Competitors/Space Race/Rival Space Agency

[Captinfannin]

I was thinking it would be cool if there was a mod that added a rival space agency to career mode, or multiple. They would compete for high achievement contracts like getting to orbit, exploring x celestial body, building base or station on x, and if they completed one of these contracts first, the rewards for them would decrease significantly. Their rockets wouldn't really need to appear in the game, but it would be cool if permanent stuff like satellites, base, or stations, would appear when they completed a related contract. The rate at which they complete contacts would preferably be fair and semi-randomized depending on the players progress (They can't get to jool if the player hasn't gotten to the mun yet) and the difficult settings, but fast enough to encourage doing multiple flights at once. It would also be nice if this mod, if someone makes, would alter contract a little to fit the concept a bit better and have support for other mods, like remote tech, mission controller, etc.

Sorry if someone has already made a mod like this or suggested it, I didn't find anything relating to this while searching the forums.

[Hodo]

This would require some form of AI programming. Alternatively you can challenge someone and come up with some kind of rules.

[Louella]

Some kind of rival space program would help explain those rescue contracts at least

[Axelord FTW]

I never thought about having a non-player competitor in KSP and while the idea is interesting, I don't think it's worth the trabble.

I have been thinking about fleshing out the rocket part companies more, maybe splitting the tech tree or having a way to focus money more into this or that company instead of having research yield out all encompassing parts from different manufacturers.

EDIT: On the other hand, you could have contracts and background events reflect the acting of some other kerbal political bodies. For example, if you drop a MIRV, er, I mean crash a rocket on X continent, then you are automatically give a contract to do X in reparation.

Some kind of rival space program would help explain those rescue contracts at least

Not that you have never lost a kerbal or two in kerbin orbit, right?

Edited January 23, 2015 by Axelord FTW

[Divico]

Instead of letting a pluging do it, you can play two or more Space Agencies "manually".

KerbinSide offer a great collection of launchsites all over Kerbin or

Kosmodrome is a whole space centre.

Use texture replacer to assign different space suits to different space agencies and Crew Manifest to rename some of your Kerbals.

You still have to build your rockets in the normal VAB/SPH and you have only one R&D and contract centre. So a bit of "pretending" or "roleplaying" required...

[TheAlmightyOS]

While having an AI competitor does not appeal to me, having a "space race" against another player or friend does. (Does DMP do this? have not looked into it). The mod would make sure the same mods are in use by both players and make sure rules are in place and each player gets the same contract.

[Captinfannin]

The role play aspect is interesting, but I mostly wanted a mod like this as a game play aspect. I don't think this mod really would require AI, I didn't mean this rival space agency was going to be flying rockets around or doing anything intelligent at all, but rather it would be represented by "Completing" contracts at semi-randomized time and spawning stationary ships where the contract was "completed" if applicable. I do like the idea of a space race game with friends though... I'm going to make up some rules and post it on a different thread. Sadly I have no friends who play KSP .

Sorry for taking so long to reply.

Edit: here is the forum post with the rules for a space race game with friends, http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/108441-Space-Race%21-Idea-for-KSP-game-with-friends.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Captinfannin
I posted the rules for SPACE RACE!