0.22 research locations

[Levelord]

What do you guys speculate on where the research locations will be in the coming 0.22 update?

The most obvious ones we've seen so far is observations in LKO and probably some involving gathering crew reports of the Munar surface. Perhaps there will be more interesting ones to gather higher up the tech tree.

An interesting mission would be to collect Jool atmospheric samples, that would involve flying a manned craft into the Joolian atmosphere and then coming back out again to gather valuable crew reports back to Kerbin soil. Would be an interesting challenge and would be a nice exercise in ingenuity of craft design.

What other interesting missions would you like to see from the research update? Perhaps having polar regions and equatorial regions of Duna yield different research results and research points?

[Guest]

An interesting mission would be to collect Jool atmospheric samples, that would involve flying a manned craft into the Joolian atmosphere and then coming back out again to gather valuable crew reports back to Kerbin soil. Would be an interesting challenge and would be a nice exercise in ingenuity of craft design.

Without mods this is a simple aerobrake maneuver; I don't see any ingenuity of craft involved aside from, possibly, a high TWR to pull yourself out if you go too low.

Anyway, I don't see the devs having science gathering "missions". It seems like you'll just pack the equipment along, run some experiments wherever you are, and bring or send the data back to Kerbin. In which case, research will be more of a "Wherever you go, there you are" affair.

[lazarus1024]

There aren't specific missions like you are speculating. Or at least that seemed to be what HarvesteR was indicating.

It will be locations where if you have science instruments, it will give you research points. The more you do research in one location, the less ROI you get.

So having a specimen container in LKO the first time might give you 10 research points toward life sciences, but the next mission you fly with one might only give you 8, then 6, 4, 2, 1 and then nothing. However, fly it to the Mun and you'll get 10 RP toward life sciences again. The next time 8, etc, etc.

HarvesteR didn't get deep in to the system, since I think he was still balancing it, but I suspect at a minimum LKO, plus each planet/moon will count as a seperate research "location". Possibly orbit and surface being seperate locations as well.

I don't think on a first cut they are getting any finer grained than that. They might at some point, but I deffinitely would not expect that in .22 at all.

[lazarus1024]

Without mods this is a simple aerobrake maneuver; I don't see any ingenuity of craft involved aside from, possibly, a high TWR to pull yourself out if you go too low.

Anyway, I don't see the devs having science gathering "missions". It seems like you'll just pack the equipment along, run some experiments wherever you are, and bring or send the data back to Kerbin. In which case, research will be more of a "Wherever you go, there you are" affair.

This is in effect what HarvesteR mentioned, with the exception that Antennas means you can beam back the research data without having to return the mission, but for fewer research points than returning the mission will net you.

[maccollo]

Personally I'd like something that encourages exploring the surface of the planets. Currently it's sort of like "Ok, I landed, lets go home again".

Perhaps you could drill for special resources on other planets that will allow you to advance in the tech tree, sort of like the Kethane mod.

This in of itself could go several layers deep. You would need your scanners to be able to pick up the elements you want to find. You need the equipment to retrieve them, and then of course the ability to either to the research right there, or bring it back to Kirbin.

Some elements could perhaps be found from orbit, others would require your to scan from the ground or something (that would give rovers a purpose).

[Guest]

This is in effect what HarvesteR mentioned, with the exception that Antennas means you can beam back the research data without having to return the mission, but for fewer research points than returning the mission will net you.

Notice I said "and bring or send the data".

[Anton P. Nym]

One way to handle the "location" thing is to handle each sphere of influence as its own location (including the Sun's?) plus each planet/moon surface. That'd give plenty of different places even without handling geography.

I wonder if there'll be a science bonus for finding the anomalies and sending back data?

-- Steve

[Levelord]

From what I'm understanding here, is that the science update won't be geographically unique on each planet. Meaning science will be the same regardless of where you land on a planet's surface. The only thing changing is the amount if you do the same location twice.

That to me feels a bit disappointing since it's still a "land and get off" scenario and doesn't exactly change anything to encourage you to drive somewhere, or to even try to land at a specific location to get an interesting science result.

[Javster]

It gives you a reason for going anywhere I guess. Very excited about it. I wonder when the YouTubers will get their version, and then the official release.

[Wayfare]

From what I'm understanding here, is that the science update won't be geographically unique on each planet. Meaning science will be the same regardless of where you land on a planet's surface. The only thing changing is the amount if you do the same location twice.

That to me feels a bit disappointing since it's still a "land and get off" scenario and doesn't exactly change anything to encourage you to drive somewhere, or to even try to land at a specific location to get an interesting science result.

This is the first implementation of science so it's likely bare-bones. Using generic "science points" with degrading rewards as you repeat experiments is a pretty solid base. Things like geography, interlocking research (how would this Dunian ice cap sample behave if I threw in some equatorial Evian ocean fluid in zero G?) and manned experiments can be built on that relatively easily. The latter becomes especially interesting if they require an X amount of time spent when life support is implemented...

[blackfire83]

I'll be glad to see this first implementation of 'science', but like others have stated, I'm very much looking forward to them adding a purpose to planetary exploration. At this point, it's sheer roleplaying. Which isn't the worst thing in the world, but I'd love to see game systems tied into it to give it a bit more direction.

[Guest]

This is the first implementation of science so it's likely bare-bones. Using generic "science points" with degrading rewards as you repeat experiments is a pretty solid base. Things like geography, interlocking research (how would this Dunian ice cap sample behave if I threw in some equatorial Evian ocean fluid in zero G?) and manned experiments can be built on that relatively easily. The latter becomes especially interesting if they require an X amount of time spent when life support is implemented...

Where is life support cited as an upcoming feature? I'd love to see that in stock.

To encourage rover use and exploration I could easily see "distance driven" with an active science module being used as a calculation for science points.

[lazarus1024]

Notice I said "and bring or send the data".

Bah, now you are suggestion I actually read peoples' posts!?!

What are you, a communist!

Actually, yeah I missed that part, sorry.

[lazarus1024]

Where is life support cited as an upcoming feature? I'd love to see that in stock.

To encourage rover use and exploration I could easily see "distance driven" with an active science module being used as a calculation for science points.

SQUAD has mentioned that at some future date they'd like to add life support. It is likely a very distant date, close to when it goes true Beta.

[lazarus1024]

I could just live with an "accomplishment" system added, that wasn't for bragging rights, but was directly tied to either

A) Research points

or probably better

Space program funding. Once money comes along of course. You've gotta produce results if you want your space program to stay above the funding line and not get the Ax. So, land on the Mun, and the achievement might increase your Space program funding. Get a probe around Eve, same thing, etc, etc.

It might be interesting to have some general targets for research that are a bit more fine grained than an entire planetary body, such as doing research on one of Duna's polar caps is different from doing it on the plains or mountains of Duna, etc. However, I think certain "achievements" would be cool in respect to space program funding.

It would be exactly opposite the real world in that way. In KSP, land on the Mun and get your program funding ratcheted up. In real life, land on the Moon and see it dry up.

[Guest]

SQUAD has mentioned that at some future date they'd like to add life support. It is likely a very distant date, close to when it goes true Beta.

Nice, that's good to hear. I didn't see it on the list of What Not To Ask For or What Is Planned.

[Scotius]

I hope we get more variations when it comes to harvesting science points. If i go through all the hops, and get my science ship to Eeloo or Moho, it would be a bit disappointing to get the same points as in Minmus orbit. Come on SQUAD - give us reason to go far. Really far