It has been ten years since the “Kerbal Space Program” was first launched. During this period, the work has achieved some very remarkable achievements. Over the years, this highly acclaimed simulation game has often cooperated with well-known aerospace agencies such as NASA, and has continued to provide updates and improvements (and even plans to launch a new generation console version later this year). As the game celebrated its 10th anniversary, we interviewed Nestor Gomez, Squad’s production director, to discuss the legacy of the game and the upcoming sequel.
Gamereactor: Over the years, “Kerbal Space Project” has become a popular game. As a developer, how does its crazy success affect you and the improvement of the game?
Nestor： Squad has grown with the times with “KSP”. The challenge has always been different; from the beginning of the project to the continuous provision of new content to maintain player engagement. It’s hard to believe that “KSP” is the first and only retail game developed by Squad. I think this success has happened because of the enthusiasm of all the people who have participated in “KSP” for the project over the years. The same enthusiasm makes it easier for us to take players into consideration when choosing features to add to the game and improving KSP over time.
Gamereactor: In the past 10 years, how do you see the impact of “Kerbal Space Project” on other games?
Nestor：We have seen some specific references to “KSP” in other games, which is great. One of our goals is always to increase interest in space exploration while having fun-it is very rewarding to see us have some impact in other games with similar goals. I personally think “KSP” is one of the games that has had the greatest impact on the space exploration genre in the past 10 years, and the team is very proud of it.
Gamereactor: You often work with NASA to make games better and encourage people to be more interested in and participate in aerospace engineering, but how has this relationship evolved over the years? What kind of impact can we expect it to bring to “Kerbal Space Program 2”?
Nestor：The relationship with NASA and other space agencies and space companies is very good.Several times, it was started because some employees already knew “KSP”[交流], Which is very helpful in establishing these relationships. We are very happy to be able to maintain these relationships and continue to develop for “Kerbal Space Program 2” and even future projects. As you said, we have common goals with them, and there will be many opportunities for cooperation in the future.
Gamereactor: What did 10 years of developing games teach you? What information will you pass to budding developers?
Nestor：Making games is very difficult. There are very few really successful games, and only a handful of them still have active players after 10 years of development. In our case, I think some of the key factors for our success are: support for modules, close relationships with our player base, and constant game updates, but I don’t think this can ensure the success of every game. Secret. My advice is to follow your enthusiasm and listen to the opinions of the players.
Gamereactor: You have never fully realized in the “Kerbal Space Program”, but what are the functions or mechanisms that you have been interested in doing?
Nestor：There are many functions that we can add to “KSP”. Just look at the mods added to “KSP” and you will understand how much the game can grow. At the same time, I do think we can add some very useful features so that players can continue to play “KSP” for a long time. I’m looking forward to seeing where the mod makers will take the game in the next few years.
Gamereactor: During this time, what are the best mods and creations you have seen from the community?
Nestor： I personally like visual mods and mods that add more planets to the game, but the advantage of our mod community is that we have everything. From extreme difficulty, adding realism, useful tools to very silly mechanics. It’s great that players have such freedom.
Gamereactor: We know that the sequel will be launched in 2022. What can fans expect from the next work?
Nestor: You can definitely expect to see the sequel gain the same enthusiasm as when you made the first game. You can also expect developers to continue to listen to the opinions of the community and support the use of modules as the core of the design.
Gamereactor: How do you plan the sequel to make it a great experience for a game that has been developed for ten years?
Nestor:This is not a question I can answer, but based on what I have seen so far, the Intercept Games team has done a good job in improving some key areas of the game, which is very exciting. I would love to see “KSP2” last as long as “KSP”.
“Kerbal Space Program” is expected to be released on PS5 and Xbox Series in the fourth quarter of 2021. Its sequel “Kerbal Space Program 2” is also expected to be launched in 2022.