Squadcast Summary 2015/10/16 - Two Types of DC, and Two Types of ISRU

[Alshain]

No offense to the other devs here, but I think the contract thing Arsonide is working on interests me the most. Mostly because contracts get so boring after a while, I feel it just has the bigger impact. Not that I'm not looking forward to the bug fixes and the shuttle engine. I'd be more excited for the rest but in my gameplay I don't use it much.

My only concern for it is 'compatibility' with the coming satellite requirements in 1.1. I have some concerns that once we get comm networks around all the planets we will be inundated with contracts that say "You know that communication satellite you got into a perfect position, go move it for us to a position that makes it completely un-usefull."

Edited October 27, 2015 by Alshain

[Wintersdark]

Maybe I'm missing something, but...

I've done some experimenting with a go-everywhere type of vessel: can land/mine/takeoff from every body but Eve and will have enough spare dV to hit another body. I found that you pretty much have to biome-hop before you can even get started. You need a surface reading from most if not all biomes in order to find the worthwhile spots. So on every new body, I had to send an ahead team to basically explore the whole body before deciding on a landing site for the infini-driving refinery.

TL/DR: ISRU is a little more involved than just carrying a converter.

More than once, I've landed an ISRU ship without scanning for a good spot first, just to discover there's no ore at all where I landed. Ooops.

- - - Updated - - -

No offense to the other devs here, but I think the contract thing Arsonide is working on interests me the most. Mostly because contracts get so boring after a while, I feel it just has the bigger impact. Not that I'm not looking forward to the bug fixes and the shuttle engine. I'd be more excited for the rest but in my gameplay I don't use it much.

I do use the rest a lot in my gameplay, but I'm very excited for better contracts too.

I find the contracts + career mode help provide goals when I'm not really sure what I want to do. I love me a good sandbox, but sometimes, I just don't know what to do with all that sand - either I'm sadly bereft of ideas, or I simply have too many. Contracts help in both cases: They are something to base a mission or two on when between major projects, and they also force you to plan better (get more things done in a given mission). Currently, though (even modded) the contracts can get quite tedious and often ridiculous (take ore from Eve to Gilly!) Not that I expect the changes to make them amazing, but any improvement is good.

[KerbMav]

Regarding contracts: the frequency of part tests should drop the further a player ventures into space.

[Alshain]

Regarding contracts: the frequency of part tests should drop the further a player ventures into space.

I disagree. As it is now, the moment you unlock ISRU, you have to delete thousands of contracts to get something that isn't ISRU. Worse, you can't choose not to unlock ISRU because it is grouped with important parts in the tech tree. ISRU contracts need to be cut in half or more and the GRAVMAX needs to be removed from that tech tree node. If you reduce the number of part tests, that just decreases the likelihood of getting a non-ISRU contract.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Alshain

[KerbMav]

Ah ok then ... havent been playing in months, so I am not in the loop.

[magnemoe]

Any 2.5 meter liquid fuel only tanks? The 1440 and 720 liter ones would be more than enough. Yes I use mods but its something who should be in stock.