Where Kerbals Fear To Tread, Kerbal Space Program 0.24 Out Now

Kerbal Space Program has been on Steam Early Access for about 15 months now, and it really is a beacon of what can be great about playing a game under continual development. Each update brings something new and challenging to what is already a great game.

The 0.24 update ("First Contract") brings another layer to the already existing science-based career mode. Whereas you were already limited to what parts you had (until you unlock them with science points), you are now limited how much you can spend on rocket parts. To balance this out a bit, you are rewarded with cash for each part you bring back home safe. Think of it like SpaceX crossed with Cash-For-Cans. (You even get credit for any fuel you have left.) This pushes you toward more lightweight, less destructive launch vehicles. (No more asparagus staging, perhaps?) It makes the space plane idea much more appealing, I just wish I could build one of the damn things.

The other new part of the game are the contracts provided by the famous kerbalnaut Gene Kerman. These provide you with a mission to complete (usually with a deadline) and a budget in order to do it. If you complete the mission for less than the budget you keep the difference. Although if you fail the mission, you will lose money.

Failing to complete a contract successfully also damages your reputation (the other new feature this release), a good reputation unlocks more missions. Crashing your rocket, or killing kerbals also damages your reputation. The reputation system is probably the most confusing part of the new release. It isn't really explained, although anyone familiar with the game knows understanding the game has never been straight-forward. It is actually rocket science as it turns out.

I haven't played enough of the new release to really say if the new complexities make the game more fun, it certainly changes how you play though. The development of career mode in KSP is really making a game out of something that really was just a sandbox. It's an admirable effort by Squad so far. What has always made the game great fun is recovering from an unexpected event where you've suddenly lost part of your rocket (or used too much fuel, or one of a million different things that can go wrong) and getting the kerbals home. If Squad does it right, they'll be creating that challenge and tension, and that can only be a good thing.



Kerbal Space Program is built on Unity 3D, and as such has had really solid support for Linux for quite sometime, in fact the Linux version supported 64-bit for more than year, whereas it has only just arrived on Windows. Buy it on the Steam store or on the developer website. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.