Idea: Science as a collectible resource.

[G'th]

I recently started thinking about the dead-before-arrival Geology mod, that would have made gathering surface samples an involved process (where you'd have to actually search for samples), and it occurred to me what if you implemented a similar system to all the science experiments? And thinking about how you could do that without it being super complicated, it occurred to me that may be defining science as a collectible resource like Ore (and thus having locations for it defined by that sort of system) would simplify it greatly.

You could define "resource maps" for each experiment, and then the experiments would have varying results depending on where it is. And it wouldn't be too intensive, as you'd have large blotches where the results would mostly be the same for most experiments, with smaller blotches where the results could be of higher or lower value. Some experiments could even not have any results in a given area or they might be widely available but not very valuable on the whole, giving diversity and balance to experiments. This sort of system would work really well for things like surface samples, because then, depending on how far you can go with it, you could define your map as having small areas where you'd have really high value samples with lower value ones surrounding it, basically giving you the system that the Geology mod originally wanted to go for.

The only issue would be non-surface experiments, but I would think that may be it could stay the same as stock, but just have values change based on altitude and possibly situations. An EVA/Crew report gently cruising at sea level would be different compared to a report while traveling a supersonic speeds 30km up. Same goes for a low versus a high orbit and so on and so forth. Things like a magenetometer experiment would be much more in depth if you could actually map out things like Van Allen belts.

Ultimately doing this would greatly enhance the Science part of the game, as then it would actually give more of a point to actual exploration rather than just to say you explored. It would also extend time spent actually playing on the surface of bodies (without being unnecessary tedium), which is something I think most players don't spend much time on. I know that my Apollo style surface stays hardly last an orbit of the CSM unless I'm going for multiple biomes at once. It would be interesting to have to actually explore an entire crater to come home with a good science haul rather than landing, running and collecting the experiments, and then leaving all in 5 minutes.

Now, I don't know how hard this would be to implement (or if it would even be really possible), but I figured I'd share it. Its no secret that science in the game does leave much to the imagination, and while it certainly shouldn't be come tedious, it could definitely do with a bit more player involvement.

[Feradose]

Maybe you could make a massless Science! resource with a price that isnt funds, but science, and make pods/science bay tanks for that resource which are untweakable in VAB so you cant pay science and get science? I have no idea how to implement science "mining" or pricing but this mod idea is insane good

[sumghai]

Some old ideas I had on this subject:

As may have been hinted by Squad in certain places, a resource system featuring sample collection / analysis / return as well as mining / processing / storage has been suggested for an as-yet undetermined future release of KSP. This would be an additional justification / goal for players to send spacecraft to other planets/moons (in addition to flying Jeb and his flag there, of course ) - the ability to do real science.

While the actual implementation is still quite far off in the horizon, I figured I'd start a thread anyway detailing some of my ideas and musings, which could be potentially applicable to both the stock game and mods such as Kethane, Extraplanetary Space Centers and tek Industries Science.

What Squad has WIP'ed so far...

(Note that these may not necessarily represent the what Squad will ultimately implement - I've simply relinked them from the last known reddit thread for your viewing convenience)

• Spacecraft-mounted scanners (Long range directional, Short range omnidirectional)
  
• Drills (for acquiring Solids and Liquids)
  
• Storage containers
  
• Various refiners (1, 2) / chemical processors (Small, Medium and Large)
  
• A tentative list of resources, (prototype) resources map for each planet and a (now-outdated) resources flow chart describing how said resources would be turned into spaceflight consumables such as fuel and life support - it has been speculated by the reddit thread author that Squad is going to simplify the processors to be able to handle a variety of resources (rather than overspecializing by having one dedicated processor per resource).
  

My own musings...

Initial Surveying / Sampling

• At the very beginning of a new savegame, players would immediately be able to view Kerbin's resource map for its surface, oceans and atmosphere, without needing to do any additional prospecting / science (I presume Kerbals would already know their home planet's composition well enough). Conversely, the resource map for other planets would initially be blank.
  
• The scanner array(s) would be used to provide very rough surveys of other planets and moons from orbit - they would probably detect the presence of certain resources and locations where they are generally found, but little about their actual quantity / proportion / purity.
  
• Ground-based robotic or crewed missions would be required to obtain better data through sample collection / statistical analysis missions
  
  • Units of rock, liquid and gas samples would be collected by Kerbals on EVA or dedicated robotic arms
    
    • Rock samples provide data for surface makeup
      
    • Liquid samples provide data for ocean makeup (or additionally, underground crude oil-like substances such as the namesake of the Kethane mod)
      
    • Gas samples provide data for atmospheric makeup
      

    [*]Each sample obtained would contain differing proportions of selected substances found on that planet/moon

    • The rationale for this is that one does not simply have samples purely made up of whatever
      
    • Sample #005 may contain 45% Metaxium / 10% Blutonium / 30% Alium / 14% Kerbon / 1% UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE 06
      
    • Sample #021 may contain 67% Metaxium / 30% Zanotite / 3% UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE 02
      

    [*]The more samples one gathers, the more accurate the final resource map for that planet would be

    [*]"Known" resources are those that are already also found on Kerbin - it is enough to simply identify them and the proportion present in each sample

    [*]"Unknown" or "Rare" resources are those that are not found on Kerbin - a sample return mission is required so that Kerbal scientists back home can properly study it

    • Once sample(s) containing unknown substance(s) is/are successfully returned, new resource names are automatically added to the resource map list
      
    • e.g. UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE 06 will automatically be renamed to Jebedynium, for instance
      

Prospecting / Mining / Processing / Storing Resources

• A combination of orbital scanning and ground sampling would be used to determine which sites give the best purity for whatever resource the player is interested in mining
  
• Resources would be mined via various parts
  
  • Certain part types would limit where resources could be obtained
    
    • Drills acquire solid resources from the surface
      
    • Drills with pump attachments acquire liquids from below the surface (again, think Kethane)
      
    • Pumps acquire resources from oceans
      
    • Intakes acquire resources from the atmosphere
      

    [*]Parts of the same type would be able to mine all types resources found in their specific region, and differ only in extraction rate and efficiency

    • i.e. Pumps PX-100 and PX-200 are able to acquire the same resources, but the PX-200 works twice as fast
      

  [*]Refiners would be able to purify solids into any mineral-based resource desired

  [*]Chemical processors would be able to purify any liquids or gases desired

  [*]Bulk and fluid storage tanks are able to store any proportion / type of refined solids and liquids respectively (e.g. any combo of minerals can go into one bulk storage tank)

Using Resources

• Liquids and gases can be used to fuel rockets or supply life support systems (similar to Kethane)
  
• Minerals or metals can be used to fabricate basic spacecraft components such as fuselages and fuel tanks (like the "ore" used in Extraplanetary Space Centers)
  
• Rare resources would most likely be semi-conductor like minerals used for making more hi-tech components such as SAS, command pod instruments
  
  • May also reduce the cost / weight & increase the performance of basic components
    

  [*]Refined resources can be flown back to Kerbin - if resources are involved in career mode, this could be a source of financial revenue / means of replenishing part stocks

...And how to potentially implement them (from a code perspective)

Initial Surveying / Sampling

• The resources map proportions for each planet and moon are actually predetermined and hard-coded into KSP itself.
  
• A proposed resources.cfg for each savegame would contain:
  
  • An initial seed for the random deposits location/quantity generation (sharing seeds results in identical deposit locations)
    
  • Resource names and proportions available on each planet / moon (initially blank - populated through gameplay)
    
  • Deposit locations / purity (initially blank - populated through gameplay)
    

  [*]When players start with simple orbital scans of various planets and moons, the persistence file is updated to store the names of the resources found on said planet/moon, along with a quantity of 0%

  • This would be displayed in-game as "present" i.e. Kerbon - present
    

  [*]When players collect physical rock/liquid/gas samples:

  • The presence and proportions of resources are NOT stored on a per-sample basis (massive data overhead!)
    
  • Rather, Kerbals on EVA and robot samplers would simply have a incremented "SampleCount" up to their "MaxSampleCapacity"
    

  [*]When these samples are offloaded into analysis parts:

  • The code simply loops through the the number of samples deposited
    
  • For each sample/loop iteration, dummy variables are used to temporary hold resource names and quantities
    
  • The composition of each sample is randomly generated, but strongly determined by the hard-coded proportions for each planet
    
    • e.g. Assume Duna is hard coded to have 75% Metaxium on its surface
      
    • Therefore any given rock sample is more likely to mostly contain Metaxium
      
    • The actual quantity of Metaxium returned as outpost from any particular sample may actually be anywhere between, say 25% to 50%
      

    [*]The results for each sample are averaged out and written back to resources.cfg map, as the "actual" resources map proportion for each planet/moon

    • i.e. only the final running average for the whole planet/moon is stored
      

    [*]The more samples one collects, the closer the savegame's data tends towards the hard-coded ideal values

  [*]Example:

  • At the start of the savegame, nothing is known about the Mun's composition
    
  • Internally in KSP, the Mun may have hardcoded resource proportions of 10% A, 20% B, 30% C and 40% D
    
  • When a player scans the Mun, resources A, B, C and D will be detected but their quantities will be unknown
    
    • i.e. A - present, B - present, C - present, D - present
      

    [*]When a player analyses their first rock sample, the random number generator may assign said sample as having 70% A, 20% B and 10% D

    • Mun Resources map is now updated to A - 70%, B - 20%, C - present, D - 10%
      
    • Obviously this is grossly inaccurate compared to the overall hardcoded figure, but remember that we've only taken one sample
      

    [*]By rock sample #025, the figures might get averaged out to:

    • A - 12%, B - 18%, C - 33%, D - 37%
      
    • Basically, the more samples we take, the closer we tend towards the "ideal" hardcoded proportions
      

Prospecting / Mining / Processing / Storing Resources

• Improved orbital scans would result in deposit locations/quantities/purities being written to the resources.cfg savefile (much like kethane's own kethane.cfg)
  
• Deposit quantities would limit how much resources can be extracted before the deposit runs out
  
• Deposit purities would determine the extraction rate for any extractor part
  
• Processing efficiencies would further influence the amount of purified resource actually obtained
  
• Storage is already implemented in-game