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[1.2.1] RoverScience Revisted (2.2.0) - Better, interactive science for rovers!


theSpeare

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RELEASE 2.2.0 (alpha)

Plugin is now compatible with KSP 1.2, but I haven't had time to thoroughly test. Therefore I've chosen not to push the release to SpaceDock/CKAN until it's confirmed this new version is fine (I would be very grateful for any help!). See new version link below.

RoverScience is a KSP plugin that attempts to add more interactive functionality to the science system FOR rovers. You drive rovers to search for science spots which you may then decide to investigate and analyze for science gain.

 

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Rover Brain parts made by @akron

Wonderful tutorial/showcase video by youtuber KottabosGames; thank you! There is one discrepancy, however: you do not get more science the farther away you are from the landing spot - you only generate science spots much quicker. What does give you more science (potentially) is scanning for science spots farther away from the rover (this is what the scan range is for): see here for the boost to science potential with distance from the rover.

 

Steps are pretty simple:

Quick Instructions

[1] Build your rover and attach the appropriate Rover Brain and ensure it is pointing "forward". As long as it is pointing "forward" it can be placed anywhere on your rover. This forward orientation is not critical to the functioning of RoverScience, but it will provide you with a convenient "Control From Here" for driving the rover correctly forward.

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[2] Right-click on the Rover Brain in-flight and click "Activate Rover Terminal".

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[3] This console will update you with information regarding the Rover Brain. Drive and explore around to search for a science spot.

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[4] After driving for awhile, you may detect a potential science spot. This will be shown as a large red transparent sphere waypoint. Drive towards the waypoint to further investigate.

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[5] Drive into the marker and it will turn green. You may now analyze for science, but before you do consider the potential science. Every science spot analysis will increase future science loss; be wise with which spots you wish to analyze, and which to abandon. At any point you may click on "Reset Science Spot" to begin search for another spot.

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[6] This is the upgrade menu. "Current" shows you what value an upgrade currently has. "Next" will show you the value if you increase the level. "Cost" is how much you will spend in science to upgrade. "UP" is the button to upgrade. An explanation of each of the upgrades is given further below. All upgrades are permanent and work across all rovers!

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Click HERE for information on RoverScience Upgrades

Notes:

  • Firstly, RoverScience will not function unless the Rover Terminal is opened. This is done through the right-click menu of the Rover Brain part.
  • RoverScience will only search for science spots if your vessel has at least one wheel, and that it is in contact with the ground.
  • Upon landing, your rover will establish a landing spot. Driving farther away from where you originally landed will increase chances of finding a science spot.
  • Science spots detected far away from the rover will have a bonus multiplier added to them. You are rewarded for exploring and reaching far destinations. Bear in mind that a 50% increase to 10 is only 15 -> carefully consider whether the potential (or the prediction) is worth it.
  • Each analysis you commit to will slowly degrade a rover's return of science. For the first 2 analyses you'll get normal values, and anything past that will slowly degrade the amount of science you get back. Soak up those high potentials as much as possible!
  • CTRL + R + S will open the RoverScience menu.

 

DOWNLOAD FOR KSP 1.2.1

(or SpaceDock link)
(or CKAN)

This mod includes version checking using MiniAVC. If you opt-in, it will use the internet to check whether there is a new version available. Data is only read from the internet and no personal information is sent. For a more comprehensive version checking experience, please download the KSP-AVC Plugin

___________________________________________

SpaceDock Link
README

Everything should be running fine, but if there any issues please post here or, even better, on the RoverScience GitHub.

Known Issues:

1. Two rovers with Rover Brains that are within physics range will throw Null References and will break RoverScience.

Much thanks to the community of KSP modders, who have been very patient, very kind and very helpful. This is my first major C# project and I'm still learning. The code may be messy in some places and I apologize. But nothing will ever describe my gratitude to those who helped - particularly malkuth, whose inbox I have no doubt spammed with questions. Rockstar04 for loyal testing for much of the development. And anyone else who I might have forgotten (sorry)!

Some more thanks:

- etmoonshade

- udk_lethal_dose

- akron for Rover Brain parts - modelling and texturing

- Nat Sum for rock models!

This is a wonderful community, and I thank you all once again. :)

Edited by theSpeare
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Actually, why not just use command seat as roverbrain for manned rovers?

And for unmanned you coudl add optional module manager file allowing us to use camera from this mod

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/pandajagerlabs/

Much better that seismometer model :)

edit

it seems that camera parts woudl need to have its orientation changed, by default it looks "up"

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64336-0-23-Panda-Jager-Laboratories-Parts-Pack?p=1064856&viewfull=1#post1064856

can this be done by modulemanager too?

Edited by kiwiak
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Great work, Thespeare. I've been using this mod for a while and I it love, thank you

Thanks! I'm glad you've been liking it through its turbulent balancing periods :P

Very happy to see this go to full release status. Have been loving this since the pre-release!

Cheers. Always nice to hear :) Hopefully it came out okay in the end.

@theSpeare, thank you very much for this really nice science mod. Will download the release today & enjoy using it.

Sweet, let me know what you think. Hopefully all the values are okay now.

Actually, why not just use command seat as roverbrain for manned rovers?

And for unmanned you coudl add optional module manager file allowing us to use camera from this mod

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/pandajagerlabs/

Much better that seismometer model :)

edit

it seems that camera parts woudl need to have its orientation changed, by default it looks "up"

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64336-0-23-Panda-Jager-Laboratories-Parts-Pack?p=1064856&viewfull=1#post1064856

can this be done by modulemanager too?

You CAN just use the command seat. Really, as long as you have all this:


MODULE
{
name = RoverScience
}

MODULE
{
name = ModuleCommand
minimumCrew = 0

RESOURCE
{
name = ElectricCharge
rate = 0.001
}
}


MODULE
{
name = ModuleScienceContainer

reviewActionName = Review Stored Data
storeActionName = Store Experiments
evaOnlyStorage = True
storageRange = 1.3
capacity = 1

allowRepeatedSubjects = False
}

then you can use whatever part to reference the front of your vehicle as long as it points forward. Just slap those modules onto whatever part you wanna use. If its "control from here" points forward, good, otherwise just have another part that CAN point forward. I will eventually have a part model up by itself though; just waiting on a friend.

Looks nice, will try.

Any chance to incorporate this into MastCam from Panda Jager Labs?

I'll be having my own model made by a friend, but without animation I think.

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For inspiration purposes:

CuriosityRover.jpg

My three ideas would be:

1. Maybe that radial part at the top (back-right), the white box + diagonal thing behind it would give a really clear indicator which direction is forward.

2. Something that serves as a visual base for a mastcam, kinda like a small white octagon .. could be kinda funny if it included a painted arrow "this way front" .. something we'd see in the SPH, but wouldn't be visible if we stacked other pieces over it

3. A straight-up suite of rover "chassis", maybe three or five different sizes / aspect ratios, each functioning as a "Probe", probably heavier than space probes but carrying much more electrical charge.

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@Amaroq, I'll send that to my modeler friend, thank you :)

@Horus, can you upload your KSP.log file from the /KSP_Data/ folder? I'm not sure why this is happening as it's okay on mine with stock installation.

Is anyone else having a problem with the upgrade menu not showing up properly?

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Woops, terribly sorry - can you upload the output_log.txt file instead from the KSP_data folder? I mixed them up - output_log gives out more useful information. I AM however seeing a crapload of null exceptions so there's definitely something wrong. Also let me know if it's okay in a clean install.

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@theSpeare, yes, I've noticed a bunch of exceptions. The install is a testing sandbox with a bunch of mods installed/uninstalled. Clean install works good. So, no real bother )

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@theSpeare:

It's really easier for me just to drop the broken install :) I'll try on a working install now (it's not 0.23.5 compatible at all - 0.23 only and with a bunch of mods...).

Noticed that slopes influence bearing unpredictable, see images:

http://imgur.com/a/p4mRu#0

You can see that at a rather small distance bearing changes significantly. Though, the distance is pretty large.

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Yep, this is happening because your control reference is pointing straight up. Need to set it forward. It's in the OP and readme, all you need to do is just make sure the RoverBrain part is pointing forward and then click its "control from here" button or use the console's "Reorient from Part" button. Let me know if that fixes it.

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Can you take another screenshot of the navball where this problem is occurring? I don't really have any problems on slopes.

Seems that it's my fault again. For, now I cannot reproduce the issue. Proly, I didn't set "Reorient from Part" or else. A bit ambiguous though.

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Great mod! Makes rovers a great way to get science. I have one question though. Is a rover basically useless once its done 3 of the analyses? Its just the readme mentions a 30 day cooldown but I couldn't work out what it was referring to.

Thanks.

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@Snillum101, woops! That's something I forgot to fix up in the readme. It was only 'round about pre-release 2 or 3 that there was a 30-day cooldown upon analyzing a spot. It's been long gone now, and replaced with a different mechanism where your science return is unhindered for the first three analyses, and then degrades after each analysis. I might actually add a prompt in the console to show this once you've passed three analyses, thanks.

There will be an upgrade added in the future which will allow you to increase this maximum threshold and effectively extend the life of your rovers (I really just wanted to encourage even more rover missions to be launched).

@Ogamaga - the issue with MCE should now be fixed, you just have to update MCE. Thanks to malkuth for this problem being fixed :)

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