A survey on everything I can think of.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

So I made this quite long survey on different KSP topics (most of which are in the don't ask categorizes).

This is NOT intended as a suggestions board for the Dev's, but as we all know arguments happen on here and I was curious as to how the general populous feels (including not caring) on a wide range of these topics.

I used an outside program because each question has like/dislike rankings and at the end I can ask what the most important topics are to players. If you feel like it, fill it out and I will try and post the ongoing results here.

I'm afraid to say survey monkey (free version) only allows me to look at 100 results to consider this survey closed (you can still look at the questions and suggest improvements). I will try and find a better survey site and post a new version after I come back from holiday.

Survey CLOSED.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KPGTCPH

NOW with results

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-8QV83KDL/

As of 18.40 on 12/09/14

Top answer: "Mass and Delta-V readouts in VAB and SPH" 4.65 out of 5

Highest importance Subject: "Atmospheric models" 7.67 out of 9

Lowest answer: "Less Planets" 1.18 out of 5 (and don't worry no one liked it, some people just didn't have an opinion).

Edited September 13, 2014 by Clockwork_werewolf

[Kasuha]

I didn't get past the first page. I'm missing answers "somewhat like", "somewhat dislike", and "no opinion".

[Rhomphaia]

For final question you may want to clarify. I am assuming that 1 is most important. Also the ability to tie things would be nice.

[psyper]

done

(at least 10 characters)

[Clockwork_werewolf]

Yes 1 is most important, and sorry I wanted people to have to choose so that most subjects were not just placed equal last.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

@Kasuha: Nether like nor Dislike means roughly the same as no opinion. I also didn't feel the need to have 7 options of like or dislike as I felt 5 was enough.

[Red Iron Crown]

I take it "SAB" in question 6 is meant to be "SPH".

[Clockwork_werewolf]

11 answers so far, a big thank you to everyone who has answered. I will give a full analysis after we have more responses but for now I will say Atmospheric models is the most important topic and the FAR like model is top with 3.82 closely followed by Near like model with 3.55. However the most LIKED option is Having mass readouts in VAB and SAB with 4.5 (readouts and Delta-V is lower).

- - - Updated - - -

I take it "SAB" in question 6 is meant to be "SPH".

Yea sorry I knew I would make mistakes.

[Alluvian Est-Endrati]

An interesting enough survey. I too will be curious what the results indicate (and how many participants there are).

[Blue]

These are the issues people think about in anticipation of future updates? Huh. I guess I don't care about ballutes or lithobraking enough. Or planes or star drives. Or mining. Or boats.

[psyper]

@Kasuha: Nether like nor Dislike means roughly the same as no opinion. I also didn't feel the need to have 7 options of like or dislike as I felt 5 was enough.

I took Neither like nor dislike to mean no opinion or NA (I don't use far or near so can't give an opinion on whether i like them or dislike them)

[Clockwork_werewolf]

@Blue These are questions that often come up in arguments on here. I am interested (as I don't know which survey is yours) what does interest you in new updates?

[Kasuha]

@Kasuha: Nether like nor Dislike means roughly the same as no opinion. I also didn't feel the need to have 7 options of like or dislike as I felt 5 was enough.

There's great difference between "I don't care" and "I don't know". I'm not playing with mods so I can't tell if I'd like them or not if I have no experience with them. But if I used them, I would sure make up my opinion and it would be most likely different from "I don't care".

Polls and their evaluation are as simple business as gyroscopes in physics. If you don't set it up right, you'll end up with biased results and you'll even have no idea which way they are biased.

[lincourtl]

You left off more realistic jet and rocket engine performance; i.e. correct ISP model, consistent use of actual g0, more realistic fuels, etc.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

Yes I could have included a N/A option but in most cases if you do not know or care then I want the results to show that. I want to get the feelings of everyone on each topic even if they have no feelings. An N/A option would have greatly increased the number of like/dislike and strong like/dislike compared to middle answers. A strong minority who cares would out weight a large community who doesn't care. Too often in discussion it seems like everyone has a strong opinion when in actually fact only about 1 out of ten people are responding.

In mathematical terms 3 is nether like nor dislike. If we allow N/A's then 1 person who cares a lot and 9 who vote N/A gives a vote 5 as if it is a strong vote. If you force a 3 from those who do not care you get 3.2. This (in my opinion) much better represents the community opinion (positive but not in any major way)

If you don't set it up right, you'll end up with biased results and you'll even have no idea which way they are biased.

I agree.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

You left off more realistic jet and rocket engine performance; i.e. correct ISP model, consistent use of actual g0, more realistic fuels, etc.

Darn, sorry yea. Can't change number of questions now though. Maybe in a few day's I'll post a better one. This one was over an hours work already (doesn't look like it I know).

I'm going to collect all the comments here and in the survey and make a new one at some point. I'm not going to make one until I feel I have enough responses and comments that I will not have to make a THIRD because things were still missing.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Clockwork_werewolf

[Yakuzi]

Done. If you're gonna make a new poll, also include science system questions, cause that could definately use some adjustment

[Clockwork_werewolf]

Done. If you're gonna make a new poll, also include science system questions, cause that could definately use some adjustment

Thanks for the input what kinds of questions would you add if using the 1-5 like dislike options?

[Kasuha]

In mathematical terms 3 is nether like nor dislike. If we allow N/A's then 1 person who cares a lot and 9 who vote N/A gives a vote 5 as if it is a strong vote. If you force a 3 from those who do not care you get 3.2. This (in my opinion) much better represents the community opinion (positive but not in any major way)

That's what I was talking about. Sorry but you just can't calculate simple averages out of these. Different people react differently, one person will mark "strongly agree" and another "somewhat agree" even though their feelings about the question are on exactly the same level. By making averages you give greater weight to those who exaggerate their responses. If you don't plan to compensate for that, you should run a poll with simple yes/no questions.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

one person will mark "strongly agree" and another "somewhat agree" even though their feelings about the question are on exactly the same

This is a common problem on surveys and there is little I can do to change it without changing people, setting their initial mood or using advanced analyzing methods (which I don't have as this is a free survey website. With powerful tools I could monitor each persons responses and if amplify responses if these often give medium results.

By making averages you give greater weight to those who exaggerate their responses. If you don't plan to compensate for that, you should run a poll with simple yes/no questions.

. People can always lie and exaggerate there is not a lot I can do about that. On the other hand by forcing medium responses and only having +2/-2 for that average I'm doing almost all I can to mediate exaggerated responses. If I gave 7 options people would be more likely at pick medium options (its a common problem) and if I have 3 options (like/don't care/dislike) it could give greater force to questions that people don't care so much about. "Multiple resource types off world" is a good example. 1 strongly Dislike, 3 Dislike, 9 Don't care, 22 Like and 6 Strongly like. 3.71 Average. If the likes become "Strongly Like" it exaggerates peoples feelings and would mean the equivalent of 28 "Strongly likes" which is not the picture given with 5 options. If however they are move to medium "Nether like nor dislike" then 4 dislike, 31 don't care and 6 like making it seem like no one cares about the problem.

running a poll with yes/no would be AWFULLY biases as it would give a huge polarization to every question.

[GreeningGalaxy]

So, when do we get to see the results??

[Liowen]

For me since there is no option to have a selectable aerodynamic model I have to vote as disliking the choices, I would rather players being able to select how they want to play rather than being force into one type. Even though there is only one "stock model" people are still free to pick whatever mod they like and use it to make the game more fitting to them, but that is just my opinion on that. As for more parts that have a limited use (ie boat parts, weapons, and such) I don't really feel those are needed, at this time, as there not enough places they would be overly useful, personally I do not think I have done anything with the ion drive except for a couple of contracts.

Planets and moons should be added, especially on for Dres and maybe 2 for Eeloo, for Eeloo it could be one of similar size. I like having more bodies to explore, but I believe they have stated that other solar systems might not be possible for whatever reason.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

I think we now have enough for it to be a small selection of possible answers. I think I will have to post a second survey MAYBE tomorrow to include all the questions, alterations and suggestions people have posted on the quiz and here. I will still be using personal judgement as to what to include and do keep answering this quiz as alterations will show the differences in the quiz for the same answers. Plus comments will affect the next quiz, consider this a real one with just a few flaws

Results so far.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-8QV83KDL/

[Clockwork_werewolf]

@Liowen Thank you for the input, I think on quite a few questions I should include the option to ask about customisable options (i.e. difficulty).

As for more parts that have a limited use (ie boat parts, weapons, and such) I don't really feel those are needed

I think people agree with you, "Water and water craft", "Advanced technology's", "Weapon systems" are voted the least important of the subjects. It's worth noting however that a lot of the water options score as fairly highly liked with five scoring 3.9 or above.

Weapons systems scores so lowly on both importance (bottom by a good margin of 1.45 to 3.21) and desire for anything other than stock both below 3 (not caring/ average) that I think I will replace it with a different question in the next quiz (on the free version I'm only allowed 10 questions).

[tater]

Did the survey.

BTW, the plural of technology is technologies, not "technology is" (technology's).