Kerbal Space Program's next update to add contracts, budget and reputation systems

There's something about Kerbal Space Program's current update path that I find extremely charming. They've already added the ship-building, space exploring, physics simulation stuff; now they're slowly adding the admin. The next update for SQUAD's space program, titled First Contract, will further expand the career mode with a mission system that ties into new Funds and Reputation systems.

"Career Mode is greatly expanded now by the addition of Funds and Reputation," writes SQUAD's Felipe Falanghe . "Funds are required to launch vessels, and reputation is earned (and lost) by doing contracts (or failing them). In this release, your reputation is already used to regulate the level and amount of contracts offered you. Lower reputation means fewer and less prestigious contract offers, while high reputation means more and more ambitious proposals."

The contracts themselves will be available via the Mission Control Facility, and, when completed, will offer additional Science—further boosting Career players up the tech tree.

In addition, Falanghe reveals that First Contract will introduce vessel recovery, letting players reclaim some of the cost of parts; a new mod-friendly UI toolbar that enables easy switching between the messages, resources, currencies and contract panels; and a new tech-tree layout.

For a further look at what First Contract has planned, head to the SQUAD blog .

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Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.