Probe cores and the QBE

[thereaverofdarkness]

IIRC the Probodobodyne QBE was once only 0.03t mass, but now it is 0.07. The 0.03 made sense because it was very similar to the OKTO2 (0.04t), about the same tech level, too, but it gave up its advanced navigation systems to lose even more mass. At 0.07t without a reaction wheel, it's only useful if you like its shape and don't care about mass.

But seriously, the OKTO2 is light enough for ultralight probes. I think what's really lacking in the lineup is an ultralight reaction wheel. Right now the OKTO, HECS, and RC-001S are tied for lightest probe core containing a reaction wheel, and they are each 0.1t. If you were to have a 0.03t probe core, you still have to add a 0.05t reaction wheel (smallest size) just to be able to control it. I propose the QBE have its mass at 0.05t and have only basic SAS plus a reaction wheel with a measly torque value of 0.1. On ultralight probes, that amount of torque can be more than enough.

I would definitely like to see more variety in the probe core lineup. The Stayputnik can't be upgraded and so pretty much never gets used past the beginning of the game if at all. The OKTO and HECS are basically different tech levels of the same thing, and the OKTO2 and QBE add nothing of value to the lineup other than a difference in shape. The RC-001S is once again just another shape, and the RC-L01 is another shape with dead weight that raises the cost but not the attributes. Only the Mk 2 Drone Core is unique and special among the probe cores.

[Sky_walker]

IMHO all of these parts - QBE, HECS, OKTO - should be completely overhauled and re-thought, perhaps some of them even scrapped. They either should be a part of some family of the parts or not there at all. Right now it looks like they are slapped into the tech tree as a single-item dead-end.

[thereaverofdarkness]

I think you're right. Another thing I've often thought probe cores should include are much heavier variants with greatly improved attributes like torque and energy storage. Those would be nice for saving on part count. I also heard someone suggest once that probe cores should have upgradeable navigation systems with tweakables: once you unlock probe cores with a higher default navigation system, you can choose to use that one on any older core as well, for a higher part cost.

At 0.05t, the Stayputnik can be the lightest core, having no built in reaction wheel and only minimal battery storage. The 0.1t OKTO can finish the lineup for tiny and light probe cores, having a much different shape as well as a built-in reaction wheel. Then the HECS could be a small (1.25m) probe core with a similar shape to the OKTO but larger and heavier, at 0.6t. It would have much more energy storage and decent torque. The QBE could be about 1.25m and have a cargo bay inside, otherwise being pretty light (0.2t) and having low torque and energy storage. Its tiny cargo bay can be used to stow tiny science modules, batteries, or a tiny reaction wheel. The RC-001S could be the light 1.25m core--lighter than the HECS at 0.25t but would have moderate energy storage and torque, between the HECS and OKTO. The RC-L01 could be a lot like a 2.5m version of the RC-001S but with much better torque and energy storage, and a tiny bit of RCS storage. The OKTO2 will be greatly redesigned into a heavy duty 2.5m core, thick and with lots of energy storage, built-in photovoltaic panels, plenty of RCS storage, a strong reaction wheel, and a built-in cargo bay.

Edited May 28, 2015 by thereaverofdarkness

[Sky_walker]

Perhaps also differentiate them by some additional features? Eg. QBE would have lowest heat resistance of all parts in a game (to make sure ppl use them in a similar way to the cube sats), and all of the tiny cores wouldn't be able to support larger scientific experiments (Eg. goo, science bay, etc. would be inactive unless connected to any more capable core).

I don't know, just throwing ideas around, but these parts are really asking for an overhaul.