Ok ok i know you are one of the best rocket builders on forum but... There is one thing that you forgot about... This video's are likes by most people, i know that doesnt mean to much for you (probably) but i think most of SFS community that are not into forums is more open to trying new types of gameplay. And to them there are only 4 cheats:
Unbreakable Parts
No Gravity
No Atmospheric Drag
Infinite Fuel.
I think i know why you hate this technique so much, maybe because of nature of the forum which you older players were probably following, because there wasnt so much to do at the older versions with special mechanics. So you evolved into traditional people that are orthodox to things that made revolutions on SFS (except planet editing cause it was something different than core of the game) which is rockets. When new playera and users joined the werent so
strictfull, and experimented. Older players (like older people) were complaining about these days where everything was stock. I think SFS forum is more closed than for example KSP forum. Once again no hate just saying things i think i know something about
Amazing. You said all those words, and not a single one was correct.
I don't hate exploits or cheats. Or the people that use them. I pity them. I pity that they're unable to play this game without them. I genuinely felt sorry for those that couldn't get to Jupiter unless they were using ions or stretched engines, especially when electricity was deleted after 1.5 dropped. I feel sorry for everyone that can't think of their own rockets and ideas and have to copy what they see on wikipedia and YouTube for concepts.
For the same reason is why I don't want pre-fabricated parts in this game. It'd make it easier, and would suit most players because it'd mean the space stations and shuttles look 'better'. What it also does also do is take away from the entire point of this game, solving problems properly using ideas, ingenuity, planning. Pre-fabricated items, same with stretched engines, make the game so easy that you may as well not bother. That is the point you, your youtube list, the entirely of discord and reddit and wherever else is missing.
The game is supposed to be a challenge. Stretching an engine basically renders that challenge obsolete, when you can just take an ion, stretch it 100x so it has almost unlimited thrust and isp and you can pretty much get anywhere with 4kg of fuel.
That's why I went out of my way to try and educate people. Show them there is more to SFS than just stretching engines or slapping a few ions on the back because they had run out of ideas on how to do the mission otherwise.
By doing that will mean they're not 2 weeks into getting the game thinking 'I'm bored' cos they've been everywhere in the first few days they've had the game using that stretched Falcon 9 they downloaded from Anubis and then post 'give me ideas' threads.
You talk about exploits as if I'm too old in the game (or tooth) to appreciate them as 'another way of playing the game', as if using cheat codes is a new concept us old men have never heard of.
Man, I've got cheat codes committed to memory that are older than you are. They had to be memorised cos the internet wasn't a thing back then and you had to search these enormous books of codes for your console games that no one would buy but would be on a games store shelf for your particular game and the code you wanted, so you'd have a quick flick through, find the code, quickly memorise it, walk out the shop and then write it down.
Or some games gave them to you as power-ups for you to use.
But we used them
after we'd completed the game, not on the first play through. Hell, some games would only allow you to use the cheat menu or give you access to certain items if you'd competed the game on certain difficulties. It gave those games that amazing property that games today just do not have.
Replayability.
You'd do the 30-40 hour story campaign once, earn the red bandana, then play it again, select the other ending and another 30 hours to get the invisibility cloak, then play it
again to take advantage of being able to stalk around like the predator and put C4 on everyones back, then you'd play it a 4th time cos you want to get everyones dog tags and you'd now unlocked a camera, then a 5th cos by now your awesome, know the game inside out and want to go for the hardest difficulty, no saves, no alerts, no cheats, no kills.
Is there a game anywhere that does that now? No. Why? Cos gamers want updates and fast track unlocks and passes. They don't want to play the game, they want the trophy at the end as fast as possible, the stretched engines, the pre-built parts.
Imagine a game released today with only 2 factions, 1 campaign per faction, no multiplayer, a 3 tier tech tree, about a dozen units and
no updates, ever.
I've been playing that game for about...20 years or so. It's called Command and Conquer. Damn right it's got cheats. But you did the game once through first before you used them.
Dude, you can play and post whatever you like. No one hates you or your work, so don't get so melodramatic about it.
But if nothing else will convince you of the righteousness of what I'm saying, consider this.
Look back on the discussions thread. Look for the posts from people looking for ideas, blueprints, updates, stretched toys. How many of them are still playing this game?
Now look again at the threads from the ones who post the challenges, provide the insights,
play without exploits. You'll find those names coming up over and over and over again, because they use the game properly and it has provided long term enjoyment for them rather than that quick fix.