Career progression and goals

[Jhonny007]

Hello,

I'm making this post because I feel that career mode is too restrictive and short. For example:

I'm a guy, who plans big missions. In our example I plan a Duna mission including a 10 Kerbal base on the surface.

To do this I need only a few things things from higher tier:

- Advanced Landing -> for Heavy landing legs

- Advanced Electrics -> for efficient solar panels

- Specialized Constuction -> Hitchhiker Container + Docking ports

- Heavier Rocketry -> 2.5m engine

But to get those few things I have to research half the techtree. It doesn't feel like I've the ability to chose which part of the techtree I want to advance in. It feels like I have to get most of it anyways.

The current techsystem was introduced as a way to allow players to choose what they wanna do, whenever they want. So that they aren't stuck with a personal set goal, that they no longer want to pursue. But in reality the current system allows you to only do 1 - 2 big interplanetary missions before completing the tech tree.

I'm personaly dissapointed everytime I planned my career mode to be this epic journey of conquering space, building bases and spreading through the whole Kerbolsystem to advance Kerbal technoligies and just find out, that going to the moon and minmus is enough to complete the techtree. Well you could probably complete the techtree by never leaving Kerbin if you like to complete "Part Test Contracts".

I'd like to present my idea of how to improve the current system, which gives the player free choice throughout his career, but doesn't feel grindy and short.

1. Let the player decide what his ultimate goal is.

- give him a way to observe possible goals through small satelite exploration or telescopes

- give him a variaty of contracts from which he can choose his ultimate goal

2. Having this Ultimate goal contract the player now can begin part testing for parts he may need

- For a Laythe mission you might want to give the player a selection of contracts, which allow unlocking parts through testing to fullfil his goal.

- you might need rapier engines. So you get 1 - 3 contracts, which require you to test them around kerbin.

- or you want to have a science laboratory. So you get a contract to fly the laboratory to one of the asteroids and test it out there.

- etc.

3. Let him carry out his mission in all its glory whenever he thinks he's ready and set a new goal, or let him decide to improve his current mission, by adding goals.

The most important thing to me is, that you can set your own goals and work towards them AND it feels like you got a bit closer to your goal. But you need to have a variety of ways to achieve your goal.

I think this way you can plan 4 - 5 missions throughout the Kerbolsystem, without the feeling to just research everything anyways.

And the best thing about is: It's a contract based system. If you don't like your contract you can cancel it and chose a new one. Or you can have multiple at once. You are totally free in your decision.

I want you to note, that this is a very basic concept and it's not 100% perfect, but I think it is a better system than the current one. I want you to make suggestions and improve this concept. Or give constructive critique.

Your Jhonny

Edited January 24, 2015 by Jhonny007