Bigger and Funner Tech Tree!

[HazelPine]

Hey guys! I've noticed that when doing a nee carrer, the tech tree goes through too fast. I almost finished it with a munar landing and biome hopping! So my idea is to make the tech tree more fun by making more nodes!

How would it work? It would have different branches, like landing legs, parachutes boosters and engines, basically one for every kind of part. Then you could choose to pock the forst node woth something like, safer landing, which would give you a basic chute and a simple landing leg. From there, you would get 2-3 more branches like landing leg tech and parachutes tech. And every node would have 3-5 new part max, to show how things would get better the more you work on them. So on a branch for heavy engines (2.5m) you could have: Poodle, Skipper, Mainsail, Engine + tank combo. But every node would cost more than the last one by alot, so from a skipper to a mainsail there could be a need for 750 science.

Please tell me what you think of this idea, guys! It could make carrer more fun and could give you more options IMO.

[juvilado]

Are you playing .23.5? and you say you covered all tech tree from the beginning in just one expedition to MUN? with just the thermometer? (and mistery g, not sure if it is from the beginning) Hardly to believe, can you post a picture of the ship?

[Raptus86]

The same here... I nearly finished with the tech tree and the only other planet I visited is eve... I did not even came back from there... I think the Tech tree have to be bigger... 3 or 4 more slots with 1500, 2000, and perhaps 3000 science points... but for that it have to be amazing stuff to develop. That all the rocket stuff is so fast developable is not bad at all but we need more stuff for all the science points on the other planets. Perhaps after we take some surface samples back to kerbal the scientists can think up cool stuff with it like new alloys, materials, or better sort of jet engines or other thinks u know science fiction has no borders. But like allways I want to see that in later versions.

[BLUESTREAK]

I think increasing the level of science required to unlock nodes may discourage new players; making it a bit 'grindy' to get through the earlier levels. I agree entirely about more nodes; fewer pieces per unlock with a lower science requirement each. The main changes I would suggest are to give the option of starting unmanned; essentially starting the game at the V2, 1940's Von Braun sort of level. The option of putting a manned payload should still exist at this stage, however, as it's a far more 'Kerbal' way of doing things. (As a historical precedent, the British could have had the first man in space in the late 1940s as there were apparently plans afoot by the RAF to place a pilot in a detachable nosecone on a captured V2 on a sub-orbital flight. This was canceled, probably because of financial concerns in the post war environment, and also because it's barking mad. Alas, I can't back up my sources, as I cannot find where I read that for the life of me...)

The other change I would make is slightly more significant. I would give a semi - developed spaceplane tech tree as a starter - again, at a 1940's level, with basic jet engines, wing parts, and undercarriage. This would be on the same page as the rocket tech tree, but would require significantly more science to unlock future spaceplane parts. This would allow players to muck about in the atmosphere, but not actually construct SSTO spaceplanes until much later. As the player progresses, the two trees merge. In short you have two start points, both at a very exciting time in aviation/spaceflight - when it was still very, very dangerous for all concerned!

[nobbers12345]

I think in order to do that, you would need a lot more parts to balance it out, I feel now that the new tech tree is easier because you get the mainsail earlier, which you can use asparagus and get 150+ tons to orbit. It's the only complaint I have about the stock 3.75m parts.

Interstellar Tech does a great job with it, and it should be used as an example.

[Scoundrel]

Considering the tech tree isn't really a tech tree (it's a parts preference tree with branches towards bigger and smaller parts rather than any form of technological progression) and science points aren't really science points (they're exploration points rewarded for data point acquisition), there isn't really much of a point in trying to convince Squad to turn it into something the devs never intended it to be. As HarvesteR has said in many livestreams, the "tech tree" is a replacement for tutorials, and is something that experienced players should be able to completely unlock in under a handful of missions so the players can focus on the other aspects of career mode... whenever those other aspects are added to the game, that is.

Therefore I caution exercising some patience first to see how career mode ends up before asking for tech tree reworking/balancing.

[-ELF-]

Said many times, it depends on style of play.

I personally feel that tech tree is too hard for me.

I can do interplanetary transfer. I visited Eve orbit and Duna surface.

Playing since 0.16, never ever been to Jool, Dres, Eeloo and Moho, can't get enough confidence to do so.

Yes, pretty Slowpoke I am, but this is my style. Playing about four-five hours per month. (Married, have a lot of other stuff to be done)

So, sum up - for me tech tree is about balanced normally, but I would like faster progress.