Science collection and contracts in Sandbox mode.

[Coam]

At the moment, the R&D Lab is unavailable in Sandbox mode - which makes sense on one level, because parts cannot be researched once all the parts are unlocked.

Unfortunately, this has the consequence that Science-collection instruments are nearly useless in Sandbox. All the science data you collect is unviewable once you close the description or send the data back to KSC. Sure, you get the (often amusing) description, but that's it, and if you want to read it again you'll need to re-create those circumstances.

I'd like to see clicking on R&D in Sandbox take you directly to the Science Archives screen where all the planets and the research you conducted on those planets is stored. I'd also like to see science points retained in that window just so you can keep track of the relative value of what you've done. (The points would be unspendable, but collecting them as a form of score alone is quite fun, indeed, I edit my save-files to do just that in Science mode at the moment.)

The same general idea applies to contracts - Tourism ones in particular, are enjoyable because they are tracked. I don't conduct contracts for money, but because they often provide interesting goals or design challenges that could be 'roleplayed', but are more fun to conduct using the contract system. Even without financial reward, contracts in sandbox would be quite fun for that reason. (I'm not sure if keeping reputation in Sandbox, with a similar complete lack of effect, is worthwhile.)

Neither of these would affect the actual gameplay of Sandbox mode too much, one could continue to ignore Science collection and contracts if they simply wanted to explore locations or design interesting vehicles without having to unlock parts or fly Tourists up to 70,000m to pay for them. The change would however make tracking past gameplay achievements much easier.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Coam

[pandaman]

It's not a major issue, but science collection and contracts in sandbox are certainly something I would like to have in the game.

[Rath]

Mee too

[EdusacconBR]

yea, it would be amazing, because sometimes sandbox gets a little boring

[klgraham1013]

I just want the science archive in sandbox. Could be a useful log of what I've done.

[nightingale]

I just want the science archive in sandbox. Could be a useful log of what I've done.

I could've sworn that the science archives info was going to be available outside of R&D, but I couldn't find anything in the devnotes about it (I swear it had been in one of Romfarer's notes). Oh well, probably just wishful thinking on my part.

[amorymeltzer]

To some degree, Tree Toppler should help you get around the science issue. Start a career mode and use it to unlock the whole tree; you can add tons of cash with the cheat menu. Not ideal, but it's something.

[klgraham1013]

To some degree, Tree Toppler should help you get around the science issue. Start a career mode and use it to unlock the whole tree; you can add tons of cash with the cheat menu. Not ideal, but it's something.

Thanks for the heads up. Didn't know about this mod, which is unusual.

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

This could help those who like to desgin their career mode missions carefully. You could know that how much science you will recieve with that mission, if you completed it before in sandbox mode.

[Darnok]

I could've sworn that the science archives info was going to be available outside of R&D, but I couldn't find anything in the devnotes about it (I swear it had been in one of Romfarer's notes). Oh well, probably just wishful thinking on my part.

I remember this news, but it is gone.