Can KSP look as good as KSP2?

In this video, we check out some visual mods for KSP and compare the results against vanilla KSP and KSP2.
Mod List:
AstronomersVisualPack
AVP-8kTextures
B9PartSwitch
BAMCont
BetterKerbol
BetterKerbolRescale
ClickThroughBlocker
DistantObject
DistantObject-default
EngineLightRelit
EnvironmentalVisualEnhancements
Harmony2
KerbalEngineerRedux
Kopernicus
KSPCommunityFixes
MechJeb2
ModularFlightIntegrator
ModuleManager
Parallax
Parallax-StockScatterTextures
Parallax-StockTextures
PlanetShine
PlanetShine-Config-Default
RealPlume
RealPlume-StockConfigs
ReStock
ReStockPlus
Scatterer
Scatterer-config
Scatterer-sunflare
Shabby
Shaddy
SmokeScreen
StockWaterfallEffects
TextureReplacer
TexturesUnlimited
Toolbar
ToolbarController
TUFX
Waterfall
WaterfallRestock
I recommended using CKAN to install mods: (forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/...)
.ckan file (modlist) from my google drive: (drive.google.com/file/d/1J0EB...)
In CKAN go to: File / Install from .ckan...
Thank you very much for watching! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

[@_Zie_]

A mod that is often overlooked is ZTheme, it's a more dark and modern overhaul of the UI. I can't stand looking at the stock UI after it. Poods deep star map skybox is also my preferred skybox, though calm nebula is also pretty good. I think a lot of skyboxes go very overboard, the brightness washes out the planets. Waterfall does change some of the rocket sounds I believe, there is also rocket sound enhancement which adds sonic booms and volume fading out without the atmosphere, you can configure the levels to your taste. Keep in mind that many mods may not strictly be up to date on CKAN, but still work fine when you manually select the latest version in the "versions" tab. Oh and raster prop monitor adds the ability for the interior views of the pods to have additional displays and buttons and stuff. It can go with freeiva which allows you to explore the interior of the spacecraft.

[@sleepy_sock]

Great suggestions! Thank you!

[@danzstuff]

RocketSoundEnhancement is the best rocket sound mod ever. i recommend it for everybody

[@TanielCoolGuy]

@@danzstuff RSE is super underrated, I can't play without it

[@thebrick.1385]

If you are willing to cough up 5 quid you can get blackracks volumetric clouds mod. Which adds way better clouds. Also restock can make all the parts look better (but it does change how some of them behave).

[@heretic391]

Was wondering about this, thank you!

[@LtAlguien]

@06:45 I think thats from the Distant Object Enhancement mod, and is due to the Moon (or Mun in Kerbal case) surface reflecting the sunlight obscuring the stars in the sky (This is why the sky is also pitch-black in the photos from the moon expeditions)

[@sleepy_sock]

I think you are right. I'll need to play with the settings for that one and see if I can turn down that effect.

[@theencolony5595]

​@@sleepy_sockI believe there's a set of slider in DOE that handles skybox dimming, can't remember the exact options though.

[@sleepy_sock]

Awesome, I'll take a look for that. Thanks!

[@benzene_sandwich]

My first time seeing this channel. Very high quality content. I think your channel will go far. Also, I reccomend installing blackrack's Deffered KSP mod to dramatically improve the lighting in KSP1, it almost looks like KSP2. Also, the mod that obscured the stars is called Distant Object Enhancment, I reccomend uninstalling it if you like stars.

[@sleepy_sock]

Thanks for the suggestion! I saw @MattLowne cover that one a few days ago after this video was basically complete. I might need to do a follow-up with a few more mods and some new side by sides.

[@YeaaIJusShiddedOnEm]

I personally like KSP2 graphics better no matter how you cut it, but damn KSP1 is still beautiful especially with volumetric EVE and deferred rendering from Blackrack. I can absolutely not go back from using Deferred rendering now

[@jocax188723]

Kerbal Konstructs and its base pack KerbinSide adds more structures and even additional launchsites and runways, greatly enhancing Kerbin scenery. Kerbal Konstructs also allows you to build your own launchsites and bases in real time in the game. This includes other celestial bodies. Blackrack's volumetric clouds is an essential mod at this point. Greatly enhanced flight visuals on all atmospheric bodies, and beautiful atmospheric effects when combined with Scatterer.

[@sleepy_sock]

Kerbal Konstructs looks really cool! Thanks for the suggestions!

[@aaronspacee]

check out blackracks deferred rendering too completely overhauls the lighting system

[@gamerboy7224]

I love ksp so by extension i love you.

[@donaldpetersen2382]

KSP2's lighting looks terrible and the Kerbals don't look very Kerbal anymore. The first wins easily

[@YevhenSavchuk]

nah, come on man. 6:27 look at the shadows and reflections! the lighting is great! the kerbals look nice too

[@parkerrallieshope]

Uh, nuh uh, I don't think so. I do agree, first one with mods does win, but only slightly. KSP2 actually has volumetric clouds and it's hard to get the volumetric EVE clouds mod on KSP1 unless you have money. KSP2 has that Kerbal feel, the graphics are 9/10 for sure, the lighting is good and the kerbals got more green, but that's all

[@theencolony5595]

​@@parkerrallieshopethere's older release versions that don't require supporting him on Patreon, still adding the volumetric clouds

[@parkerrallieshope]

@@theencolony5595 They don't really work for me and are quite buggy

[@theencolony5595]

@@parkerrallieshope that's fun with mods, they take a bit to get working together!

[@jason59k55]

this doesnt even seem to account for the blackrack patreon mods, and you can take it even further with planet pack mods that have insane resolutions, terrain, and views.

[@sleepy_sock]

I am very happy with the results I got with the free mods, and I think this was a good showcase of what anyone can do with their game with fairly minimal effort. There have been so many good mod suggestions, so I think I will be taking a deeper dive into additional mods soon!

[@benjaminrickdonaldson]

@@sleepy_sock it super cheap and overhauls the entire game.

[@benjaminrickdonaldson]

bro you have a 4090, get yourself volumetric clouds, deferred rendering, the latest scatterer and all that. Its cheap and you can run it.

[@armadilloneister]

idk if it's just me, but modded ksp colors look so muted compared even with ksp stock

[@YevhenSavchuk]

I'm surprised you didn't have blackrack's volumetric clouds, this is the best visual mod for ksp in my opinion. also in your comparison you didn't show how the planets look like from space and i think this is where ksp2 outperformed ksp1 the most

[@sleepy_sock]

I know... I think I will need to do a follow-up and do more space views. I was so focused on the ground scenery and the surfaces of Kerbin and Mun that I completely missed comparing them from space. There have been some great mod suggestions, though, so I will have more to check out and more to show!

[@ghostblackout1]

I have been playing KSP 1 since 2018 and I never liked ksp 2 and with the ksc you can add building and with the stars in real life you can't really see stars on the moon but at night on the mun you can see stars

[@ghostblackout1]

Oh and btw look at ksc extended habTech2

[@louelisapha3292]

Could you build a .rar with everything in it ?

[@sleepy_sock]

No, the file would be too large. I did however add a link to a .ckan file in the description that can be loaded right in to CKAN to install that way. Hope that helps.

[@oasntet]

1:00 Lol, the "too many stars" bug that still hasn't been fixed. The AVP mod looks great, but by default the skybox is completely broken. But yeah, in general you can push the KSP1 visuals pretty far, but the engine is still extremely limited compared to KSP 2's. Push the visuals to the max while also playing the game as intended, and you start seeing the limits. Put two big ships in the same scene and watch as the terrible garbage collector freezes the game for a full second out of every 5... And that was the whole point of the new version, or at least one of them; remove those legacy obstacles from the old spaghetti codebase so that newer hardware can do far more with the game. It'd be nice if Private Division brought Squad back in for one more DLC for KSP1, one that emphasized fixing the GC while also adopting the newer techniques used by visual mods. I'd pay $20 for a facelift DLC that let me enjoy the game without the stuttering for another decade. Hell, might pay $50.

[@sleepy_sock]

Lol yea it was a little overwhelming! I would love a new DLC for KSP1 too, but I don't think that will ever happen unfortunately. I am keeping my eye out for KSP2 mods that would hopefully fix the remaining bugs and maybe even add extra features/parts. The modding community seems to be less enthusiastic about KSP2 though.