Dean Hall, known for creating the influential zombie survival game DayZ, is now exploring a new realm: space flight simulations. His latest venture appears to be a spiritual successor to Kerbal Space Program, currently dubbed a “KSP killer”by Hall himself, although its development is still in the nascent stages. The project is tentatively named KSA, an abbreviation for Kitten Space Agency.
In a recent Reddit post (via RPS), Hall shared that RocketWerkz, his studio, was considered for the development of Kerbal Space Program 2. However, despite submitting a proposal that focused solely on design and technical specifications, excluding any artistic elements, the IP owner Private Division chose a different team for the project.
As for Kerbal Space Program 2, its future remains uncertain; Intercept Games, the studio behind the title, has been closed down, and the publishing label, Private Division, faces its own challenges for longevity.
Hall mentioned, “We have hired some of the original KSP and KSP2 personnel along with various modders, and we expect our team to expand.”He acknowledges that the original developers are providing significant assistance, and they’re infusing technologies and production methodologies from their own projects.
The studio is constructing the BRUTAL framework for KSA, aiming to create a robust foundation for the game, albeit Hall described it as “complicated, slow, and challenging.”He also presented an early prototype of KSA, which is linked below:
Right from the outset, emphasizing modding appears to be a significant priority, as Hall commented:
The game is being crafted with modding capabilities, performance, and scalability at its core. The essential data structures of the game will be modifiable as mods, enabling everything within the game to be customizable.
RocketWerkz aims to release KSA free of charge, allowing the space simulation community to experience the game and witness its development process firsthand. Hall noted, “We’re bound to make several mistakes along the way. However, we hope to avoid missteps relating to the foundations that could jeopardize the project’s success. It’s a demanding task.”The release of this initial version is tentatively scheduled for mid-2025.
Images Credit: Neowin.net
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