I'm a little worried about the future of this game...

[Renaissance0321]

Since finding this game I have logged over 275 hours in under a week. I know you're probably trying to calculate how that's possible but trust me it is because this game is THAT awesome. Recently I've been discovering mods that have added a WHOLE new level to this game. I mean these mods are incredible! They add a whole new dimension to the gameplay ... which got me thinking ... how come the devs haven't done some of this stuff ... and ... will they at some point? I just downloaded the procedural fairings mod when it struck me why this isn't in vanilla. It seems like modders can do more stuff with this game than the developers almost. Will modders carry this game? Will modders/devs work together? Are they already? I don't know ... I'm just wondering about this.

[GusTurbo]

Modders have the advantage of being more numerous and less constrained than the devs. It's not surprising that they would come up with a lot of interesting stuff.

Also, procedural fairings are cool, but they've always struck me as a little cheap, since you don't have to work within the constraints of the available fairing sizes like a real space program would.

[Dortmunder]

275 hours in less than 7 days is indeed impressive.

[TheCanadianVendingMachine]

The devs have a plan for the game, and it is going on the right track right now. Currently, the devs said no to any procedual, as for they think it ruins creativity within the game.

[MKI]

The devs do things the modders don't. But the modders use what the devs give them to make the game better. In turn the Devs generally don't do things modders can easily do, since its somewhat a waste of time.

Things such as working with NASA, adding asteoirds and random generation, career mode, unity update inter ration are ALL things modders probable won't do, some they could but it would be difficult. Other things the devs do because they are necessary regardless if they are mods or not. Take the subassembly loader, its very much a critical part of the game now.

Other things are just against the devs view, such as delta v calculators.

The further of this game is to get bigger and better, all the while mods will to. That is very much like the game itself, its not conformity that makes the game great, its the flexibility

[Xacktar]

I actually talked a little bit about this at the GDC meetup. My impression was that they are more interested in making a stable base product, then everyone can mix and match the mods they want to make the game they want to play. Some people will want mechjeb, some won't. Some like fairings, others don't. By just making a 'clean table' product, they allow the users to fix their own feast... and more importantly, change it when they want to.

[liweih]

275 hours in less than 7 days is indeed impressive.

The existence of alien world finally confirmed and they might be playing on steam!

[JonoRig]

thats like, 7 40 hour days?

[Woopert]

I think many of the popular mod features may very well be implemented some time or another. It's just that the devs are already VERY busy and can only focus at a couple things at a time (e.g. optimizations, tweakables, and the R.A.P.I.E.R. for 0.23).

With modding, anyone who has experience or learns to do so can make a mod, and that could be anyone in the KSP community. That's why we have so many great mods. Believe me, I wish a lot of them could be made stock, or at least a stock version of them so everyone enjoy them (including those who view mods as "evil" haha).

[Clockwork13]

Since finding this game I have logged over 275 hours in under a week. I know you're probably trying to calculate how that's possible but trust me it is because this game is THAT awesome. Recently I've been discovering mods that have added a WHOLE new level to this game. I mean these mods are incredible! They add a whole new dimension to the gameplay ... which got me thinking ... how come the devs haven't done some of this stuff ... and ... will they at some point? I just downloaded the procedural fairings mod when it struck me why this isn't in vanilla. It seems like modders can do more stuff with this game than the developers almost. Will modders carry this game? Will modders/devs work together? Are they already? I don't know ... I'm just wondering about this.

Well, it would be cool if Squad would add some of the most popular mod parts and features to stock.

[AustralianFries]

275 hours in less than 7 days is indeed impressive.

275 hours in 7 days is impossible.

Edited March 31, 2014 by AustralianFries

[air805ronin]

I'm not worried at all, never have been in two years.

The only wish I have would be to have them incorporate some of the functionality of Kerbal Engineer redux. My reasoning is that the mods that tend to do this have kind of faded out of support over time, needing to either be redone or picked up by new modders. While pen and paper is fun in a mental exercise kind of way, I think it would be useful to have some of the functionality built into the game.

After all their mantra has been not making KSP difficult, but fun. Giving people ready access to planetary phase angles, delta-v calculations, and other information that makes getting to the other planets more accessible.

an integration of engineer and maybe alarm clock just makes sense from a usability standpoint.

That said, most of the mods you're talking about are evidence of why I don't think the devs need to focus on those things. The mod community stepped up long ago to make many of those things a reality, and Squad really needs to shore up the main game. A career mode has been needed for a while.

If they feel like incorporating any of the current modded features, they can do that after they finish the basic game.

[Sma]

Also, I believe some of the mod developers were actually recruited by squad to work on the game. Claire's cupola module being one I remember, it was originally a mod and came in i believe in 0.23 as a stock part, although changed a bit.

[cantab]

Well, it would be cool if Squad would add some of the most popular mod parts and features to stock.

There's potential legal barriers to doing so. I expect that if Squad were to bring any mod into the stock game, they'd want or sometimes need to be able to distribute the mod under the main game's license not the mod's original license. That requires all the copyright holders of the mod to agree, and lawyers to make sure the agreement is watertight.

[Vanamonde]

It seems like modders can do more stuff with this game than the developers almost.

The developers are making the software that runs the game. That's the hard part. Then modders add details and alternatives to what is already working code. This is like taking the engineers who design and build a car and comparing them to the folks who come along later and make after-market seat covers for the car.

[r4pt0r]

stock has a good framework, and mods are not for everyone. i find kethane just absurd. look at how big actual gas refineries and mining facilities are. kethane is just a way to cheat more dv at a distant location. mechjeb is not for me. either is FAR, but i might get that later. the option not to is nice though. stock for me for now.

[Sandworm]

Squad should deliberately not do anything that can be done by mods creators. Forget the new parts. They add nothing that hasn't been covered by KW or Anvil. Squad should focus on core development to empower modders.

For instance, they should make sure that carrier mode allows US to create missions. The community can easily deliver hundreds, even thousands, of creative missions. We can also balance them. Squad should not waste their time authoring missions. They should only develop an interface to empower us, as opposed to the dreaded tech tree that remains very difficult to modify. See the 'mission controller' mod.

[Kaptain]

I wish a few features I had to add with mods were also stock, like resources. I always need to install kethane mod and its not as indepth as id like. (with only one resource, Kethane). I saw a chart once that had a list of like 8-12 made-up "Elements" (like Hexagen and propellium) that could be used to produce fuel on other worlds, but now I hear the devs have considered it "not fun" -snip-?

I also have KAS but that's only so I can refuel with out completely docking two ships together, I can land a huge ship next to a kethane rig and run a fuel line to the ship. This also give me more to do with my kerbals. Get them out the ship and put them to work. the game needs that. Right now, the only reason for me to actually bring a kerbal someplace is to take a sample and plant a flag.

Edited March 31, 2014 by KasperVld

[Sethnizzle]

275 hours in 7 days is impossible.

Considering there are only 168 hours in a week.

For the question, as the director/designer or the game, Felipe has a vision for how he wants it to be. And that is what he is creating. While there are a lot of great mods out there, not all of them fit his vision for what kind of game he wants to make. Thankfully part of his vision included creating the game to be incredibly modular so that creating/installing mods is very easy, allowing each player to expand upon his original vision however they want.

[Insomn]

I think the main reason they aren't just adding a buttload of parts is because it would make the game crash. Personally if I want to use mods with additional parts I have to pick two I can't live without and forego the rest, otherwise I can't get to the launchpad.

You have to balance work on a game's content with its core. Unlike modders Squad can't just shovel more and more content on top of the core game consequences be damned. Their focus needs to remain on the stability of the playing experience for the moment. They are giving us new parts in the next update but only because we will be working with a more robust engine that allows for sturdier rockets. When we can get 64bit support, I imagine that would open up a world of possibilities for expanding the game content.

[Palleas]

275 hours in 7 days is impossible.

It depends. 32 ou 64 bits week ?

[AlamoVampire]

Squad should deliberately not do anything that can be done by mods creators. Forget the new parts. They add nothing that hasn't been covered by KW or Anvil. Squad should focus on core development to empower modders.

For instance, they should make sure that carrier mode allows US to create missions. The community can easily deliver hundreds, even thousands, of creative missions. We can also balance them. Squad should not waste their time authoring missions. They should only develop an interface to empower us, as opposed to the dreaded tech tree that remains very difficult to modify. See the 'mission controller' mod.

I think they should always focus on, when applicable, the addition of new parts to this game. I love NovaPunch, but, its a memory hog, I love procedural fairings as well, but, would LOVE to see those sorts of things become stock. Why? Because then, I can focus on other mods to use. If they stop adding new parts themselves, this game WILL dry up. Our lovely modding community is NOT always going to be here, and some mods go by way of the dodo. Like the ISA MAP SAT, iirc the developer of that mod just stopped working on it, and another similar to it had to be added. No, they should always be able to add new parts. IF not for the new parts of ARM, it would NOT be possible.

[Frank_G]

275 hours in less than 7 days is indeed impressive.

May i ask for the phone number of Dr. Who, please... I want to play 275 hours in 7 days too!!

[Madrias]

At least I know now who stole my time machine...

[MKI]

I think they should always focus on, when applicable, the addition of new parts to this game. I love NovaPunch, but, its a memory hog, I love procedural fairings as well, but, would LOVE to see those sorts of things become stock. Why? Because then, I can focus on other mods to use. If they stop adding new parts themselves, this game WILL dry up. Our lovely modding community is NOT always going to be here, and some mods go by way of the dodo. Like the ISA MAP SAT, iirc the developer of that mod just stopped working on it, and another similar to it had to be added. No, they should always be able to add new parts. IF not for the new parts of ARM, it would NOT be possible.

You must not forget, this game is not FINISHED

I do not see this game Drying up very fast. Modders will always be there as long as the game is active.

Squad does empower modders which is important for more modders to have more opportunities.

The final thing about KSP is it is their game to design, the dev's have said they don't like Fairings. This doesn't mean they wont add them ever, but it does probably mean they wont arrive soon. Plus their are plenty of mods out there for that. Yea it would be nice for it to be in the stock game, but does it have to be? No, which is what makes KSP a great game to mod. It doesn't try to replace mods left and right, it tries to empower them.

The game stock is pretty good, still needs work, but this is a working product. By the end of the development cycle (in 2020 ) the Stock game should be pretty in depth, but not all encompassing. Thats where mods come in, you can change the WHOLE GAME with mods! As long as the game is friendly to modders, there will be mods.