You Can't Launch the Hubble on a Shuttle (and other odd design choices)

[JFJohnny5]

These elements of the game are just plain odd to the point of.. I don't even know what. Here's the list (so far):

1. When launching the Space Telescope mission with the Hubble as the payload, the option to either build a new - or reuse an existing - shuttle isn't present. Why is that odd? The shuttle not only launched the Hubble, but famously revisited it (five times) for repairs and upgrades, yet it's not an option here.
   
2. Using the shuttle to launch a crewed mission requires you to build a capsule which is then deployed from the cargo bay. Ummm... what?
   
3. Upgrades. I've easily been able to create rockets with 3, 4, 5, even 6 upgrade points. Yet despite having eight upgrades unlocked none of them cost more than 3 points and I can only install one? The different technologies they represent aren't mutually exclusive (it's absolutely feasible to have Horizontal Integration and Advanced Weather Proofing, for example). I know I'm being cynical, but it certainly seems like someone intended to allow more than one upgrade per rocket, and someone else said, "Nah."
   
4. Crew can't gain "levels." This is in another thread of mine, so I won't belabor the point, but the fact that crew gain no skill whatsoever from doing missions is.. well, you know already.. it's odd.
   
5. The Apollo command module serves no purpose beyond the crewed lunar landing. There are very few Request missions that require it, yet there is a plethora of LEO crewed Request missions - all of which are doable with the Gemini capsule. While there's nothing wrong with this, per se, the design decision to minimize Apollo is.. baffling.
   
6. Continuing with Apollo, the Lunar Module sort of just magically appears as the command module nears the moon. Could probably call this a bug, but seriously - how did no one notice?
   
7. You can plop the Apollo CSM inside a Shuttle and use that to do a Lunar Landing. The shuttle really, really, really can't pull off that mission profile.
   
8. The Saturn rocket stack... could not launch the CSM and the LM to the Moon with just the S-IVB and the S-IB. I'll admit this one is super picky of me, but bear with me. The thing about this one that is so odd is.. why even include them in the first place? The game doesn't have any LEO Apollo missions, so why not just stick to the full Saturn V configuration? It's such an odd decision I can't tell if it was on purpose or if there used to be more missions where the smaller stack was useful, but they were cut from the game. I like having them in there (more rockets! woot!) but they really don't have much of a purpose.

This game is so frustrating because it feels like it's on the edge of something awesome, but it comes up short time and time again.

[Cascadeur]

And I was wondering why the game is so ... inexpensive. What a pity! I will cross it off my wish list ...

[FreedomFighter]

You're wrong about the upgrade cost. There are more than 3 points module upgrade but none of them reach 6 points which is Space Shuttle offered. I'm wondering if different agency unlocks different upgrade but then, why the Shuttle allows 6 points when the highest upgrade module NASA can unlock is 5 points?

[Root]

I do have to agree on space telescope should be launchable with the shuttle. I go so far as say, there should be constant resupply missions if you choose to build the space station thus creating a scheduling mini game. You want to launch Galileo, but Magellan needs the only Titan IV available and the other shuttles need to help the station. Then again, maybe that is too much to expect, we already got the competition from other agencies.

[spiritplumber]

The LEM missing is fixed in the experimental branch

[ftn1984]

I've enjoyed the game overall. To me though, and I do agree, the decision on how to implement the shuttle is simply baffling and doesn't make much sense at all. You're absolutely correct there and I do believe that should be fixed. It makes zero sense to launch a Gemini Capsule or Apollo Capsule inside of a space shuttle for missions. The shuttle should be available as a stand alone. I like the idea of shuttle resupply missions or sat repairs.

[Atlessa]

9. Having a Launch Escape System on the (in my case Gemini) capsule, but all Astronauts killed when the booster failed.

[JFJohnny5]

Originally posted by ~SJ~ Atlessa:

9. Having a Launch Escape System on the (in my case Gemini) capsule, but all Astronauts killed when the booster failed.

Yeah. Launch Escape is a stand-alone Upgrade for a vehicle - though you can only have one upgrade per vehicle (no matter how many points you have) so it's usually not worth using it.

[criminelis]

Launch windows are my biggest joke to this game:
"Oh look, a design flaw in our rocket has made it so that Saturn is now reachable when it is in opposite position, however, when it is in close position, we cannot launch, not with this rocket. Shouldn't we write down this design flaw and exploit it in our race against our competitors?"