Mod to Generate Science Contracts by Searching Science Archives to Find New Science to Do

[arkie87]

I've been watching this thread with much interest for the past 4 days. It is fascinating to see people collaborate on a brilliant idea.

This contract pack/generator will be the biggest thing of all.

As for the naming of this pack I would suggest "Undiscovered Science". What do you think?

"Undiscovered Science" has my vote, though "Science Explorer" is also good.

[nightingale]

Speaking of voting, why not add a pool to the first post between "Field Research", "Undiscovered Science" and "Science Explorer"?

Also, this probably should either get a new thread in add-on development or be moved there... but I figure it'll get a release thread soon enough (at least a week away, don't get your hopes up for sooner), so not worth the bother.

[Alshain]

I like and support this idea.

[Enceos]

Thanks for the poll! And omg, I already can't play without this pack )

[Anrui]

I just installed this mod to help me know about what experiments I need to do, and where and does things to bring it to my attention when there is new science to be had. It's called ScienceAlert.

I can't really give a review about it or anything since I just recently found it and downloaded it (like earlier today) and I want to talk about it's effectiveness and whatnot before I've had a lot of experience with it.

Here's the mod:  ScienceAlert

Edited May 4, 2021 by Snark
Link to defunct website removed by moderator

[nightingale]

Anrui said:

I just installed this mod to help me know about what experiments I need to do, and where and does things to bring it to my attention when there is new science to be had. It's called ScienceAlert.

I can't really give a review about it or anything since I just recently found it and downloaded it (like earlier today) and I want to talk about it's effectiveness and whatnot before I've had a lot of experience with it.

ScienceAlert is one of those mods I can't live without - it'll probably be a "recommend" mod to go along with the one that's being built here.

[Rendman]

You guys have the source code for this up on github or somewhere? I'm looking for a side programming project, and this tickles my fancy.

[arkie87]

You guys have the source code for this up on github or somewhere? I'm looking for a side programming project, and this tickles my fancy.

I'm sure nightingale wouldnt mind some help

[nightingale]

You guys have the source code for this up on github or somewhere? I'm looking for a side programming project, and this tickles my fancy.

The mod itself is being built using Contract Configurator and won't have any code itself. It will have a github repository for holding all the configuration files once I've gotten further along. The Contract Configurator repository can be found here.

[nightingale]

Alright, think I'm happy with everything in Contract Configurator, so now I just need to work on the contracts themselves. Shouldn't hopefully be too long on these. Got the first one all polished and ready to go:

[arkie87]

Alright, think I'm happy with everything in Contract Configurator, so now I just need to work on the contracts themselves. Shouldn't hopefully be too long on these. Got the first one all polished and ready to go:

http://i.imgur.com/Ei6B0dI.png?1

All aboard the hypetrain! Woot Woot!

[Barking Sands]

All aboard the hypetrain! Woot Woot!

If you look to the left, you'll see me dancing in some sort of ... well, I believe the correct term is "jig."

This "surface sample" contract doesn't unlock until after the R&D building gets the necessary upgrade I hope. Don't like the prospect of having experiments show up in those lists if I'm unable to perform them. Other than that slight apprehension of mine, it looks terrific. Thank you for the outstanding effort.

It's going to be this and the anomaly surveyor that Squad really should consider implementing into the stock game. Seriously, that needs to happen.

[amorymeltzer]

Awwwww yeah!

[Lord Aurelius]

Looking good, it's been exciting to watch the rapid progress on this mod. I'll definitely try it out once it's ready.

[nightingale]

If you look to the left, you'll see me dancing in some sort of ... well, I believe the correct term is "jig."

This "surface sample" contract doesn't unlock until after the R&D building gets the necessary upgrade I hope. Don't like the prospect of having experiments show up in those lists if I'm unable to perform them. Other than that slight apprehension of mine, it looks terrific. Thank you for the outstanding effort.

It's going to be this and the anomaly surveyor that Squad really should consider implementing into the stock game. Seriously, that needs to happen.

Oh yeah, all the experiments are tied to the appropriate building upgrades and part unlocks, so you won't see them unless you can actually do them.

[Tontow]

Are these going to be automatic contracts? Like the set speed record and set distance record types?

Will they keep showing up after you complete them? Or will they only show up so long as you can get science from an area?

[arkie87]

Are these going to be automatic contracts? Like the set speed record and set distance record types?

Will they keep showing up after you complete them? Or will they only show up so long as you can get science from an area?

The mod is supposed to look for science experiments you havent done yet, so once you do it, it will not offer it to you. It's supposed to serve as a funding source for scientific research and an easy way to plan science missions, rather than manually scanning through the science archives to find experiment-biome pairs you havent done.

[nightingale]

Are these going to be automatic contracts? Like the set speed record and set distance record types?

Will they keep showing up after you complete them? Or will they only show up so long as you can get science from an area?

I hadn't considered automatic contracts (Contract Configurator does support them). It's kind of an interesting idea, but I don't like the fact that the player would then be forced to do them or "get stuck". So I think I'll stick with the standard kind.

The mod is supposed to look for science experiments you havent done yet, so once you do it, it will not offer it to you. It's supposed to serve as a funding source for scientific research and an easy way to plan science missions, rather than manually scanning through the science archives to find experiment-biome pairs you havent done.

I'm also going to try to make a variety of styles of contracts. We've seen the KSC science contract, next up is the Biome Study.

[Enceos]

Is there a limit to a number of objectives in a single contract?

[arkie87]

I hadn't considered automatic contracts (Contract Configurator does support them). It's kind of an interesting idea, but I don't like the fact that the player would then be forced to do them or "get stuck". So I think I'll stick with the standard kind.

I'm also going to try to make a variety of styles of contracts. We've seen the KSC science contract, next up is the Biome Study.

http://i.imgur.com/aEMXCqz.png

Is there a way to condense the objectives i.e. since all experiments must be perofmed on Kerbin and in the same biome, dont bother specifying each one:

Destination: Kerbin: Incomplete

Biome: Deserts: Incomplete

Experiment: Recover or Transmit Temperature Scan while Landed: Incomplete

Experiment: Recover Mobile Materials Lab while Landed: Incomplete

Experiment: Recover or Transmit crew report while flying: incomplete

etc...

Edited May 21, 2015 by arkie87

[BudgetHedgehog]

Also, could 'Mobile Materials Lab' be confused for the science lab? Would saying SC-9001 Science Jr. (part name) or Materials Bay (cfg filename) be better? AFAIK, it's never referred to as a 'lab'.

[amorymeltzer]

Nightingale, are you swapping between recover and recover/transmit only when transmit would be 100%?

Also, could 'Mobile Materials Lab' be confused for the science lab? Would saying SC-9001 Science Jr. (part name) or Materials Bay (cfg filename) be better? AFAIK, it's never referred to as a 'lab'.

Well, Mobile Materials Lab is the name of the actual experiment being performed (in part cfg, ScienceDefs.cfg). One could imagine another part (in another mod) doing the same science experiment, which would be just as valid or, I suppose, doing the experiment, storing it in a command pod, and just collecting that. Admittedly, the names ARE rather confusing, especially when compared to the other experiments and the MPL. Drove me crazy when I first started playing.

Edited May 21, 2015 by amorymeltzer

[nightingale]

Is there a limit to a number of objectives in a single contract?

Generally speaking? No. I'm trying to decide how many each contract should have - the biome and KSC ones are both quite high because the science is all in the same area.

Is there a way to condense the objectives i.e. since all experiments must be perofmed on Kerbin and in the same biome, dont bother specifying each one:

Destination: Kerbin: Incomplete

Biome: Deserts: Incomplete

Experiment: Recover or Transmit Temperature Scan while Landed: Incomplete

Experiment: Recover Mobile Materials Lab while Landed: Incomplete

Experiment: Recover or Transmit crew report while flying: incomplete

etc...

Possibly, and I can see how that would be desirable. When the experiments are completed it does automatically condense a little. For now I'm going to leave it and see what people think once they start playing it.

Also, could 'Mobile Materials Lab' be confused for the science lab? Would saying SC-9001 Science Jr. (part name) or Materials Bay (cfg filename) be better? AFAIK, it's never referred to as a 'lab'.

Well, Mobile Materials Lab is the name of the actual experiment being performed (in part cfg, ScienceDefs.cfg). One could imagine another part (in another mod) doing the same science experiment, which would be just as valid or, I suppose, doing the experiment, storing it in a command pod, and just collecting that. Admittedly, the names ARE rather confusing, especially when compared to the other experiments and the MPL. Drove me crazy when I first started playing.

Yup, it's picking up the experiment names from the game, so it's exactly what would be shown in the science archives (ie. that other R&D screen nobody ever goes to because it's so buried).

Nightingale, are you swapping between recover and recover/transmit only when transmit would be 100%?

Correct - originally they were all recover, but I didn't want players to not be able to transmit crew reports since it logically is the same thing. Otherwise I'm forcing the player to do the science shenanigans of removing and storing in the science container (which is such a silly mechanic).

[BudgetHedgehog]

Yup, it's picking up the experiment names from the game, so it's exactly what would be shown in the science archives (ie. that other R&D screen nobody ever goes to because it's so buried).

y u do dis squad

[amorymeltzer]

Correct - originally they were all recover, but I didn't want players to not be able to transmit crew reports since it logically is the same thing. Otherwise I'm forcing the player to do the science shenanigans of removing and storing in the science container (which is such a silly mechanic).

I guess I was wondering why they wouldn't all allow transmit, since most tests require multiple runs to "finish", even via recovery. Will these missions be one-and-done, a threshold, or completion? I'm a completionist (obviously) but I gather most people here aren't, so one-and-done probably makes the most sense? If so, losses via transmit wouldn't be a big deal. Takes away some novelty for KSC I suppose.