A slightly more challenging way to play career mode.

[Kromey]

Could anyone tell me what I need to change to make transmitting experiments from certain parts impossible?

I want to set it up so that Goo/Samples/Science Jr's have to be returned to get anything.

Thank you

I'm at work and thus unable to test this, but glancing at the various files it seems the value you want to alter is xmitDataScalar in the respective part.cfg for the science part you want to alter. So if you wanted to not get any science from transmitting results from Science Jr., for example, you would change GameData/Squad/Parts/Science/MaterialBay/part.cfg and change the xmitDataScalar from 0.2 to 0.0.

That covers Science Jr. and Goo, but I don't know what you'd do to alter surface samples, EVA reports, or crew reports -- I can see the experiments in scienceDefs.cfg, but there seems to be no other reference to them, so I don't know what/where their counterpart to xmitDataScalar is.

[Apophis775]

I think that the next career mode update will probably fix that, or at least, the update when we have to pay for things. I noticed that research items each have a cost below them, perhaps it will be easy to research the tree, but before moving on, all parts need to be "purchased" from the tree as well?

[dudester28]

The first tech advance should have a higher science requirement. At least 5-6 flights should be needed to let novice players practice more and experienced players should have to use the basic parts longer. Once the more advanced parts are available most of the starting parts will be forgotten. Already the controlled play testing of the tech tree is falling apart as every mod maker and their fans are adding non stock parts and reordering the tech tree.

The point of the tech tree is not necessarily to encourage grinding for science. The devs commented that the tech tree was designed to unfold at the rate at which a new player is learning. They do not want to force experienced players to repeat such missions that are boring to them. It would detract from the fun of the game.

[spudcosmic]

I just downloaded Yargnit's longer and more challenging tech tree, works great for me.

[leax256]

If you know what you're doing, you can race though the technology tree pretty quickly.

Also, we've found that if you transmit data multiple times for the same observation, you can get practically as much science from it as you would have if you returned it to Kerbin.

To slow your progress, limit yourself in these ways:

Allow yourself to transmit data from an observation ONLY ONCE.

Allow yourself to research ONLY ONE (or 2) new tech(s) after each mission.

This will stifle your advancement, but give you many more challenges as you crawl your way through the tech tree.

I never transmit, only allow recovery science

[kalor]

This would require a calculator, good math skills, or, pen and paper, but you could always set yourself a budget, as well. While the game doesn't currently have a functioning economy, each part does have a cost.

Personally, I have stuck to building relatively realistic rockets. I may vertically stack fuel tanks, at least in the FLT series up to the 400, but I don't stack engines and fuel tanks like mad. Also, I have been using RemoteTech, and while it will allow transmission while out of contact, I limit myself to transmitting while I am in contact. Makes mission planning more difficult until you get a few sats and such up and a good relay network in place.

[lazarus1024]

I only transmit data multiple times from places I know I'll never really bother to explore in a manned mission. For example, Minmus.

I have all of tier 3 unlocked now and a couple of tier 4. I launched a Minus probe on my last mission with the goal of landing (failed) and orbiting Minmus. If/when I visit Minmus on a manned mission, I don't plan on sitting around in orbit, so I transmitted the heck out of the Orbital Goo and once each location for the science experiment one (I'll return that data on a manned mission).

I was going to do the same, transmit the heck out of the goo on the surface, but only one transmision for science experiment. Well, the lander section was RCS only...because Minmus. I started breaking my decent too late since I was coming down on mountains and not one of the plains. So I was only down to around 60m/sec or so before physics took over (inelastic collision). I was impressed by the landing struts. That kind of collision before would be destroyed most/all of the parts. This time the landing legs cushioned it enough that it only broke apart with one or two parts actually being destroyed.

I am going to relaunch the mission with some minor tweaks to design (mostly so that the final stage has a little fuel left so that it can break the descent and RCS the last bit down).

Most places I plan to visit manned, I'll only return manned data, or do a transmision once. With a few things I'll transmit it back (possibly multiple times), like crew reports (just in case) or "basic" probe data, like temperature readings and stuff.

[phunk]

I only transmit data multiple times from places I know I'll never really bother to explore in a manned mission. For example, Minmus.

A manned mission to Minmus is fun, you should see how far a kerbal can jump in that gravity.

[Flock of Panthers]

I'm at work and thus unable to test this, but glancing at the various files it seems the value you want to alter is xmitDataScalar in the respective part.cfg for the science part you want to alter. So if you wanted to not get any science from transmitting results from Science Jr., for example, you would change GameData/Squad/Parts/Science/MaterialBay/part.cfg and change the xmitDataScalar from 0.2 to 0.0.

That covers Science Jr. and Goo, but I don't know what you'd do to alter surface samples, EVA reports, or crew reports -- I can see the experiments in scienceDefs.cfg, but there seems to be no other reference to them, so I don't know what/where their counterpart to xmitDataScalar is.

Ah, great, thank you.

By the way, I found the Surface Sample stats inside the Command Module parts. Looks like you'd have to change every one of them, but it can easily be done.

Edit: Ah, no, that's just the crew reports and 'store experiments'. Doesnt give the module for EVA. I don't know where to look for that.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Flock of Panthers
Spoke too soon

[Diazo]

What I ended up doing was installing FAR and KIDS (the ISP modifying mod) for my career mode.

KIDS came out pretty much the same day as 0.22 so I wanted to test it out, so I just went for it.

KIDS on "FAR to Real Life, Adjusted" seriously cuts back how far you can go, especially early in the tree until you get everything you need to start on the big multi-stage/asparagus boosters.

Not exactly "increasing the difficulty of science" but it does increase the difficulty of the game in general, which overlaps enough to get a mention.

D.

[kalor]

Ah, great, thank you.

By the way, I found the Surface Sample stats inside the Command Module parts. Looks like you'd have to change every one of them, but it can easily be done.

Edit: Ah, no, that's just the crew reports and 'store experiments'. Doesnt give the module for EVA. I don't know where to look for that.

The easy way to do it is at the part.cfg for the transmitters, specifically in the module { name = ModuleDataTransmitter <...> }... remove that, and the antannae and dishes will no longer transmit data. Simple fix. Or, even simpler, just dont attach an antannae

[SRV Ron]

Have unlocked enough to do deep space probe research. This design has already sent a Voyager probe as well as one into close Kerban orbit

For the record, my first sub orbiter before unlocking the first tier.