Kerbal Space Program fans have often wondered why the doesn’t do n-body physics simulation, where the gravitational forces of masses in space are all calculated simultaneously. Like its predecessor, Kerbal Space Program 2 will make use of a simplified physics system where planets just generate a static sphere of gravity. Otherwise, the developers say, the solar system might explode. “If you take the Kerbal system from the original game, and you apply n-body physics to that, the solar system disassembles and starts to fire moons at planets,” creative director Nate Simpson says (via Edge, issue 337). “In general, I think that’s where we come up against this game being a game.” Interesting natural phenomena like Lagrange points – a sort of pocket between gravitational forces where you can essentially ‘park’ a space vessel – can come about with an n-body simulation, Simpson says, “but you also sacrifice a lot of predictability.” And a lack of predictability can make a closed game system fall apart.