2 Mission Modes: Simulation and Real

[Godot]

IMHO something that makes sense now that missions cost money:

Upon clicking on launch in SPH or VAB, or selecting a rocket on the launchpad/runway, you have the option to choose "Simulated mission" or "Real mission".

A real mission is like a normal KSP mission ... it costs money, it takes time, your Kerbals might die and you might fulfill contracts with it.

A simulated mission is more something of a computer simulation of the spacecraft (with other words, a computer simulation of a simulated spacecraft in a game about spaceflight ).

It plays like a normal mission with a few exceptions:

For the one, it costs no money, it takes no time, no Kerbals will be harmed but you alsoi don´t accomplish any goals or fulfill any contracts with it ...

for the other, you cannot just leave it into Kerbal spaceport and keep it running in the background (like you can with real missions) ... insetad the simulated mission counts as finished as soon as you leave it.

While basically the "Revert"-Button fulfills a similar function, these 2 mission modes allow for a better, hardcore playstyle for players ...

insofar as they could simulate missions as often as they want, but if they do the real missions, they could decide to accept the result, even if Kerbals got killed during the mission

In contrast to this, a playstyle which involves the "Revert"-Buttons as fulfilling the "Simulation"-aspect, it would be just too tempting, if anything goes wrong in a mission, to click on revert and claim that the mission was just a simulation

[BudgetHedgehog]

No, there's no point in creating a new flight style when Revert already does this. And this

they could simulate missions as often as they want, but if they do the real missions, they could decide to accept the result, even if Kerbals got killed during the mission

isn't clear on what the advantage would be. It's either a real mission or a simulation - you can't run a real mission and then say 'ahh, actually, I want it to be a simulation now'. Because A, you can still revert (or terminate etc) and B, this isn't 'more hardcore', it's less hardcore.

And for people that find it too tempting to use Revert (something else I've always been confused by*), it can be disabled.

*too tempting? So you want KSP devs to spend time on creating something just because you lack the self-restraint to click a button? Uhh....

Edited July 19, 2014 by ObsessedWithKSP

[r4pt0r]

I say no, because it wasnt free for nasa to "simulate" their missions

click anywhere in this video to see space programs bleed funds

tests cost money, and should continue to.

Edited July 19, 2014 by r4pt0r

[KvickFlygarn87]

I say no, because it wasnt free for nasa to "simulate" their missions

click anywhere in this video to see space programs bleed funds

tests cost money, and should continue to.

Ehm, that was before the age of - let's be real - good computers. If a space program can get to Jool, they should have the computing power to simulate missions.

[r4pt0r]

Ehm, that was before the age of - let's be real - good computers. If a space program can get to Jool, they should have the computing power to simulate missions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/16/us-russia-rocket-idUSKBN0DW0PD20140516

Russia's Proton rockets have suffered five major launch failures since December 2010

simulation is no substitue for a real test. also, testing is a neccisary expense.

[Jouni]

I like the idea. I have avoided ironman-style games after an overdose of NetHack a decade ago. If I ever decide to try playing KSP in ironman mode, however, I'd expect that the game allows me to practice for real missions, using simulators, HyperEdit, and other basic tools.

[Ippo]

So basically, a revert button.

[Northstar1989]

So basically, a revert button.

No, not exactly (puts on wise-ass hat)- a slightly *re-named* revert button. That you have to select to enable before you even leave the VAB/SPH (so reverting would no longer be enabled unless you selected "simulation")

I actually kind of like the idea though *gasp*

Regards,

Northstar

[Godot]

So basically, a revert button.

Not exatly ... a separation of reversible mission modes and irreversible ones.

With a revert button you can claim a mission to be the real one if it was successful, or revert it and claim that it was just a simulation if it went kaboom.

My proposed (but optional) mechanism would separate both:

In Simulation mode you cannot successfully complete a mission (as it is only a simulation that will stay wihtout any effect on the "Real KSP World")

In Real Mode the "Revert"-Button may be deactivated (well, didn´t state it in the OP, but it would make sense) so you have to live with the results even if it had a bad outcome

Addendum:

Seems like Northstar beat me to it

[Northstar1989]

I say no, because it wasnt free for nasa to "simulate" their missions

click anywhere in this video to see space programs bleed funds

tests cost money, and should continue to.

They *DID* perform simulations before those launches though. And they weren't all tests.

Of course, if you think MechJeb is cheating, per your signature (*chuckle*- silly gamer, we've been launching rockets on autopilot since the first Russian rockets- which people actually criticized for requiring "too little pilot interaction"), I can't imagine what you think of the revert button. Or even simulations...

Regards,

Northstar

EDIT: Seems I quoted the wrong post. Fixed.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Northstar1989

[Silanda]

I like this idea and I was just about to suggest an iron Kerbal mode myself. As it stands there is no real risk in the career mode since you can simply revert or quickload to get yourself out of trouble. Having a simulation mode where you can do those things to practice but you get no rewards, and a "real" mode where you cannot revert or quicksave, would add a much greater feeling of risk and importance to the "real" missions. Maybe each simulated mission could have a cost too.

[Roastduck]

What you are suggesting is a sandbox save. Want to test a launch stage without endangering the kerbals in your career save? Build it with the parts available to you in career, load the craft in sandbox mode. Does it work? Awesome. Switch back to career and go! Did it fail? Congrats, you tested a rocket without endangering lives. Now fix it, and retest