Kerbal PR? Seems to be on the right track.

[Starwhip]

So check out this article I found:

Minecraft in Space: Why NASA is embracing the Kerbal Space Program

It seems KSP is on the right track to becoming widely known about the country/world. And the new KerbalEdu version that's coming out could be interesting.

That's all I have to say, really.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Starwhip

[Tex]

I'm loving it. Hopefully we can attract a few more keepers here on the Forums!

[Rowsdower]

Major pieces in places like The Guardian and NBC News a few months back are big deals. There's certainly upward momentum afoot.

[Starwhip]

Woah. Look at the headline:

Minecraft in space: why Nasa is embracing Kerbal Space Program

A new generation of authentic simulations is inspiring a generation of interstellar explorers

Sam White

theguardian.com, Thursday 22 May 2014 07.19 EDT

I think this was TODAY.

[Northstar1989]

Awesome!

KSC, and by connection space, can always use more PR...

Regards,

Northstar

[Northstar1989]

Woah. Look at the headline:

Minecraft in space: why Nasa is embracing Kerbal Space Program

A new generation of authentic simulations is inspiring a generation of interstellar explorers

Sam White

theguardian.com, Thursday 22 May 2014 07.19 EDT

I think this was TODAY.

Ugh, and while I resent the comparison "Minecraft in Space" (MC doesn't even come CLOSE to realistic physics), it certainly should attract some attention considering what a cultural phenomenon Minecraft has become... (I even played it myself)

Oh, and yes, this was published today!

Regards,

Northstar

[Starwhip]

Huh. There's a link to the article on the KSP website. Didn't know that until just now.

[phoenix_ca]

This is fine. I approve.

Just as long as the addon community here doesn't become as vindictive and cruel to each other as the Minecraft modding...mess (I hesitate to call it a "community"; there's almost nothing communal about it).

[TechnicalK3rbal]

This is fine. I approve.

Just as long as the addon community here doesn't become as vindictive and cruel to each other as the Minecraft modding...mess (I hesitate to call it a "community"; there's almost nothing communal about it).

Not to get off topic, but what's wrong with the minecraft modders?

[Whackjob]

I once briefly considered making a giant paper mache` Jebediah, then using it to block traffic downtown in my home city.

[phoenix_ca]

Not to get off topic, but what's wrong with the minecraft modders?

Several of them hate each other, and they write their code to intentionally break people's games if their mod is installed alongside a mod from someone they hate. There's even one jerk who simply causes MC to crash on start so the user doesn't know what's wrong, and there have even been some (rare) cases where a particular user (or mod) is targeted with world-breaking code by a mod. That behaviour is just pathetic, because it punishes the user, not the person you have an issue with; it's mis-targetted rage, when a mature person wouldn't have such rage at all. That kind of environment is toxic, and makes it insufferably difficult to actually use mods, let alone administrate a server running them. So much so that it's not worth the effort, in my opinion. (Speaking from experience there.)

That's pretty much why I...dislike comparisons of KSP to Minecraft. The community is wildly different in temperament.

Edited May 23, 2014 by phoenix_ca

[vexx32]

Not to get off topic, but what's wrong with the minecraft modders?

I'm not too sure myself, but I hear there was a whole fiasco about stolen code and all sorts of kerfuffles regarding modders' competitiveness.

[montyben101]

I don't understand why they would copare it to minecraft when it's so different... Lego would be better

[CaptRobau]

Minecraft is the goto sandbox video game to compare things to for a casual audience. It's like calling a FPS game Doom in the 90s. It was simply the comparison they had to make, for people to understand it.

About the community, I feel very little reason to worry. First, KSP is never going to be as big as Minecraft, meaning a statistically smaller chance of a lot of assholes popping up. Second, this game attracts a certain type of people which I think are less likely to let this community devolve into something bad. We have the nicest community I've ever come across. There's nothing that KSP can add that will make it as broadly appealing as Minecraft and thus I think it'll keep the type of audience we have now.

[DJEN]

I merely hope KSP doesn't end up a community of conservative, fanatical individuals.

The KSP forums seem to have the same tendencies as the two hard SF forums, merely diluted by its fresh and open majority.

Edited May 23, 2014 by DJEN

[Kerolyov]

I'm not too sure myself, but I hear there was a whole fiasco about stolen code and all sorts of kerfuffles regarding modders' competitiveness.

Love the word kerfuffle, should be used more often

Well done Harv and the Squad team for getting into mainstream media, also think this is good for NASA, the ARM mission is now getting publicity through KSP

[NecroBones]

About the community, I feel very little reason to worry. First, KSP is never going to be as big as Minecraft, meaning a statistically smaller chance of a lot of assholes popping up. Second, this game attracts a certain type of people which I think are less likely to let this community devolve into something bad. We have the nicest community I've ever come across.

This is very true. Most online communities, particularly gaming communities, seem to attract a lot of large egos. People here are generally helpful and polite. It's quite refreshing.

[problemecium]

I like how the sample images include the experiment where the materials bay judges you xD

[TechnicalK3rbal]

-Snip-

Wow. Ive played minecraft for two years, and never heard anything about this...

Thanks KSP devs/modders!

[Javster]

Except when they say "As you succeed with flight missions, you’ll accrue more funding and expand your expertise"

Have they even played KSP??

Several of them hate each other, and they write their code to intentionally break people's games if their mod is installed alongside a mod from someone they hate. There's even one jerk who simply causes MC to crash on start so the user doesn't know what's wrong, and there have even been some (rare) cases where a particular user (or mod) is targeted with world-breaking code by a mod. That behaviour is just pathetic, because it punishes the user, not the person you have an issue with; it's mis-targetted rage, when a mature person wouldn't have such rage at all. That kind of environment is toxic, and makes it insufferably difficult to actually use mods, let alone administrate a server running them. So much so that it's not worth the effort, in my opinion. (Speaking from experience there.)

That's pretty much why I...dislike comparisons of KSP to Minecraft. The community is wildly different in temperament.

Wasn't there a mod (ForestCraft, possibly) which was removed from a modpack because the author of it added some game-crashing code?

Edited May 23, 2014 by Javster

[R0cketC0der]

Several of them hate each other, and they write their code to intentionally break people's games if their mod is installed alongside a mod from someone they hate. There's even one jerk who simply causes MC to crash on start so the user doesn't know what's wrong, and there have even been some (rare) cases where a particular user (or mod) is targeted with world-breaking code by a mod. That behaviour is just pathetic, because it punishes the user, not the person you have an issue with; it's mis-targetted rage, when a mature person wouldn't have such rage at all. That kind of environment is toxic, and makes it insufferably difficult to actually use mods, let alone administrate a server running them. So much so that it's not worth the effort, in my opinion. (Speaking from experience there.)

That's pretty much why I...dislike comparisons of KSP to Minecraft. The community is wildly different in temperament.

Yeah, sad thing stuff like that happened. I still remember the times where it was a real community. Let's just hope that everything in the KSP community stays the way it is, except for a growing number of users.

[Pecan]

For those not in the UK or otherwise familiar with the Guardian (where this article appeared): It's one of the 2 or 3 'high end' newspapers here but satirically called the 'Grauniad' as it's infamous for its typos. Sadly the embarrassing quality of the journalism itself (fact-checking is for wimps, pass me a cliche!) is typical of English newspapers too.

Excellent publicity though :-)

[phoenix_ca]

Except when they say "As you succeed with flight missions, you’ll accrue more funding and expand your expertise"

Have they even played KSP??

Wasn't there a mod (ForestCraft, possibly) which was removed from a modpack because the author of it added some game-crashing code?

Forestry, I think yes, at one point did do that (exploding bee hives, that really did a lot of damage to many, many servers).

is one of the worse current offenders, which crashes MC if the user dares use the Tekkit launcher. When you have to scan the source code of every mod just to make sure the author isn't intentionally going to corrupt your world, the game quickly ceases to be fun. Edited May 23, 2014 by phoenix_ca

[Rowsdower]

It's one of the 2 or 3 'high end' newspapers here but satirically called the 'Grauniad' as it's infamous for its typos.

That's pretty funny. Are you aware of the reputation of the New York Post? How does that compare, or is that more The Sun?

[technicalfool]

That's pretty funny. Are you aware of the reputation of the New York Post? How does that compare, or is that more The Sun?

The Sun still has vastly reduced circulation in Liverpool because of entirely unjustified accusations that it made about Liverpool FC fans when the Hillsborough disaster happened. Even now you can walk around the city centre and find the occasional circular sticker on lamp posts with "DON'T BUY THE SUN" on it.

I'm not sure if any other newspapers anywhere can claim a similar "accolade". This, however, is getting a bit off topic. Yay for KSP publicity, let's have more!