

Collaborative working was at the heart of both examples, with Simpson envisioning a team of keen amateur scientists (read: players) working together to create the perfect deep-space vehicle. You can create your own space agency in KSP2, complete with a flag and colour scheme. I'm particularly looking forward to multiplayer, and Simpson talked me through his two favourite visions for how players will enjoy a co-op experience. KSP2 is releasing in early access, so not all of its grand features will be available right away.

Just remember that this time you can time warp using the new feature to skip your burn and arrive at your desired destination a hell of a lot faster instead of waiting too long in real life. While upgrades to the manoeuver planning tool will depict non-elliptical trajectories and allow you to plan for burns better, it's up to you to figure all that space jargon out and build a vehicle worthy of deep space exploration before you launch. That being said, what KSP2 doesn't do is hold your hand. If you don't take the time to learn about stacking, staging and what rockets actually need, however, then there will be no successful launch for you, pal. The improved video tutorials and new UX make it more approachable for new players-much like how learning the mechanics of Crusader Kings 3 is much easier and palatable than its predecessor-and you can check the engineering notes as you build to make sure you're not missing anything crucial, like fuel (oops!). KSP diehards will appreciate the lengths the team has gone to create realistic rocket building, launches and explosions, so you can live out your Space-X fantasies to your heart's content. It's wild how, after an hour of playing in its sandbox, I was somehow an expert in explaining apoapsis and periapsis and why my rocket was, despite looking like shit, a genuine success. The actual physics behind rocket launches and reaching orbit is bafflingly complicated and KSP2, much like its predecessor, is filled with scientific language meant to stealth educate you.

KSP2 comes complete with a new blueprint layout screen and toggleable snap mechanics so you can get those extra fuel boosters coupled to your rocket just right. I did just that and ended up making a plane with the fuel booster somehow attached to its underside, so you can imagine how well that launch went. You can add multiples of the same decouplers and align them all perfectly in blueprint mode if you wish, or you toggle off snap mode, place them any old way and hope for the best. It really did make a massive difference when building a rocket, especially when you're not exactly technically minded.
