Yes-ish. Updated graphics/reskin was the original idea, but this changed to add some long-wanted features. This is where the problem began: The reskin was built on the old KSP source base, which the original developers have admitted was very difficult to work with.

When the development changed focus, the feature scope was simply not realistic with so much legacy code getting in the way.

Worst of all, the devs working on KSP2 were barred from talking to Squad (the original developers) about ANYTHING. No communication about specific parts of the code. No communication about why various approaches to different problems were chosen. Basically due to corporate stupidity that focused on a quick buck through a resin, the developers had to pretty much reinvent the wheel a bunch of times.

I think the initial corporate plan was a reskin-scam. The development plan involved a lot more than that. These goals were simply incompatible, which is why everything was so delayed and buggy.

There were some really passionate and talented devs on the team, but they didn’t get what was needed to build what KSP2 could’ve (and should’ve) been.

ShadowZone made a couple of really good in-depth videos on what went wrong, and this sums it up well: https://youtu.be/NtMA594am4M

You can get the same ksp2 experience with ksp1 and the seemingly infinite amount of mods available.

Want more realistic everything? Mods for that.

Want to make a jumbo jet that can also travel to Ike?there’s Mods for that.

Want everything to be reskinned to look different? You better BELIEVE there’s mods for that.

And the best part is if you own ksp1 (or at least if you have it on your computer to play, wink wink) it’s free! No need to pay for a full game that’s just been modified slightly, now you just slightly modify it yourself. (or mod it so heavily that startup takes 20 minutes and if you don’t use the part search function you’ll be scrolling for hours)