How do Resources even work?

[dryer_lint]

Is there a Resources tutorial out there somewhere?

I just tried out some of the scanning parts in Sandbox and I can't figure this out at all. It claims to allow viewing from the "safety of Kerbin", but I can only activate the map by right-clicking on the Survey Scanner part. The resources menu (in the "Knowledge Base") doesn't even show up in the map view, and does nothing at all in the Tracking Station. Am I doing something wrong here?

Maybe it's just me... 1.0 is a great update but Resource scanning seems pretty hacked-in and glitchy.

[Lorunification]

Hi Nikola,

The resource system actually works perfectly as intended.

There are basically 2 things you need to do:

1. Get a satellite equipped with the M700 Survey Scanner into a polar orbit around any object. From there you can trigger a scan for resources. (Note: The satellite needs a coms device)

2. Get a drilling rig to the body that is able to drill up ore and convert it into fuel.

There are a few other things you can do to improve the outcome. The Narrow Band scanner for example gives you more detailed information about the ore deposits. But you can also just land where the map shows lots of ore (i.e. cutoff > 70%)

Step 1 is optional (in theory) but you do not know where resources are when you do not scan a body beforehand.

After you performed step 1 you should be able to view the resource deposits within the map view by clicking the resource button on the right hand side of the screen. From there you can also setup color and texture as well as the cutoff.

Few Notes:

- Having an engeneer in you drilling rig massively increases efficiency.

- ISRU Unit uses massive power. So don't forget to bring solar panels and batteries.

- Panels also help against overheating.

Have fun!

If you have any more questions just let me know.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Lorunification

[dryer_lint]

But that's the problem: There is no resource button in the map view, and in the Tracking Station, it won't show anything.

[Taki117]

It is the button under the planet information tab in both the Map View and Tracking station.

Here's a Quick and dirty tutorial

https://youtu.be/tDmJZueCK4s?t=432

[dryer_lint]

Ohhh, I didn't realize you had to click on Ore! That was my problem... thank you, guys!

Although it still doesn't show the Resources button in map view. That's a bit strange, but hey. Thanks anyways!

[Lorunification]

The button only shows after you have successfully performed an orbital survey of the planet (including the transmission of data) AND have focused on the corresponding celestial body.

Hope that helps.

[Windspren]

It won't work for me, I have a satellite in polar orbit with the scanner and 4 antennas and it won't scan

[Forty21112]

It won't work for me, I have a satellite in polar orbit with the scanner and 4 antennas and it won't scan

What's the Perigee and Apogee of the scanner? It must be in a stable, polar orbit and should be 60km - 1500km high.

[Lorunification]

As Forty already mentioned you have to bring your satellite into a stable orbit within a certain hight dependent of the body you want to scan. At the mun (e.g.) it is 25km - 1000km.

If you use KER you can easily check if you are in a polar orbit if your inclination is ~90 degree.

Also the scanner should give you certain messages when you try to scan and one of the requirements is not met.

Perhaps you can provide a screenshot of your satellite and its orbit including values for Apoapsis and Periapsis.

[PAL9000]

I have a asteroid miner in a crash course to kerbin attatched to an asteroid and i got it mining but i cant convert the ore to anything with the onboard converter even tough i have plenty of both ore and electricity. The converter says its 100% overheated and running at 0% efficiency. The craft is not crewed and has four solar panels. What am i doing wrong?

Edited April 29, 2015 by PAL9000

[Lorunification]

Roverdude already stated once that unmanned probes are horribly inefficient in drilling and converting ore. The ISRU produces tons and tons of heat. Without an engineer and/or lots of solar panels you won't get much out of it.

The ISRU still overheats with 6 gigantor panels and a 5 star engineer as far as i can see. Especially if the drills already saturated the craft with heat the ISRU will be very likely to not run very well until the craft cooled down.

You can easily check that by using the debug menu and display thermal colors.

[Bogeyman]

Just out of curiosity. Does the orbit HAVE to be polar or is any inclination like just an equatorial orbit ok also? (In that case you would just map the equator area, but this is just for the sake of argument).

[pizzaoverhead]

Just out of curiosity. Does the orbit HAVE to be polar or is any inclination like just an equatorial orbit ok also? (In that case you would just map the equator area, but this is just for the sake of argument).

It doesn't let you do the scan unless you're in a polar orbit. The low-detail scan is always an instant one of the entire body, with higher detail levels provided progressively by the more accurate scanners.

Edited April 29, 2015 by pizzaoverhead

[KerikBalm]

Roverdude already stated once that unmanned probes are horribly inefficient in drilling and converting ore. The ISRU produces tons and tons of heat. Without an engineer and/or lots of solar panels you won't get much out of it.

The ISRU still overheats with 6 gigantor panels and a 5 star engineer as far as i can see. Especially if the drills already saturated the craft with heat the ISRU will be very likely to not run very well until the craft cooled down.

You can easily check that by using the debug menu and display thermal colors.

IMO, I think the ISRU convertor is broken right now....turning that thing on and walking away is just like turning on a heater...

It makes fuel for a little bit, and then stops making anything except heat. There is no way to adjust the rate at which it generates heat and resources, so that its in thermal equilibrium.... the only thing you can do with it is baby sit it and repeatedly turn it off and back on... for hours until your tanks are full.

If it stops making LF/O/Monoprop... it should stop making heat too... but it doesn't...

Its a 4 ton heater.

[Payload]

IMO, I think the ISRU convertor is broken right now....turning that thing on and walking away is just like turning on a heater...

It makes fuel for a little bit, and then stops making anything except heat. There is no way to adjust the rate at which it generates heat and resources, so that its in thermal equilibrium.... the only thing you can do with it is baby sit it and repeatedly turn it off and back on... for hours until your tanks are full.

If it stops making LF/O/Monoprop... it should stop making heat too... but it doesn't...

Its a 4 ton heater.

It's all broken.

There is no reason why I should need an engineer to mine. A computer would do it better IRL. Also, it doesn't matter what you have stuck on the craft, the converter eventually stops working. Even with an engineer and 36 small wing/stabilizers, everything eventually shuts down and stops working. This system is non-funtional. They should have included some heatsinks in this release or they should have reduced the heat output at least to where these things work at greater than .2% efficiency. This is just dumb.

[Windspren]

It's in a 400km orbit