KSP, Sci Fi, and future expansion packs.

[Whirligig Girl]

So KSP is technically Science Fiction. But that's not really what most people think of nowadays when they think of sci-fi. KSP is very realistic. It's reminiscent of Rocketpunk, and it doesn't deal with the future or the past, but more with the present. (I realize it's odd to consider the 1960s "present", but bear with me.)

Science Fiction nowadays refers to futuristic things. And that's okay, but standard ideas of science fiction will never fit into KSP. (And neither will Greeble.) Needlessly sleek and futuristic designs probably shouldn't ever be in the game or in official expansion packs, in my opinion. But here's an idea for a future expansion pack, something that doesn't fit into the scope of the original game but builds off of it. Obviously we're talking quite a bit after release. Now what you are about to see is a speculative look into the future of KSP (both the game and the space program! The article is written as a release announcement by squad.)

Kerbal: The Next Generation

KTNG (Kayting) is a fully blown expansion pack for Kerbal Space Program. It adds plausible and realistic interstellar technologies to the endgame of Career mode.

Features

Stockalike models

All of the new parts added by KTNG share the stock-part aesthetic, and have no unnecessary greeble and sleekness seen in modern Sci-Fi.

Kerbal Galaxy

Kerbals are truly not alone in the galaxy. The Skybox is gone, replaced with the true images of thousands of stars around the galaxy. Only a few of these stars have life, and less still have intelligence. Most stars are procedurally generated, but they're always the same for every game, just like the craters on the Mun.

Relativity Simulation

Special and General relativity are now both accounted for in the universe. If you move at near the speed of light, time will speed up for you. Back at home, however, it's the same time. Being near a gravitational source also accounts for time dilation as well. The speed of light in the Kerbal Universe is 11% of the real speed of light.

Interstellar Dust

When travelling at relativistic speeds, care must be taken to keep the ship from being blasted by dust and particles travelling rapidly towards you. The system is actually based on the Re-Entry Heating system!

Warp Drive

Using the likely principle for warp drive propulsion, known as the "Alcubbiere Drive", Kerbals can eventually explore the further reaches of the galaxy. It works by compressing space in front of the ship and dilating it in the rear. It allows faster than light travel and bypasses relativity (because time travel simulation is a little out of the scope of KTNG). In the game itself it works merely by setting the ships velocity to a constant relative to the direction the ship is pointing. There are other advanced propulsion systems, more on this below.

Autopilots, Ansibles, and A.I.s

Probes in stock KSP seem to defy the speed of light by having instant reaction times. No more. For proper control of crafts, you must fit an Advanced A.I. module to a craft instead of a probe core, which allows it to be flown as though a pilot is flying, but without the life support requirements.

Controlling ships with low technology levels is clearly a problem, so a pre-programmed control module is available on all probes. The AutoJeb autopilot can be used to give commands to probes that are too far from Kerbin for seamless communication. AutoJeb can also be programmed by the user for specific tasks, using the popular KerbalScript language used by kOS.

Finally, after a considerable amount of gameplay in Interstellar space using Kerbals and/or A.I. Modules, Ansible comms systems are available. These devices can be used to have instant control over spacecraft at any distance, provided they actually have an Ansible intalled.

Lightspeed Comms delay can be toggled in savefile settings.

Away Teams

Kerbals can be set up in away teams. These are parties that stay together and follow the leader. New science tools are available to Kerbals, such as the Tricorder. The Tricorder can be most efficiently utilized in arrangement, with multiple crewmembers scanning at the same time.

Aliens and Animals

Kerbin now has native life forms other than the Kerbals. The cow-like Woks, for instance. Fish and Krakens can be found in the ocean. Laythe also has some life forms as well. All planets with life have procedurally generated (and identical for every save on the same planet) life forms as well. There are as much as two animals for every biome. (Yes, we realize this is not a valid ecosystem, but that's not the point.)

Animals can be abducted using things such as nets for the purposes of studying them for science. There is also a chance they can be used as food for Kerbals.

Colonization

Kerbals can now truly settle elsewhere. On barren planets like Duna or Eve, they are are kept inside outposts. n Laythe and other more habitable worlds, Kerbals can go outside in minimal survival gear, and set up space centers on other planets.

Other Races

There are now eight alien races to play as in separate solar systems. These can also be interacted with from other planets. The core gameplay is the same, but in different star systems. Each of these systems are specially designed, and are only as procedural as the Kerbolar System is. Each species has a specific design to their stock parts.

Kerbals

Goofy: 70%

Safe: 5%

Angry: 5%

Friendly: 50%

Kerbals are a race of little green people in the Kerbolar System on the Planet Kerbin. They are very goofy little creatures, and are not the brightest of species. Their parts are reminicent of 1960s-1970s human designs, with lots of exaggerated proportions

Pordrals

Goofy: 30%

Safe: 40%

Angry: 10%

Friendly: 30%

Pordrals are smallish self-replicating robots/cyborgs living on the planet Pordrin in the Pordrolar System. They are calculated machines at first glance, but are actually rather inefficient at closer inspection. Their visual style seems to be stuck in Victorian Britain! You could call these creatures "Steampunks".

Aranchs

Goofy: 60%

Safe: 5%

Angry: 80%

Friendly: 20%

This militaristic race of eight-legged canine-like creatures have ONE GOAL: Militarization of space. They are very aggressive buggers, and their red and dark black armoured visual style hammers this in.

[MORE EXAMPLES TO COME!]

Advanced Propulsion

In addition to Warp Drive, there are a few more advanced propulsion systems.

The LV-QV45 Quantum Vacuum Thruster is a hyper-advanced piece of technology that pulls energy from SPACE ITSELF to produce thrust. No propellant is required, but there is a huge power requirement. The PL-SM4 Rocket Motor is an engine that can use any fuel, with variable effect. Monopropellant gives higher thrust with low Isp, LFO gives higher Isp with lower thrust, and XenonGas gives MUCH higher Isp with MUCH lower thrust. Then there's the Wormhole, which functions as an instant portal through spacetime, but is useless without a ship to go through the wormhole, and the wormhole ending has to already be in the destination.

To satisfy the immense power requirements, new power sources are available. The Nuclear Reactor is the lowest tech of these, and is available near the end of the stock tech tree. The Fusion Reactor is far more advanced, and can supply much more power. The Antimatter Reactor is unrealistically advanced, and can provide huge amounts of power required for a high-power Warp drive.

Politics

Reputation in post-endgame is very majorly focused on relations with alien races. The eight or so known spacefaring civilizations all have the same capabilities as you, and they have weapons. So don't displease them when trying to go near any of their ships, or you'll be attacked. Space combat can be fought at a range of kilometers rather than meters, so most combat is controlled through AutoJeb.

Note that this is not finished yet, Will be improved tomorrow morning. Probably never. It's just an idea, no need to make this fully blown!

Edited November 8, 2014 by GregroxMun

[Whirligig Girl]

Keep in mind this post isn't finioshed yet.

[Sirrobert]

I like the idea, but it's a bit to big for an expantion. More sequal material

[Whirligig Girl]

An Expansion Pack should be at LEAST half as much content as the original game.

A Sequel would be a totally new game, like what happens when Kerbals become super advanced and start colonizing the whole galaxy. Or a prequel about driving faster and faster steam trains.