Kerbal Space Program

This week we talked about serious games and I would like to talk about one of my favorite serious games which is Kerbal Space Program. I don’t know if it’s the same type of “serious game” that was discussed in class but due to its content of real world physics and space technology I would consider it a serious game.
Kerbal Space Program is a physics based space agency simulation game where you take on the role of building up a space agency on a fictitious planet called Kerbin. The player does this by building space craft to explore outer space and other planets in the solar system. The game does an amazing job of not automating many of the controls for the rocket. It’s up the player on how fast they want to go and how they try and get into an orbit around planets. This game has been praised for its ability to simulate the difficulty in going to space.

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Kerbal Space Program has two modes that you can in. There is sandbox and campaign. The campaign has the player starting out with little money and basic technology. The player needs to collect research to unlock more complicated technology to explore deeper into space. The research comes from parts that you can put on a rocket, such as a thermometer. The sandbox mode has everything unlocked for the player and so the player can build very weird or efficient rockets and explore the entire universe.
Kerbal Space Program is an amazing game that further increased by interest in space and rocket science. It’s a perfect game for anybody interested in space.

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4 Responses to Kerbal Space Program

  1. Yusef Awan says:

    I have never really looked into playing the game, but I have heard many good things about it. Know that I know what it is about and how it works, it definitely looks like it is worth trying out. I have always enjoyed simulator games where I have a lot of different parts to use and settings to fine tune, so this game would probably be a good fit for me.

  2. Frank Liang says:

    One of the main attractions that Kerbal Space Program brings, is the ability to customize your own stations and everything. I think it’s this part that appeals to more and more consumers. I’ve noticed that lately, the more popular games come from where you have a wide range of customization, from Minecraft where your whole world is basically your own version, to League of Legends, where you’re able to pick through a hundred champions to find the one you like to play, and then apply different item build paths. I think we’re heading more towards this style of gameplay.

    In the old days, we had games such as Mario where the game play is very linear, and you can’t really do anything except for what you’re supposed to do. Now, most of the more commonly played games incorporate the new style of gameplay where everything depends on the player. I think this is because this creates a scenario where there isn’t exactly a wrong way to play the game, and allows the player the freedom to test new playstyles.

  3. Jacob Fodor says:

    I’m more than willing to admit I absolutely adore this game and I love firing it up once in awhile to launch a few rockets. I regret that I have seldom been able to get very far in a campaign, I always seem to run out of either research points or ideas. Something in your post though gave me a thought, I’ve never tried the sandbox mode before. I think I might actually go back the next time I play and just play in sandbox mode and get better at building and traveling before starting a new campaign. This game is very challenging, but I don’t know why it never occurred to me that maybe I could try learning a few of the nuances before hitting the grind. I might just be a masochist when it comes to learning curves, but hey, as long as its fun.

  4. asl5257 says:

    I’ve never got around to playing Kerbal Space Program, but from what I’ve seen and heard, it looks really good. I’ve heard it’s pretty difficult in career mode. I definitely see the seriousness of the game in terms of planning and calculating (that is, if you want to do well). The addition of the Kerbals probably makes the game look less serious, but I think the challenge is still there none the less. I imagine that would be similar to if Microsoft made a flight simulator where the player could futuristic, almost ridiculous, looking planes, but had the same basic interface for flying a regular plane.

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