For many non-gamers, some of the functions and understanding gamers have for their favorite games can seem like rocket science. For most gamers, the actual rocket science comes in the form of small green people. When Kerbal Space Program was released back in 2011, it became infamous for its in-depth simulations of space, physics, and the silly little fellas you would launch into space (sometimes) in the name of science. With folks from NASA and various aeronautic societies praising the game for its depth and accuracy as well as putting hundreds of hours into it, it is no surprise that many gamers found it very difficult/tedious to learn.
It would appear that Private Division and Intercept Games learned from that first rocket, and in their marketing around the upcoming release of Kerbal Space Program 2 has proclaimed a revamped UI, a better onboarding experience with tutorial animations, playable tutorial missions, and new rocket building mechanics to simplify the experience. While the depth remains even in the building menu, allowing customizable parts to subtly change the physics of each fin or engine, the overall system will be easier to understand for new rocket builders, hopefully ushering in a new era of space explorers.
With that in mind, a recent video of the tutorial animation cheekily called “Missing the ground” gives a simple explanation of getting into orbit, and after over a hundred hours of the first game it made me laugh and got me truly excited for the upcoming early access release. Check out the video below and let us know your thoughts in the comments! Kerbal Space Program 2 launches to Steam Early Access February 24.
