Science gathering should be meaningful

[Woodpecker8]

Science gathering in KSP1 has always felt a bit pointless to me: It was just about clicking your thermometer or whatever in the right place and left you with nothing but a funny text and some points. But you don't really get any new insights: You can see any planet/moon and its properties in the tracking station.

I think that just by hiding some information from the player one could make science a much more meaningful part of the game:
For example, the "physical characteristics" tab in the tracking station could be filled only after according measurements.
Also, what if celestial bodies were blurred out in map view and the tracking center, as if you would see them through a telescope on Kerbin? And only became detailed once you got a spaceship into their SOI?

Things like that would add a component of discovery that would make science/career mode so much more exciting!

[stephensmat]

There's always a disconnect between 'science points' and 'actual science'.

Speaking for myself, science points were helpful, even after I unlocked everything, because they gave me something to aim for. If the new game has different 'unlockables', I can live with that. A certain experiment in a particular biome unlocks one mission, while not taking that instrument along means mission failure? I can see that. They've already got several easter eggs in the game.

[Cpt Kerbalkrunch]

Originally, I believe, KSP1 was supposed to have a story. Unlocking science to find the monoliths or something. You were supposed to learn something at each monolith that would lead you to another, and so on. Eventually, you were supposed to discover... something. Aliens? Kerbal origins? Not sure. It was decided not to give the game a narrative because then it would have an "end". Plus, everyone played the game differently, and the concept was working without any kind of story.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was some implementation of that in the full release. Perhaps that's how you unlock interstellar travel and future tech? Would be kind of cool.

[sir_frost]

the best analogy for real science gathering in KSP 1 are the science gathering contracts
to be asked to take specific measurements at specific locations sound like real science gathering to me. 

but i would love to have different type of science missions.
prototype missions to unlock parts by testing them in certain conditions.

constructing science bases that explore the surroundings  with rovers.

deploying telescopes to study planets (and find areas of interest for new science)

my main suggestion is to make science mostly a subsection of the contract system.

the contract system is neat since it gives you missions based upon what you have done in the game so far.
if you place a surveyor in Duna orbit you would be more likely to get a science contract to the surface.

if science is more focused on contracts we could have mission specific science parts. imagine being asked to build the James Kerman space telescope or the JKST for short, and to put it in a LaGrange point (yea i know N body physics is not in the game). 

different contract Corporations could be focuses on different things
for example the life on Duna society would like you to invest in Duna exploration missions and science.
if you do successful contracts for them they will give you bigger contracts in the future. 

but the science gains from contracts should be diminishing returns for the same type of study on the same body.
just studying the mun would be boring, and going to other planets would give much more valuable science.        
  

[JadeOfMaar]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:55 AM, Woodpecker8 said:

Also, what if celestial bodies were blurred out in map view and the tracking center, as if you would see them through a telescope on Kerbin?

iirc, that functionality (see: ResearchBodies mod) is supposed to be stock, or at least Nate Simpson clearly said he'd like it to be so.

Well, the other star systems aren't out yet so this feature might come with those.

[Woodpecker8]

10 hours ago, JadeOfMaar said:

On 3/27/2023 at 1:55 PM, Woodpecker8 said:

Also, what if celestial bodies were blurred out in map view and the tracking center, as if you would see them through a telescope on Kerbin?

iirc, that functionality (see: ResearchBodies mod) is supposed to be stock, or at least Nate Simpson clearly said he'd like it to be so.

Awesome, I was not aware of that!