Something that always bothered me in KSP is that unlocking new parts is dependent on science. Not only is that completely unrealistic but it also creates an awkward progression system - you can leapfrog decades of development just by doing science and have little incentive to do repeat missions or build infrastructure.
To me, science should be the objective of your program, and part R&D is a tool to achieve that objective. A more true-to-life R&D system would have you invest money and time into developing specific parts or advances, perhaps with contractors. In addition, there could be a "base tech level" that is constantly advancing in the background. This system would also naturally result in the game having distinct "time eras," with gameplay lasting multiple in-game decades and evolving with the passage of time rather than arbitrary science points.
To me, science should be the objective of your program, and part R&D is a tool to achieve that objective. A more true-to-life R&D system would have you invest money and time into developing specific parts or advances, perhaps with contractors. In addition, there could be a "base tech level" that is constantly advancing in the background. This system would also naturally result in the game having distinct "time eras," with gameplay lasting multiple in-game decades and evolving with the passage of time rather than arbitrary science points.
Upvote
1
