Devnote Tuesdays: The Empty Farm Edition

[Vanamonde]

Let's not wander too far from the subject of the thread, please.

[FlowerChild]

This update is called 0.90, not 0.9.

Wow. I think I actually just felt a couple of neurons explode like champagne corks there

[wasmic]

So that a minority can complain endlessly about them, and they get delayed untill the next update? Pls don't! Since this weekend I'm totally fine if Squad never show us WIPs again.

Dude, that's totally counterproductive. It definiely wasn't the minority that complained about the farm last week. What's more important than that, was that SQUAD was given a lot of constructive criticism, meaning that while the update will be delayed, the end result will be much better. If SQUAD shows us the Mk3 parts before release, the community will be able to come with feedback, and SQUAD will be able to make a better end product.

[JimmyAgent007]

I think if the new buildings were displayed with WIP, PLACEHOLDER or CONCEPT written across them then we could get some good feedback without complaints for the most part. Id rather they show us something early and get feedback before they invest too much time on something that people might not like. Nobody can make anything that everyone would agree with but at least they can get an idea.

[Guest]

I actually prefer when certain features are delayed for the sake of quality. I'd rather have a good-looking, up to standards game after a while than a shoddy looking one right now. Rushing and throwing stuff out in unfinished state is never good, it's better to take time and make assets of proper quality. Mods and early alphas can get away with shoddy placeholders, but KSP is way past that point (and it has a dedicated QA team, meaning no need to release unfinished/highly lacking content for testing).

[micha]

Great DevNotes again, thanks Squad!

Really looking forward to 0.90, but just a quick question/suggestion: will it be possible to mod the tiers? As in, how many there are, what's possible at each tier, and the actual building models. I'd absolutely love my KSC to have a nicely unique Kerbal look to it, rather than recreations from this mythical place called Earth.

This would seriously give modders the opportunity to not only redo the tech-tree to suit various play-styles more, but to completely sculpt the way a player experiences progression in KSP.

[Capt Snuggler]

I think if the new buildings were displayed with WIP, PLACEHOLDER or CONCEPT written across them then we could get some good feedback without complaints for the most part. Id rather they show us something early and get feedback before they invest too much time on something that people might not like. Nobody can make anything that everyone would agree with but at least they can get an idea.

THIS^^^^ EXACTLY THIS.

better to show people while its in development when changes can be made, than for people to loose their minds over it after release day.

as long as its clearly marked W.I.P. the community will keep feedback (mostly) constructive on there own.

[John FX]

Great DevNotes again, thanks Squad!

Really looking forward to 0.90, but just a quick question/suggestion: will it be possible to mod the tiers? As in, how many there are, what's possible at each tier, and the actual building models. I'd absolutely love my KSC to have a nicely unique Kerbal look to it, rather than recreations from this mythical place called Earth.

This would seriously give modders the opportunity to not only redo the tech-tree to suit various play-styles more, but to completely sculpt the way a player experiences progression in KSP.

I was just about to post and suggest this myself.

Obviously it would be a great and good thing if the buildings had an easy way for modders to change them to fit the style of their mod. There could be caveman total conversion mods with everything made from rock and bone or tintin mods, flash gordon mods, buck rogers mods and so on.

The ability to retexture the buildings easily would add a lot to the game I think.

As part of this a generally easy way to mod the tech tree is needed for all the reasons.

I also think that stock should have 3 tech tree choices (unmanned, manned or flight) which you place in the order you like which decides the tech priorities and lets you fly unmanned probes, planes or manned rockets as the first craft. It would be good to be able to put the three choices in order you like so you could have flight,unmanned,manned or as currently : manned, unmanned, flight.

You could have the choice between

manned, unmanned, flight (the current tech tree)

manned, flight, unmanned

unmanned, flight, manned (a reasonable alternative tree)

unmanned, manned, flight

flight, manned, unmanned

flight, unmanned, manned (the `realistic` tree)

Or custom of course.

[Franklin]

So that a minority can complain endlessly about them, and they get delayed untill the next update? Pls don't! Since this weekend I'm totally fine if Squad never show us WIPs again.

This mindset is the antithesis of a product tester and the mindset of an impatient consumer. We should see work as it's done and guide the product as it's developed. Sometimes this means poorly-made elements are held or changed or removed.

And it's not always a minority that doesn't love everything Squad does. Hence their response to this and the D&D XP reaction.

edit: Good devnotes, though, glad they responded to how awful the building models were, can't wait to see what they come up with. Also glad they've rearrange the code to make drawing from other sources like the Unity shop easier, that should make simple things like the part highlighter roll in faster.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Franklin

[Dodgey]

Does it really need to be specifically said that stuff is WIP? In an early access game why would you assume anything isn't WIP until explicitly said?

[TMS]

Does it really need to be specifically said that stuff is WIP? In an early access game why would you assume anything isn't WIP until explicitly said?

Because Squad.

[cantab]

I also think that stock should have 3 tech tree choices (unmanned, manned or flight) which you place in the order you like which decides the tech priorities and lets you fly unmanned probes, planes or manned rockets as the first craft. It would be good to be able to put the three choices in order you like so you could have flight,unmanned,manned or as currently : manned, unmanned, flight.

I'm not too keen on this idea, I feel it's an unnecessary choice for the player to make. Rather I'd prefer a general reorganising of the single tech tree to have clearer "tracks" that the player can follow depending on their interests, and bring some parts that are currently rather high up down.

For example, add the Stayputnik and the basic winglet to the starting node, and mebbe a new landing skid that planes can use. Then the "aircraft track" could have the small delta wing and the small elevon in a tier 2 node and go on to focus on the plane parts, the "unmanned flight" track would focus on more probe cores, electrical systems, and small rocket bits, the "manned flight" track on larger rocket bits, perhaps a "science" track would have the instruments (considering you now have the alternative of getting everything from contracts).

[acc]

Great dev notes. Thanks a lot for share this informations with us.

[CaptainKipard]

You could have the choice between

manned, unmanned, flight (the current tech tree)

manned, flight, unmanned

unmanned, flight, manned (a reasonable alternative tree)

unmanned, manned, flight

flight, manned, unmanned

flight, unmanned, manned (the `realistic` tree)

Or custom of course.

Or you could have one tree that's open.

There's a little discussion about the tree here. Whoever would like something better than stock, join us there and share your ideas, and show your support.

I actually prefer when certain features are delayed for the sake of quality. I'd rather have a good-looking, up to standards game after a while than a shoddy looking one right now. Rushing and throwing stuff out in unfinished state is never good, it's better to take time and make assets of proper quality. Mods and early alphas can get away with shoddy placeholders, but KSP is way past that point (and it has a dedicated QA team, meaning no need to release unfinished/highly lacking content for testing).

I agree, but young people tend to have trouble with delayed gratification, even to their own detriment.

- "You can have one cookie now, or two later"

Edited November 14, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard