You will presumably get access to the Alpha soon after the kickstarter ends, but the Deluxe edition will be when the game releases.
Actually, the deluxe is available once the kickstarter ends too. It includes a soundtrack and bleeding-edge access (Access to builds between monthly major version releases).
*doesn't know how Kickstarter works*
Will I be able to strap giant engines to asteroids and/or maybe planets and blow up stars? Will ships require maneuvering thrusters? Can I build giant thrusters in general - like, say, will I be able to fly a fighter or shuttle or whatever into a capital ship's thruster, or will they just be powered by huge banks of tiny, single-block thrusters, and the like.
Everyone else has got Kickstarter more or less right - I don't get anything until the kickstarter finishes, so I need to wait for that. Drop me an email on ScrumbleShip.com if you're desperate, though, and we'll see if we can't work something out.
Yup, you'll be able to strap engines onto asteroids and move them around. Less so for planets, and the power requirements to blow up a star are a few orders of magnitude beyond what I'm likely to hand players.
Both smaller and larger thrusters are planned - We've actually got some 2x2 thrusters that a member of the community made that I need to get into the game.
I wouldn't mind if there was an option between cartoony and plain. I mean, a plain GUI should be simple enough, just make it grey boxes, circles, arrows etc.
A community member has agreed with you, and is making a different HUD for people. I hadn't intended to put it into the game, but with your suggestion of a switch... Why not?
The screenshot is still a little rough, but you can see where he's going.:
http://dynamic.scrumbleship.com/sites/default/files/hud.pngCheers!
-Dirk