Separate Tech and Research Trees as well as Part Tiers

[ctzerz]

I've really been enjoying 0.22 and Career mode, and I think I've come up with an idea to make it even better.

My first idea is; instead of having science unlock parts, I think it should unlock research projects to improve parts.

These projects are unlocked by discovering something with crew reports, science parts, etc.

For example, in high orbit, the materials in the science bay glow from the radiation. This is noticed by scientists who give you the option to start a research project. The research project is improved radiation shielding for crew capsules(for when life support is added).

For more advanced parts, research projects can appear after undertaking one relevant to the advanced part. So, unlocking something like huge solar panels, can unlock a nuclear power generation research project (RTGs) which in turn can unlock nuclear propulsion(nuclear rocket).

Research projects take time, but can be sped up by doing relevant science.

My other idea for a separate tech tree is this: at the end of some mission, a (or many) new useful part(s) is thought up and unlocked.

For example, in the first flight there are no decouplers so, at the end of the mission dialogue saying something like: "Maybe the landing would have gone smoother with just the capsule", or something similar would appear in the mission summary. This unlocks the stack decoupler.

This first tier stack decoupler would have a chance of failure or some flaw that can be solved by doing a research project. This research project is unlocked by doing a crew report. The research project, when done, improves the stack decoupler and takes away the flaw.

Tech research project can be sped up by launching missions and "observing" the performance and properties of parts.

The difference between tech and science research projects is that tech projects are unlocked by mission performance of parts. Science projects are unlocked by doing experiments.

So, in summary;

-Science research projects are unlocked by doing science experiments.

-Science research projects take time but can be sped up by doing relevant science.

-Tech research projects can be sped up by "observing" parts during missions.

-Parts are unlocked as they are required or by science research projects.

-Parts can be improved via research projects.

-There are two types of research project, tech and science.

[Uthgood]

was thinking along the same lines, except a little more specific.

(1) telemetry that is constantly relayed (constantly using electric power) that has a low science return value (so you cant just sit at the pad and run your ship to get 10000's of science from it)

(1a) said science gained from above should be specific to a research tree unlock point....ie engine performance data goes to the science needed to specifically unlock more powerful and larger engines....fuel flow data that goes towards unlocking larger fuel tanks (ete) of course this would require increasing nodes on the tech tree even more

its funny how at work i can have a whole list in my head of suggestions but once i get home and sit in front of the screen all i want to do is build my station.....