Lab Usage?

[W. Kerman]

One quick question....

[Streetwind]

Hmmm. I think I'll have to abstain from this vote.

Reason: I have never used the MPL in any way in any mode before, apart from testing to find out how it works. However, I am currently building a modded career setup which I am tuning so that the lab (in a nerfed state) is a cornerstone of progression. So, like Schrödinger's Laboratory, for me the MPL currently is unused and used at the same time

[KerikBalm]

Hmm, I haven't played science mode in a long time... but I imagine I'd use it. I use it in career mode for sure... long missions can be self funding with the science -> funds conversion.

Also I use it for decor, although a bit less since I installed a life support mod, and some parts for life support. Previously I'd through on a science lab for long missions in part because its a relatively big space for kerbals to inhabit, and it could plausibly have all sorts of equipment that can perform needed chemical reactions/purifications, or grow plants, etc.

[Voyageur]

I like to use it for 1) the science you can gain, especially early game when you first unlock it and for 2) the aesthetics and idea behind it. I like the idea of setting up an outpost on a different moon/planet that is occupied by a few Kerbals for research purposes. It pleases my roleplay desires. Especially with any kind of life support addon, I like sending ressuply missions to said outposts.

[LordFerret]

I answered 'use for both', although I don't play Career, I only play a Science game.

[Slam_Jones]

Never really played Science mode, but I certainly use it for my Modded Careers.

[Tyko]

I'm going abstain because I'm using it, but it's been modified pretty heavily to keep it more IMHO "reasonable"

[Guest]

I've tried to use one as a kind of "science generator" on Kerbin; basically I flew one to the Island Airport, put a scientist, solar panels and supplies there, and kept sending all science that I would recover there first to get it converted to data before being recovered, but holy moly, it takes way too long to generate science.

[SickSix]

I only play career. Though I have put career on probation this go round and may jump to science mode if it becomes to grindy. Hoping not as I have downloaded some contract packs that are more interesting.

 

And yes I use the MPL because I'm not the best at interplanetary flights and usually need parts deep in the tech tree to get out of Kerbin SOI.

[Spricigo]

I suppose "stick it into a station because a contract ask to" don’t count as using. So my answer is neither.

The strange thing its that I feel that Lab are Overpowered and Worthless at the same time. Overpowered because it generate so much science so easily. Worthless because the rewards are already high enough without taking it in account.

 

[AeroGav]

I've used it decoratively before in Sandbox craft, but only recently tried it in career.   Wasn't convinced.

The thing is, by the time you've unlocked the MPL, sufficient electrical generation to power it and the means to put the thing in orbit,  your career mode is snowballing anyway and you can pretty much go anywhere, or will very shortly gain the ability to .   At that point, the long wait needed to process data into science gets in the way.. might as well just fly another mission instead.  I guess it's a bit of a jam today/jam tomorrow dilemma, whether to cash in your experiments immediately or load them on the lab for bigger rewards in a year or so.

The grindy part of my careers (given that i favour spaceplanes) are the early years.  Once the R&D building is at level 3, sky is the limit.

An extremely Kerbal way of sending a lab to space... re-usably !

[Reactordrone]

Career mode only at the moment because I'm not running a science game. I'm running a couple of hard mode career games at the moment where it's a useful little boost to science while I make the 3.4 million funds I need to upgrade the R&D area to get the negative gravioli detector.