My computer is not amazing, but meets the recommendations, and it used to run this fine. But after upgrading to the latest version and installing the expansion packs, performance is noticeably worse. Had to turn the graphics down to make it playable again. Not sure if it's the version change or the expansions that did it since I installed both at once, but needless to say, it's disappointing.
The concept behind the game is great, but it doesn't feel like recent development has been up to the same standard.
The game itself is mostly great and definitely worth getting, even though it has some annoying bugs.
Can't recommend to buy it here, though, especially not to Linux users, unless you like waiting forever for long released updates to be come available for download.
If you're an engineer, or wish you were, this is a great game. Build crazy rockets and watch them fail spectacularly. Accidentally learn more about orbital mechanics than you ever realized you were ignorant of.
I've got 1000+ hrs in on this, finally playing on 'hard'. Definitely want a couple mods after you know what you're doing a bit, as they add things to the game that feel like they should have been in the core game (e.g. ScanSAT is awesome).
This game is 7 years old, and I still play it.
(fwiw, redshell was removed in v1.4.4)
Every rocket is as simple as 1-2-3.
And 4 and 5.
Oh, wait, not enough fuel. Make that 6.
Now I'm in orbit but there's not enough electricity to run the computers or even steer.
Add some solar panels for power, so 7 things.
Ok, this works. I can go to orbit. Sounds fun.
=End Flight=
This is how the game progresses. It's a matter of planning ahead and learning from your mistakes. You don't need much besides knowing what a real nasa rocket looks like and a little bit of interest in space. Once you manage to not kill your Kerbals and have a successful mission, you'll feel like a million dollars. It's a real sensation the first time (or even the 1,000th) that you manage to land on another planet, be it the nearby Mün, or the far off moons of Jool. You'll know what it takes to go swinging through the solar system on a 300-ton nuclear missile you call a spaceship. Don't be afraid to fail because you will. Lots. And while you may not know what a phase angle is or what SSTO stands for, you'll get along fine. Besides, there's a series of tutorials for you in game if you need them. Be warned, KSP isn't for the faint of heart. You've got to be able to pay attention to everything and know where it went wrong. Don't go too fast in the atmosphere or you'll flip over and/or explode. It takes practice to be a pro. Don't try to replicate the things you see people make. Start simple. Don't complain if it doesn't work the first time. Don't whine if you have a thousand rockets in the same space and there's lag. One day you will learn to build space stations at Laythe. But today is not that day. For now, it's try, try again and keep moving forward.
=cheat sheet=
Fire at the moon when it starts rising from where you are in orbit.
There's calculators for phase angles on google.
Google stuff you don't know.
Practice the tutorial.
A good starter rocket is only Parachute, command pod, separator, fuel tank, fuel tank, engine.
Use more boosters and struts.
Press Alt+F12 for good things.
I was looking through my library and decided to check the store page for this game for a friend I recommended it to. I was saddened to see the negative reviews calling it buggy, incomplete, unplayable, etc. even as recent as 2023. I've played this game since the alpha, and there were a few periods where it was buggy, but it was still fun and playable throughout development.
In its current state I have yet to find a single issue. All the parts work as expected, all the physics bugs were corrected, the navigation system and SAS computer have been optimized to work flawlessly. I have spent thousands of hours in this game, and it is the most enjoyable space flight and space construction simulator I've played. Plus, they added aviation! It is a complete and fully finished game.
Now mind you, I haven't played the scenario missions, nor do I use the stock spacecraft. I can't vouch that those were ever fully fleshed out, but I don't think that's the appeal of the game at all. The devs probably got the hint from the community to let that go. To me this game is a sandbox, and you play on one of the three main modes, Sandbox (Everything is unlocked, explore and build as you wish), Science (Sandbox, but you unlock parts through exploration), and Career (Science, but you have to pay for parts using funds collected by completing missions like launching a satellite into a specific orbit).
There's a verified owner here who commented this year that in the base game you can "only land on the moon". That is 100% false. Other celestial bodies were added *years* ago, and I've landed on plenty of them. If you can't get beyond the moon with stock parts, you just need to get better lmao
I hope that sets the record straight. People shouldn't be blatantly lying to drag down the game rating. I'd gladly drag them to my PC and rub their face in how well it runs and show them all the features they think "don't exist".
