same obstreperous attitude would find the game just as unsuitable.

[Shna_na]

I started playing when I was 13. I'm 16 in a matter of weeks and still going strong. Definitely helped out in physics, apparently saying that "the moon is in an inclined orbit" to explain why we don't have an eclipse every month is as far as space-related physics goes in secondary education. Well, there's celestial domes, but other than that... A little disappointing.

Anyway, back to the point at hand, I'd say it's a game for anyone. And I mean anyone. My 10 year old cousin? Loves it. My 34 year old uncle? Loves it (he plans to get it when he once again buys a PC). My 45 year old parents? Baffled by it, but they haven't played it yet... I'll get back to you on that!

So yeah, long story short, even just in my family alone there's an age range of 24 years between the oldest and youngest KSP fan. That, to me, suggests that it's a game for all ages. Then you also have to consider the youtube videos on it: I believe it was TryDyingToLive who did a video or two where his dad (we'll assume aged 50 for argument's sake) played the game.

[Naten]

Hi 14 year old here and i'd say there targetting everyone

Hello, 12 year old here and I'd say that they're targeting anyone who takes time to learn that there's more to rocket science than Jules Verne thought...

[Amaroq]

My two-year-old loves it. To be fair, she's mostly watching Daddy play -- but she's got the idea. She loves seeing lift-off, how she can then see the whole world. She also loves watching stars, on our backs, outside at night. She can already identify Mars and Venus, and the look she got when she saw Duna ("Mars") in the game, and understood that it was a planet and earth was a planet and the moon is a planet and somebody could stand on all three ..

Well.

Mission accomplished, Squad.

[Commissioner Tadpole]

In my opinion, it's everyone. As long as they have the will to learn, of course.

I began playing Kerbal Space Programâ„¢ when I was 13, one year before I actually was introduced to the basics of Physics. Now, I am 14 years old, and I'm the only one in class who knows that, to attain orbit, you need to be moving fast enough that you fall and miss the ground, and not because you just sit there floating because "there's no gravity", and that a spacecraft can use the atmosphere to slow itself down!

Well, granted I'm not the best in Physics' equations, but when it comes to the rules, I learn 'em quickly. All thanks to Kerbal Space Program.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Commissioner Tadpole

[Xacktar]

In fairness, I don't think age is the factor there, but willingness to learn as you say. A 50 year old with the same obstreperous attitude would find the game just as unsuitable.

I think this is the big point here. I saw a review on steam where someone pointed out that if you like learning and don't mind failing, the game was for you. I think that's represented well by our community. The ones that stick around are those that get a good laugh at forgetting to bring a ladder to Eve, or just miss your intercept and fly out into the great void. I think that if you can laugh at yourself, then you'll enjoy this game.

EDIT: Oh, also, I'm 30 years old. I love that this is a place where you see teenagers and younger talk orbital mechanics, efficiency and structural design philosophy with old guys like me. Where else do you see that?

Edited March 27, 2014 by Xacktar

[liweih]

I've seen people who is in primary school plays ksp so we'll. I've seen people who is muture plays it so horriblely bad. So I really don't think there should be a line of age. The thing that really matter is will they willing to spend time and energy to learn. I hate those people who keep asking simple questions when tutorials are right by their hand. Laziness is the enemy.

[Bandock]

Been playing Kerbal Space Program since the age of 23 3/4 years old. One thing I salute Squad for is making rocket science a fun learning experience. True it has a learning curve for more advanced concepts, but you can at least get started without any complexities. Age group wise, it can be played by anyone of any age. Let's not forget we have little geniuses in this world who probably already know the more advanced mechanics.

Now, if you want an even steeper learning curve (though more of a simulator than a game), try Orbiter. While it is great for learning rocket science, expect a lot of reading and understanding. Plus, building spacecraft is more complex since you have to know 3D modeling (though it supports docking for space stations). However, Orbiter like I said can be handy for learning advanced material as well.

What makes Kerbal Space Program so great is you get to build your very own rocket as well as your own modules using any assortment of parts (using stock or modded). Plus, the physics included with the game allows for awesome experimentation. Look at the wonderful designs that aren't spacecraft.

[Jouni]

In fairness, I don't think age is the factor there, but willingness to learn as you say. A 50 year old with the same obstreperous attitude would find the game just as unsuitable.

It's not only about the willingness to learn, but also about the ability to learn. Most kids under about 10 don't have that ability yet, because their brains can't handle abstract concepts and complex systems. They can play KSP with someone else, but their ability to play it independently is severely limited.

[nettcod]

Age is irrelevant. KSP is intended for people of all ages.

[Heagar]

I would say that the age doesn't matter. The only precondition is, that a player is interested in space exploration. Even in our ever faster going world today (witch concers games too) a game about this theme can attract players with it's unique gameplay.

KSP has combined the gameplay of an arcade-game and an simulation with elements of the LEGO-universe. Why i say that? Because:

1. Arcade:
   All objectes a reduced to 1/10 in their size in respect of a "real" Star-System. That makes an orbital period very short. The distances to other planets are also shrinked down. And because the most of them are in the orbital plane they are easy to reach. Witch makes an early success (mun-landig e.g.) possible.
   
2. Simulation:
   The player must be willing to think about orbital mechanics in a simplifyed way only. If she/he doesn't want it, the game will become boring in a short period of time and will be put away. (I knew a Let's player who couldn't perform docking, but hadn't the time in his opinion to watch one video or read one explanation)
   KSP is not an fully fledged simulation like "Orbiter" with a three-body-problem. Excentric orbits witch are not in the orbital plane, solar winds and so on. The player isn't forced to read numbers on an MFD and perform at least two midcourse correction burns. Also you don't have to monitor your RCS-gauges and change your attiude only with RCS while in space etc..
   
3. Lego-universe:
   The player can create any craft she/he could dream of and fly it instantly just by assembling together several modules. There is no "must" for mods like in "Orbiter" to fly a different spacecraft.
   

Nevertheless it will be that younger people will be attracted/interested in that game in first place when they see a disney-alike charater walking around on an other celestrial body, i assume.

The main problems with KSP arises when:

1. The "crash-simulator" kicks in.
   The player must be willing to evaluate the problems with her/his design and correct it.
   
2. Obital mechanics have to be evaluated.
   Could be resolved with watching a video related to KSP or reading Bruce Irving's "Go Play in Space". It's mostly an kind of introduction for "Orbiter", but with good explatiations and graphics.
   
3. The player must have enough imagination to create new challenges for her/him.
   I speak of players witch have reached any destination and say: "There is no more to do, i quit". But a quick look into the forums - where lots of ideas and designs spread out - can resolve this, i think.
   

In conclusion:

If a player has a certain amount of staying power in the beginning this game will catch her/him for a long time, no matter of her/his age.

[Pockrtplanesairways]

Hmmm. Let me think. I'm 13. This game is for EVERYONE!

Edited March 31, 2014 by Pockrtplanesairways

[Pachi3080]

16 years old here!

Started playing in 0.19

[Specialist290]

I'll say this:

I am currently 24 years old, as of writing this post. Kerbal Space Program is one of those games that, when I was younger, I had wished that something like it existed, but nothing available at the time seemed to come close enough to filling that void. Now that it has come about years later, however, I feel that I'm enjoying it as much now as I would have if it had been around ten years ago.

Thus, add me to the "KSP is for all ages" camp

[thederper121]

This game is for everyone. Kerbal Space Program is my all-time favorite game and I'm 14 years old.

I also let my 5 year old cousin play and she had fun with it.

[Superfluous J]

I'll say this:

I am currently 24 years old, as of writing this post. Kerbal Space Program is one of those games that, when I was younger, I had wished that something like it existed, but nothing available at the time seemed to come close enough to filling that void. Now that it has come about years later, however, I feel that I'm enjoying it as much now as I would have if it had been around ten years ago.

Thus, add me to the "KSP is for all ages" camp

I know what you mean, and I'm almost 2x as old as you

My friend (who's also my age) describes it best: If you were to try to design a video game that is perfect for me, exactly designed to be what I want in a video game... You'd design Kerbal Space Program."

[Rus-Evo]

I would say generally mature, but having said that, I bet the 12 year old me would have been all over this!!