A super cheaty way of using the MPL?

[TheFlyingKerman]

The mobile processing lab, when used as intended as a science research space station, is sometimes considered as overpowered with it potential to generate infinite science. I have come up with and tested an even more ridiculous idea.

The MPL works in two steps. First, experimental results are moved into the lab, and the lab converts the results into raw data. Then the scientists in the lab converts the data into science points, which can be recovered or sent home and used to unlock new tech nodes.

In the first step, how much raw data one gets from each experiment is determined the situation of the lab when the conversion is done. In particular there is a 90% penalty when the lab is landed on Kerbin. This is intended to make researching at home useless. The key word here is when the conversion is done - if the lab is flying a few meters above ground the game considers it not landed. So for a test I built a basic plane with a lab, loaded it up with experimental results collected in the KSC area (easy with so many micro-biomes). Then I took off and converted the experiments into data after reaching stable altitude. I did not see any penalty. Then I landed back to KSC and got the scientist start research - essentially at home. I should get like 500 points before the conversion become inefficient. It is easy to have as many similar labs working simultaneously as one likes.

 

[Kerbart]

That's a lot of work for something that can be achieved much easier by pressing Alt+F12, select "cheats" and give yourself all the science you want.

In the end, the game is a sandbox game and most of the limitations are, in the end, self-imposed.I don't use lander cans for atmospheric re-entry. The description of them clearly states they're not made for that, and I consider it a bug that they do survive it. Is that considered cheating? I don't think so; I just don't play the game that way.

It's a clever way to bypass some of the game-imposed limitations. If you feel that it shouldn't be exploited; don't. If you see it as a way to cash in on some clever experimenting, do!