I have bought BASPM yesterday,and I have my firts day of testing/playing behind me. Since once in my life I wanted to delevelop a game like this one, I wrote down some ideas for "My game".
As you know dreams are not always comming true, so I decided to provide my ideas to developers of this game. I hope you will find some of them useful and implement it to the game.
I will also Include some feedback on the current game. Thank you.
1. Mission Planning.
a) The mission planing could be devided into 3 separate tabs:
-Curently Researched/Opened
-New Projects
-Obsolete/canceled/no longer used (that could free up the limit for ongoing projects, but there would be higher price if you would like to restart the project)
Current mission planing requires yo to navigate through different planets/moons/mission types to allocate R&D or just to check the reliability of the hardware. Dividing it to those 3 tabs would enable easier navigation, and overall transparency of Projects.
b) Number of missions planned.
At the begining of a program, you would have to decide how many of this type of missions you would like to fly. For example, you start to research Gemini Program. You decide that in order to achieve all Milestones, you will need to launch at least 12 missions including 2-3 unmanned. This will create a hardware order for 12 Gemini Spacecrafts and 12 Launch vehicles. If at any point you will need more of Gemini missions, you will have to pay twice the price for a new hardware. This will enable Strategic planning for the whole programs!
c) Crew Assignments.
If the point above would be implemented, you would be able to assign crews to already known number of missions up front. To succesfully launch a mission a crew would have to be assigned to this kind of mission at least 2-3 seasons before, as well as a backup crew. If the mission would require EVA, the astronaut performing it would gaing EVA skill during training. The longer he is assigned to train for this type of mission, the higher the increase of the skill would be. However this would require that rookie Astronauts would have their skills at most around 70-75%. So in Q1 of 1963 as you start Gemini Program, you already schedule that first Orbital flight test of the Spaceraft Will take place in Q1 1965 and you assign Prime and Backup crew to it. Experience Gain will be for both crews, Backup a bit less, but that will ensure Flight rotation, because experienced Bacup Crew will become Prime 3 missions after! Don`t you know it from somwhere?
Strategic planning!As you appoint a mission commander, he/she would have some preferences for the rest of the crew. Final word still would be yours, but you could assemble the crew of the best buddies like Apollo 12 for ex.
d) Someone on this forum proposed to have a manual mission planner. I agree. I would also add additional tasks to be performed by the crew, for a certain amount of Prestige Points.
For ex, Photographic sessions for metereologists, science experiments, TV Broadcasts (That would also increase your overall prestige with Public Affairs). However adding those to the mission would require longer durations, so higher risk to successfuly finish the mission. Small things
2. Give me a counter of the missions that astronaut have already flown, please. The same for Flight (Kranz/Kraft)
3. Is there a need of the Gemini Manned Sub Orbital? Manned Sub Orbital flight was done just to check if Human can survive in 0G. Unmanned check of a boilerplate - yes.
I am awaiting for constructive feedback, and also don`t expect for all of the above to be in the final game. But its still worth a try.
As I wrote in the subject, this is part 1. There is more to come next days.
Thank you.
