Does anyone else feel dirty when using Mobile Research Labs?

[Atkara]

3 hours ago, Tyko said:

If it feels "dirty" to rerun the same experience a dozen times on a dozen different labs, then just don't. If you feel like it's a clickfest, then quit clicking...nobody is forcing you to.

Heh... didn't know this was a thing. But seriously, there's so much science to be had that... why even bother with this?

[Tyko]

1 minute ago, Atkara said:

Heh... didn't know this was a thing. But seriously, there's so much science to be had that... why even bother with this?

LOL...that's why I'm always surprised this rears it's ugly head time and time again...

I have science returns set to 30%, add in the effective doubling that labs give me (plus dmagic) and I end up back at 100%, but it's a lot more interesting to have to rely on manned stations/motherships for half my science. It really stretches the early game out too because you have to work up to the Lab part. I always kind of hated how little time I got to spend on lower tech solutions. Now I get to do Gemini/Agena/MOL type missions before my science income jumps me into 2.5m parts.

[Jacmac]

The only way this could be "fixed" is to dump the science aspect of the game having anything to do with unlocking parts and come up with something else. They could tie achievements and efficiency into the ability to unlock parts. I basically only play career mode and end up creating a science "roller" and visit every biome in the launch complex to get the science necessary to get to the Mun or Minmus. Mean while really tough missions like rescuing Balbee from orbit get passed up because it doesn't have the science to make it worthwhile. If you need money, you can build a huge war chest flying tourists on Kerbal suborbital/orbital missions over and over.

[Atkara]

41 minutes ago, Tyko said:

LOL...that's why I'm always surprised this rears it's ugly head time and time again...

I have science returns set to 30%, add in the effective doubling that labs give me (plus dmagic) and I end up back at 100%, but it's a lot more interesting to have to rely on manned stations/motherships for half my science.

Well, I don't have a similar rule set, as far as science returns go. On the other hand, I don't involve labs in unlocking the tech tree either.

In my current career, the labs on my science outposts (surface/orbital) were on crew experience recording duty, for at least 5 ingame years after their arrival. Only recently I started them up and as I posted above, most of the science is used in strategies. Otherwise, it would just pile up, doing nothing -like what happened on my 1.0.5 save, which was standing at over 200k science when I left it.

Edited March 13, 2018 by Atkara

[NoXion]

I play Sandbox mode 98% of the time, so I have no reason to feel dirty about using the Mobile Processing Lab. It makes for a pretty good-looking habitation section for my space station.

[Rocket In My Pocket]

Personally I limit myself to one, in orbit of Kerbin, and I bring science back to it. (I don't abuse copies of the same experiment.)

When it's full, it's full and I try to avoid excessive time warping as well.

Used in moderation they are an enjoyable part of the game.

[Atkara]

26 minutes ago, Jacmac said:

I basically only play career mode and end up creating a science "roller" and visit every biome in the launch complex to get the science necessary to get to the Mun or Minmus. Mean while really tough missions like rescuing Balbee from orbit get passed up because it doesn't have the science to make it worthwhile. If you need money, you can build a huge war chest flying tourists on Kerbal suborbital/orbital missions over and over.

As you play, you'll gradually realize that what you define as necessary today, wasn't really that necessary. You can reach the Mun on your 3rd-4th launch, if you want. The reward for rescuing Kerbals isn't the science, but the Kerbals themselves and the additional experience in orbital rendezvous -the bread & butter of, almost everything in KSP.

As for tourists, in the early stages of my careers I've always preferred them wanting to go to the Mun. I'd get to train a new pilot, visit a new biome, grab the science and have the tourists cover for more than just the launch costs. Play enough and you'll get there too