Kerbal Space Program

Used search on this, and found only one link that wasn't really about the game.

Kerbal Space Program

KSP is a game where the players create and manage their own space program. Build spacecraft, fly them, and try to help the Kerbals to fulfill their ultimate mission of conquering space.

It's much more than just a game. It's a simulator, where you learn how to build rockets, jets, jet rockets, satellites, space probes........and how to put things in orbit....how to fly to the moons of Kerbal....how to fly to other planets of the Kerbal solar system.

The software uses real world physics as far as gravity, thrust to weight ratio, air drag and lift, and basic orbital mechanics.

There is even a Wiki full of guides and tutorials to help you get started.

It's available through Steam, which does not cost anything to join (however you do have to pay for the game for download, but there is a free demo).



To me, this game is very challenging, yet rewarding. You can play in two modes: Sandbox or Career mode.

Sandbox mode, gives you everything you need to make your space crafts, including some stock ones to help you get started (they even have the sky crane used to lower Curiosity to Mars in there!). You can build to your heart's content, and see just how good of a rocket engineer you can be!



Career mode, has you actually starting out with learning how to manage a space agency, learning science to earn "science points" that allow you to develop new equipment for your rockets, recruit Kerbal astronauts, and set goals to reach.



If you are patient, and learn, you can reach and land on Kerbin's satellite, called "Mun" or it's further 2nd satellite, called Minmus.

But the fun doesn't stop there: you can reach other worlds, including a gas giant, Jool, which has a moon that is like your home world of Kerbin!

or you can go to Duna:



Which looks suspiciously like one of our worlds in our own solar system.....can't quite put my finger on it

For a person like me, who built model rockets a lot as a kid, and still today, this game is very addictive! Having all the different things you can build to launch is like being a kid in a candy store!

Here is a video I made.......about 4 minutes long, and is 1080 HD so you can watch it full screen if you want. Enjoy!

I played this is a few years ago when it was still being worked on in beta and its a lot of fun. The kerbals screaming at the bottom of your screen as your latest "genius" invention goes completely wrong is hilarious.

I havnt played the far more refined versions in a while but im very tempted, a great way to waste an hour or two and laugh like a hyena is certainly worth it every time.

Brilliant game hard as f*ck tho played it a while back crashed into the moon many times lol

reply to post by eriktheawful


I have been gaming since pong....rarely do I come across a game to give me satisfaction for hours again...KSP did it...I will say this...one of the greatest gaming accomplishments of my life was playing career mode on KSP and making a successful moon landing and return. I have learned so much about orbital science and conventional space travel makes much more sense to me now. Great game and very challenging.

I think with 40 hrs of play ive been able to land and return from both moons in career mode...and there is plenty more to explore.

I've been to the Mun three times: orbited once, made it back alive and safe. Tried to land twice, and ran out of fuel both times so crashed (they would have been stranded other wise).

Have tried to get to other planets with probes.....only to have the probe end up in orbit around the sun...what fun! hehehehe. Especially because I used a Xenon drive for one....but forgot to put solar panels to recharge the battery for it...DOH!

One thing that Kerbal teaches you well: it takes a ENORMOUS amount of thrust to get out of a large gravity well. Over 80% of the mass of your rocket is fuel and engines to get into orbit, whew! Learning how to use the different engines to achieve this is something else.

I have a space station module in orbit about Kerbin.....and I have a heck of a time trying to get up there to relieve those guys with fresh astronauts, ehhehehehe.

AWESOME! I am glad to see they finally have the Career mode going. I played the Demo a while back and went to the MUN several times landed with stock engine parts and came back (not an easy task with the Demo...). There is an Arch and several other Easter eggs found there. I then built a ship that could escape the Kerbal sun Kerbol...not even as easy as it sounds!

This program should be used in Jr. High or High Schools teaching physics it is a blast (pun intact!)

I made another video.......because.....

well just because it's fun to!

Enjoy!

Biigs
I played this is a few years ago when it was still being worked

It's still very much being worked on. It's come a long way in the 2-3 years it's been available but they still have a long way to go.

I just did another video showing how I got Jeb to Duna (the Kerbal version of Mars).

It's about 7 minutes long, and I mostly did it to show off the royalty free music done by Kevin MacLeod.

Enjoy!

a reply to: eriktheawful

I watched your first 2 vids and got a great kick out of your reactions when the ships crashed! You tried a lot of different ship designs! Then that 3rd video I saw your launch platform and I was like Dayum! now THAT is a beast! Also good choice of music on the 3rd vid...

I haven't played this game myself... but I've seen a few gamers struggle for an hour on twitch.com streaming this game and trying to get all the pieces set correctly, to get the mission planner set correctly... orbital maneuvers... etc I like these games that have this creative/problem solving element. I wish I had something like this when I was kid (1970-80's).

a reply to: SayonaraJupiter

At 47, I call it my "Super Lego Kit I Never Had".

Yes....it can take hours, if not days, to make something that works. Longer if you play Career mode where you have to do "science" to earn points so that you can research newer and better parts.

The math is there and works the same as in reality, so you have that option. Or you can just do "trial and error" since the parts (and Kerbals) don't really cost anything, heh.

ETA: also, I'm working on another video. This one will show some REALLY crazy things I've built, but the whole thing will be black and white, scratchy film, with music and me talking like the old Movie Tone News Reels they used to do back in the 1940s.

Career mode is where its at
but I really would like more to this game. I want:
Different factions on the world all in a space race, potential of a cold war breaking out with some other continents (maybe even not soo cold...can build all sorts of interesting aircrafts and missiles after all)
different solar systems
Actual emergency issues (asteroids potentially heading towards the homeworld, solar flares, etc)

And of course, sci-fi mode:
alien life (perhaps just slugs, amoebas, and other junk stuff in our solar system, but in different systems, perhaps even some advanced civs)...
Alien invasion forces down the line
Warp and other future tech

This game is great and highly addicting.


I recommend Mechjeb for anyone not wanting to deal with micromanaging every aspect of the flight, landing, etc...even if you don't use the auto land and such...got lotta useful info on the screens that is fully "lore" friendly (nasa doesn't guess...they have precision computers that account for everything.)