Still confused about biome science and orbits

[TheAngryHulk]

I've had people tell me that you can get orbital science over individual biomes even if you got it when landed and I seem to remember doing that once. But when I try it lately I'm not getting any science over a biome that I collected science on the ground from. So do I get science from the ground and orbit on/over the same biome or not?

[Kerbalstar]

1 minute ago, TheAngryHulk said:

I've had people tell me that you can get orbital science over individual biomes even if you got it when landed and I seem to remember doing that once. But when I try it lately I'm not getting any science over a biome that I collected science on the ground from. So do I get science from the ground and orbit on/over the same biome or not?

Yes and no. It only works for some experiments, i.e., EVA repots. Ask @Snark. I'm sure he has a more detailed explanation than I do.

[Superfluous J]

EVA reports and Gravioli data are the only stock science that you can get in biomes from above ground.

You're not seeing that on other experiments because they don't exist. The person who told you that they do was wrong, or at least misguided because of the two exceptions.

[Snark]

11 minutes ago, TheAngryHulk said:

I've had people tell me that you can get orbital science over individual biomes even if you got it when landed and I seem to remember doing that once. But when I try it lately I'm not getting any science over a biome that I collected science on the ground from. So do I get science from the ground and orbit on/over the same biome or not?

Completely depends on the science instrument.  Each science instrument has a different set of "rules"-- not just "where can it take a measurement?", but also "in what situations does it yield per-biome results?"

By "situation", I mean one of:

• Landed
• Splashed
• Flying
• Upper atmosphere
• In space, near
• In space, high

Basically every instrument works while landed, and all of them are per-biome in that situation.  But for other situations, it varies.

For example:

• Flying: Thermometer, atmosphere analysis, EVA report, and crew report are per-biome.  Other experiments aren't.
• Upper atmosphere:  Atmosphere analysis is the only one that's per-biome.
• In space, near:  Gravioli detector and EVA report are per-biome.  Other experiments aren't.
• In space, high:  Gravioli detector is the only one that's per-biome.

19 minutes ago, TheAngryHulk said:

So do I get science from the ground and orbit on/over the same biome or not?

You always get different science from ground and orbit.  It's just that whether it's per-biome or not that may vary.  For example, let's suppose you're visiting the Mun, and you visit two biomes-- say, Lowlands and Highlands.  And you land on each of those biomes, and also spend some time "in space near the Mun" over those biomes.  And you have two science instruments: a thermometer and a gravioli detector.

Here are the science results you could get from those:

• Thermometer:  Three results.  Landed, Lowlands.  Landed, Highlands.  In space near the Mun.
• Gravioli detector:  Four results.  Landed, Lowlands.  Landed, Highlands.  In space near the Mun over Lowlands.  In space near the Mun over Highlands.

^ In the above example, both instruments can take science on the surface, and also in orbit.  But the gravioli can take as many measurements in low orbit as there are biomes that it flies over-- whereas the thermometer can only take one measurement in low orbit, regardless of how many biomes it flies over.

9 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

EVA reports and Gravioli data are the only stock science that you can get in biomes from above ground.

Careful-- that's only true in the specific case of "in space, near".  Answer is different for other "above ground" situations such as "flying", "upper atmosphere", and "in space high above".  For example, a thermometer is per-biome when flying (i.e. low flight in atmosphere).  EVA report isn't per-biome if you're "in space high above".

[Superfluous J]

Just now, Snark said:

Careful-- that's only true in the specific case of "in space, near".  Answer is different for other "above ground" situations such as "flying", "upper atmosphere", and "in space high above".  For example, a thermometer is per-biome when flying (i.e. low flight in atmosphere).  EVA report isn't per-biome if you're "in space high above".

See this is why it's best to wait for Snark to answer

[FleshJeb]

50 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

See this is why it's best to wait for Snark to answer

@SnarkWhat is the meaning of life?

(That should keep him busy for a while, and I'm pretty sure the answer will be correct) 

[Snark]

41 minutes ago, FleshJeb said:

@SnarkWhat is the meaning of life?

I'm sorry, I'd love to tell you but unfortunately that's covered by NDA.

[Tonka Crash]

@TheAngryHulk The KSP Wiki explains all of this https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science

 

[Chel]

5 hours ago, Snark said:

I'm sorry, I'd love to tell you but unfortunately that's covered by NDA.

Lies, deception

42  

Edited December 14, 2018 by The_Cat_In_Space

[TheAngryHulk]

Thank you all for the answers. And thanks @Snark for such a detailed explanation. I appreciate it.