[1.0.4] DSD Mobile Labs - Enhanced Mobile Processing Labs

[JDCollie]

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[td]I feel that the current stock MPL doesn't really fit anywhere very well at the moment. It processes too slowly to be useful earlier in career mode, and has too little capacity later on. Its science production is too powerful to ignore, but to use it requires constant babysitting. DSD Mobile Labs is designed to address these concerns.[/td]

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[td]Vanilla MPL changes

The stock MPL has received a weight reduction and a nerf to its data-to-science conversion rate. To compensate, the peak processing speed has been dramatically increased.

New Parts

DSD-I MPL

The DSD-I is has a better data-to-science conversion ratio than the stock MPL, but converts at a slower rate. It is heavier than the stock MPL as well, and uses quite a bit more electricity. In general it is probably an upgrade to the stock version except in situations where you aren't expecting much more than 500 data and/or have serious weight restrictions. Has facilities for a single scientist.

DSD-II MPL

The DSD-II maintains its predecessors data to science conversion rate, while significantly enhancing available data storage, science storage, and peak processing rate. The downside is significant weight, and an even greater electrical footprint. Has facilities for a single scientist.[/td]

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[td]Dependencies

Module Manager - the new parts will work without Module Manager, but the balance changes to the stock MPL will not.

Recommended Mods

Community Tech Tree - The DSD labs work with the vanilla tree, but they make a lot more sense when used in a deeper tech tree, both in terms of science return and in research node placement.

Field Experience - The experience level of a scientist makes a massive difference in the processing rate of a lab (as in, a 1-star scientist works six times faster than a 0-star!) but the vanilla game only awards these important experience stars when kerbals are recovered from a mission. Field Experience corrects this oversight, allow your scientists to increase their level "in the field."

Mod Compatibility

I am not aware of any incompatibility at the moment, but any more that modifies the stock MPL will probably have some issues. If you encounter any mod incompatibility, please let me know.

Downloads & Source

Github

Kerbal Stuff

Error Reporting & Suggestions

If you've got any ideas you like to see implemented, bugs you've encountered, or balance changes to suggest, drop by the Work In Progress thread.

(When reporting an error or incompatibility, please be as specific as you can, try and replicate the error if possible, and remember that error logs and such are golden. Being specific helps us mod makers efficiently fix the problems, so we can get the fixes out to you faster. )

Mod Packs / Compilations

As per the license, I have no problems with mod packs including DSD Mobile Labs. However, if you encounter problems, please contact the mod pack makers first, they are much more likely to understand the mod interaction occurring and be able to help you.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.[/td]

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Edited July 15, 2015 by JDCollie

[Jivaii]

I love you. I've been getting annoyed with the base MPL for a while. It's a very powerful item, but the storage capacities are too low.

[minepagan]

Any thought about making Labs in different sizes? I remember a mod that did that way-back-when, but I believe it has been abandoned.

Basically, make labs in MK3 and MK2 sizes, and possibly a hitchhiker-sized one.

WARNING:

I tried doing it as my own mod, but when I tried to change the MK3 Crew Cabin into a Lab, the part caused the game to crash whenever used. (Right-click menu would stop showing up, in VAB & In-flight)

Oh, and nice model!

[JDCollie]

Any thought about making Labs in different sizes? I remember a mod that did that way-back-when, but I believe it has been abandoned.

Basically, make labs in MK3 and MK2 sizes, and possibly a hitchhiker-sized one.

WARNING:

I tried doing it as my own mod, but when I tried to change the MK3 Crew Cabin into a Lab, the part caused the game to crash whenever used. (Right-click menu would stop showing up, in VAB & In-flight)

Oh, and nice model!

Thanks

Mk2 Expansion has a Mk2 Science Lab. Sadly, I'm not aware of any Mk3 labs at the moment. I don't really use Mk3 parts much, but that could be an interesting place to take the mod. I'll have to look into it

I'm also planning a 1.25m lab designed for rover use, though we'll see how that goes.

[Gosye]

Firstly I like the idea of this mod, but when I've installed it with active MPL research, its science rate is 130 per day with kerbal 3 star scientist and low data consuption is it supposed to be that way? O_o

[JDCollie]

Firstly I like the idea of this mod, but when I've installed it with active MPL research, its science rate is 130 per day with kerbal 3 star scientist and low data consuption is it supposed to be that way? O_o

Is active MPL research a mod? I tried googling it but came up blank.

As for the research rate, yes. I know it seems shockingly high compared to stock, but there is a reason. I've balanced the mod to have much higher return rates, but with comparatively low data-to-science rates. For example, without the mod, the MPL will give you five science for every one data but it will take well over a year to process, which basically means your primary limit to science return is time.

With DSD installed, you only get two or three science per data at best, but you will be able to process the majority of your data in weeks or even days in most cases. This adjustment shifts the limit on science return over to the production of data itself; you'll need more experiments to create more data, because you'll exhaust your existing data more quickly with less return.

(Granted, you could always just have more labs and convert the same experiments multiple times, but that's super cheesey, and I'm not balancing my mod around cheese )

As for the "low consumption rate" you mentioned, remember that the data-to-science ratio doesn't change or scale in any way. (I.E., in stock, 1 data will always produce 5 science) What changes is how long that conversion requires, which in the end gives us our science-per-day.

Still, if you think the rates should be adjusted, you can make a module manager patch with your own rates very easily. The part names for the labs are Large_Crewed_Lab, DSD1, and DSD2.

@PART[Large_Crewed_Lab]:AFTER[DSD]
{
	@MODULE[ModuleScienceConverter]
	{
		@researchTime = 5	   	//Stock = 7    Scales the time research takes exponentially (larger numbers equal longer research)
		@scienceMultiplier = 2		//Stock = 5    The data-to-science return ratio
		@scientistBonus = .4266	//Stock = .25  The star multiplier for scientist skill
	}
}

Adjust the values how you like, save that in a new text file, put it in gamedata, and name it something like DSDconfig.cfg (If you're curious how the science-per-day is calculated, I have a post on the WIP thread that details the formula.)

Also, if you come up with some rates you really like, let me know! The mod is stable, but I'm always open to balance suggestions and testing

Hope that helps you out!

Edited July 15, 2015 by JDCollie

[Gosye]

Is active MPL research a mod? I tried googling it but came up blank.

No, I've meant that I had lab orbiting Minmus fully loaded with data and researching. As for the rates I tried to play with them for a bit, but completely messed up something at the end and got like 0.5 science per day in last tries =).

In my opinion to make science return balanced we have to cut down science per data to quite low numbers to compensate for quick processing speed or increase the processing time. For example with your basic rates fully loaded MPL will produce 1000+ science in around 2-3 weeks which is kinda OP it just makes science trips from Kerbal and back worthless. In stock high amount of return x5 balanced with very long processing speed so you can choose eather to fly from Kerbin to planet on science mission return back with it and get instant amount of science or fill MPL with data and wait for gradual return.

For my taste 2 science per data with 4-7 weeks processing time is still faster than stock one and leaves time for different missions while lab is working. With rates to high you will be just gathering science from station to station all the time and refilling them with new data. As for Scientist star rates I was wondering why .4266 and not just .4?

Anyway those are just my thoughts since I've felt your rates made the game feel easy and you can lay back and get your science heh.

[Jivaii]

I've added a CLS patch to my install of DSD, if anyone else wants to use it, here it is.

@PART[DSD1]:HAS[!MODULE[ModuleConnectedLivingSpace]] 
{
    MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleConnectedLivingSpace
		passable = true
	}
}

@PART[DSD2]:HAS[!MODULE[ModuleConnectedLivingSpace]] 
{
    MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleConnectedLivingSpace
		passable = true
	}
}

I play with CLS and Ship Manifest, so having this entry makes my life alot easier.

[Shaggygoblin]

Better Science Labs Continued and this should team up! I love making Science Buses out of Labs to cruise biome-to-biome (Short Bus)... BSL has a Mk3 Lab used in that .craft i drive... ok, well MechJeb drives, untill i get a Mountain warning...then I crash..err, take the wheel..yeah...

[Jansn67]

I use DSD to generate (massive) Science to use with "KRnD" (Kerbal Research and Development)

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/128204-11-kerbal-research-development/

Both are two of my favorite Mods.

Kindly, would it be possible to make DSD fit for KSP 1.1 (final)?

(Pre-1.1 not necessary)

 

 

[Kielm]

For those still watching, and with permission from @JDCollie, please see the updated version at 

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/150973-12-dsd-mobile-labs/