KerbMav

Doing all inter-atmospheric experiments faster as Kasuha wrote, balancing the craft, redundance for half-landings ... but from a pure game-mechanics point of view - no, no need to do so.

As I wrote in another thread: If the nearer space already offers enough science to unlock the whole tree, than less experienced/adapt players can simply fly around Kerbin and its two moons and land on them in different locations to do so, and more experienced/adapt players can take the new parts and fly new missions to other planets to do the same, as there is no need to "farm dry" everything. I would even make it a bit easier - as Squad doesnt seem to want it to be that difficult to gain science at a steady pace - make it possible to transmit 90% of the pool and return ALL remaining 10% in a final return mission.

After sleeping a few nights over the whole thing and reading lots of posts on the forums: Not getting all science points to be ultimately gained from a certain experiment-location-combo (ELC) makes sense, no expedition has ever discovered everything there is to know in the first go. And it prolongs the gaming experience. Following experiments revealing less data/science also makes sense, you have already been there, digging in the dust again will most likely reveal more dust at first before you discover something new. Transmitting data instead of bringing back samples or the finished experiment being worth less (science) makes sense too, a picture can only tell you so much, a probe container can never replace a fully equipped lab with numerous scientists. Although I do not know what the difference between a crew report and an EVA might be? (In space at least, an EVA on ground is surely more than taking a panorama picture, even if it only takes a click in the game. ) Transfering data and samples between pods, a container to return seperately instead of landing an interplanetary ship ... all this will surely be added in a later patch or by a clever modder until Squad gets around to do so. Something that popped up in my mind: There is already enough science to be gained (with the missing biomes over planets and moons other than Kerbin and Mun) to unlock the whole tree? Well, as you progress in the tree and unlock more and more parts, more possibilities turn up. If the nearer space already offers enough science to unloch the whole tree, than less experienced/adapt players can simply fly around Kerbin and its two moons and land on them in different locations to do so, and more experienced/adapt players can take the new parts and fly new missions to other planets to do the same, as there is no need to "farm dry" every ELC.

When leaving a planets orbit you still have the planets velocity - you simply burn to add to this velocity - the overall vector will still be that of the planet your are leaving and therefore your inclination relative to the star will be almost the same too.

Seems to be the right thread to add this question: Are EVA reports and surface samples stored in the exact pod the Kerba enters/stores them or in every pod belonging to the craft? Can a Kerbal store reports in a probe body? (While driving a seats-only rover e.g.)

I dont think you would end up at 10 points that way. What bothers me more is that it looks like the science gained is lowered every time an experiment is repeated - which in itself is OK, but if you transmit its results often enough, I think a physical sample wont return anything more. I also wonder if the EVAs should not be transmitted at 100% as well as the crew reports.

Can you link me to your entry, please?

For the time being moving some of the readouts into another tab would be quite helpful! I miss my "alt above ground" - at least on bodies with an atmosphere. These numbers are not in the SUR tab, which is the only one bugging out and only while moving in an atmosphere.

Someone made a modded part for rovers (without pods) to replenish a Kerbals flag while cruising - I think we need such a part for storing science as well - detachable (jr. ports) so one does not have to bring the whole rover back to Kerbin.

Something else: Do the external seats work like the pods in regards to storage of data??

Build craft, flyby moon/planet, return craft to Kerbin, land safely, recover craft, SCIENCE! Did you read/see were these flights lead them? Some people managed to land on the moon with even the few parts they gain from one orbital tour around Kerbin. Do not forget to EVA and report over different biomes/landscapes of Kerbin (and storing the report in the pod, to get a new notepad for the next obviously ... ), doint an EVA above these different locations are seperate experiments. After landing back on Kerbin do a quick EVA on the surface for a report and take a sample. (Do this on and next to the launch pad before you take of the first time [if you manage to built your rocket in a way that the pod is low enough for the Kerbal to reenter it].)

Nothing - for me at least. Maybe it has to do with some techno-babble-reasons or is deemed more user friendly - or to support future reentry heat mods/updates?

This user thinks otherwise.

- EVA reports on ground and in different heights, each on/over different kinds of territory (biomes) respectively - goo and material container experiments in different locations/heights and atmospheric/gravitational conditions - back home seems to be always 100%, I did not check for distance from KSC though - EVA reports and samples are stored in the pod, they can be sent at once by "review reports" or bring them back home - goo and material containers can store one experiment, reset deletes the data, sending it frees them up for another go, crew capsules can store one crew report and a seemingly unlimited number of EVA reports and samples

Sounds like the min-max way to science would be to conduct an experiment, send the data immedeately and pack it once more to-go?

Does it work if you remove the parachute above the pod?

Hm, well, OK ... But: Repeating an experiment gives less science - do you also get diminished returns when bringing back a rock from Mun (bring sample back to KSC) for the first time if you sent a picture of it the day before (send report)?

They should (must really) not affect the science gained. No matter how fast or reliable (which means fast, as corrupted data packages get send again, although with Kerbal technology ... ;p ) a transmitter works, there is normally no loss in data. The reduced gain in science points when not bringing the data (samples really) back to Kerbin simply reflects the inability of KSC scientists to watch the experiments themselves/further study the ground samples etc. - crew reports can be send at 100% e.g., - that rock you picked up on the moon is worth more then just the second hand data you send to your fellows back home, the pictures, measurements, descriptions of smell and taste ... - cooking up the goo in a lab after the mission reveals more than just observing the effects of vacuum on it and writing down some notes about it. tl/dr: Do not want antennas to influence science gained.

Regarding the parts: There is a mod out there (see link below) that adds KE functionality to every pod and probe - which nails too moons with one rocket really, less parts on the craft/in memory and presumably compatibility if nothing else changed but for the new entries in part files. Try using Module Manager with http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/21-x-engineer-redux-stock-pods/ to see if it works without the parts. Make a copy of the whole game, delete all mods but Engineer, start a new save and look what happens. Might be a new/updated mod conflicting.

Yes, I also only use the plugin really, but I do so gladly! Not using the parts means .22 compatibility? Cannot test this until Sunday ...

To advertise one of my favorite mods - although I find your "make shift McGuyver rescue chute" good and funny! http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/25305-0-20-2-0-21-0-Vanguard-Technologies-EVA-parachutes-Smaller-bugfix-%28Oct-5%29 The parts to equip a chute in EVA are actually not needed (read thread please) as every Kerbal automatically has on built into his suit, so 0.22 compatibility should be a given I guess.

I can store seemingly endless EVA reports and samples, but can the observation of goo or materials be stored and the pod be reused? Or must the pod send the data back (loosing quite some science that way) to start a new experiment? Resetting them seems to delete the report.

Did you reverse the flight or return to the space center? Is data sent back via antennas only awarded when the craft is recovered?? Would be a bug. You missed out on the highlands! And I seem to have missed the grasslands. But yes, after some atmospheric and suborbital flights, I managed to get something stock into orbit - Lords of Kerbol, no calculators, no FAR, only a handful of parts! Made EVAs above water, shore, mountains, desert, highlands and rather low in atmosphere during reentry Managed to get ground samples in most areas too, including launch pad and grass next to it. (Is the ominous green substance Kerbal blood??? Oo ) Sent crewreports from ground and several stages of orbital flight. Observed the goo on ground, at shore, in water, in high atmosphere, in vacuum, on ice. Send a probe to the north pole - to learn that the probe body is more an auto-pilot than a probe, as it cannot report on anything. Flew a Kerbal to the south pole and planted the first flag in the new save! Used the material container thingy in a few locations - was crushed under the one man capsule when landing at 7-8m/s on the south pole ... - but did not want to waste chunks of data by sending them via radio to KSC (40% ... is there a way to store the reports of goo and materials to use them again or is it only usable once or rather until you send the data?)

Either they changed it to be a bit more visible - or I never before spent so much time on Kerbin ... saw it for the first time today after joining shortly after .20 ...

Try playing around with the snap-to-degree setting. Or for something experimental: Can you Alt-click-copy the center fuselage with just one connector attached to get a part you can then attach via 2x-symmetry? Am I making any sense? Started working again after a three weeks vacation, so back to my sleep deprived state ... ;p