Randomly follow a @Notch Tweet on Twitter about a game he was being shown, called Kerbal Space Program. I followed the link, downloaded the demo, and about 10 minutes later my money was sent on its way….
It’s rather good fun. The general aim of the game is to build a space rocket and launch it.
Heres an introductory video:
[SWF]http://www.youtube.com/v/l5OhFnq_iKw, 560, 315[/SWF]
And with just a few stock parts you can build some clever, silly and just explosive rockets.
Fun times have been had, my best so far was one that the moment it was placed on the Launch pad and launched, decided to fall apart leaving just a single engine attached to my rocket. (And a small explosion). My Kerbanauts survived to launch the next time.
Anywho, this morning I decided to restart my entire Space Center (after successfully retrieving all my Kerbanauts from their epic intrepid 29 day mission), so nuked and redownloaded KSP, and so far I’ve accidentally launched into a Sun Orbit, and crashed into the Mun. All from sunny Kerbol. Took some screenshots this time around.
This time around I was trying for a Mun shot, but I wasn’t paying attention to how the orbit was changing, and ended up sending them out and away into a Escape Trajectory for Sun Orbit (they are also out of Fuel).
Pretty much the same deal with the second group, but instead of attaining a useful Mun orbit. ended up have to wait 9 days for the Mun to come into alignment with their orbit.
The Mun’s gravity then dutifully caught them and I didn’t have enough fuel to slow down. And Boom Crashed 🙁
This means adding another stage to my rocket so more fuel in orbit/space me thinks.
Anyway onwards and upwards. Hopefully will make a successful Mun landing and return my Kerbanauts, more likely more explosions…. and very very silly rockets….
You can check out more about Kerbal Space Program, over at their Website their Twitter: @KerbalSpaceP or Tumblr, its in active development so expect more features soon! (Including docking YAY SPACE STATIONS) checkout the KSP Forums too, as KSP fully supports Plugins and Mods.
Its available both on Mac and PC, and you can download the Free Demo, locked at Version 13.3 current release is Version 14 (which includes persistence, the ability to have multiple craft up at once HURRAH!)