[1.1.2] Station Science (v2.0: New models by SpeedyB)

[DasBananenbrot]

So how is fusty coming along with model development?

[KvickFlygarn87]

When will a third alpha be released?

[ethernet]

When will a third alpha be released?

Right now!

The new release is up on spaceport. Changes include:

• A new station part: the Zoology Bay, and two new experiments to go with it. The Zoology Bay provides two functions. First, it directly generates a small amount of Science per day, but only so long as the animals are fed with Kibbal, a new resource. The Science generation gets scaled by location according to the same multipliers as normal experiments, and decays over time in much the same way as well. The total amount of Science you can get from a given location tends asymptotically towards 1000 times the initial per-day rate. The Zoology Bay can also produce "Bioproducts" as the animals consume Kibbal at a higher rate. These Bioproducts act much like Eurekas and Kuarqs towards completing the new experiments.
  
• Storage tanks for Kibbal, in 2m and 1m scale.
  
• A "safety" for transmitters. If you directly activate the transmitter (to transmit all stored experiments), and there are any experiments with 0% transmission value stored on your station or in other nearby vessels, you'll see a warning and the transmission will be aborted. Experiments individually transmitted using the "Transmit" button the "Experiment Results" dialog will not be subject to this check.
  
• A particular experiment must now be entirely conducted in a particular location. e.g., low Kerbin orbit, or landed on the Mun. If the experiment's location changes while it's running, it will be reset. So be careful that your station's orbit doesn't straddle high and low orbit.
  
• Unfinalized or in-progress experiment pods no longer reset on being undocked. You'll instead get a warning reminding you to finalize your experiment before you move to a different location.
  

Nothing new to report on the models yet, but progress is underway.

Edited November 5, 2013 by ethernet

[redmario14]

Looks awesome, but I'm gonna wait until it gets proper models. Great work!

[TimMartland]

Looks epic, but models would be nice. Also, something like this is being added in 0.23.

[ethernet]

Also, something like this is being added in 0.23.

The stock Science Lab coming in 0.23 is basically a more general version of the Spectrometron. I'll probably make the Spectrometron a higher % yield version of the stock Science Lab, but with the cost of requiring a Cyclotron, and with it, large amounts of power.

I might also just add Eureka production to the stock Science Lab instead of having a separate part. Or turn my Science Lab into something else. I'm not sure yet.

The rest of the mod seems like it will still be relevant as-is after 0.23. But at this point, I'll be holding off on significant new features until that releases and I can see what modes of gameplay could still use more support.

[nater]

Love the mod, now to launch up another module.

[jpinard]

ethernet, when the new models are up, will just replacing the folder mean the new models will suddenly appear and everything else is fine?

[ethernet]

ethernet, when the new models are up, will just replacing the folder mean the new models will suddenly appear and everything else is fine?

The new models won't have the same dimensions as the placeholders, so existing stations won't be able to just automatically switch to using them. I plan to leave the old parts in, but take them out of the tech tree, then add new parts with new names (but same title/description/functionality/etc.) with the new models. This way new vessels can use the new models, but old stations/vessels won't get messed up, and the old parts won't show up in the VAB.

[DasBananenbrot]

The new models won't have the same dimensions as the placeholders, so existing stations won't be able to just automatically switch to using them. I plan to leave the old parts in, but take them out of the tech tree, then add new parts with new names (but same title/description/functionality/etc.) with the new models. This way new vessels can use the new models, but old stations/vessels won't get messed up, and the old parts won't show up in the VAB.

That is why I want to start to use the mod when the models are out. Because I want to enjoy my space station with the new models. This isn't even a problem as I am not yet at the point of building space stations in my career. But I tested the parts already and can say good work so far

[ola]

Hm, I can't get the creature comforts experiment to work. I click "start experiment", I get a message that the experiment is running, but as soon as I click on another module it stops, without any eurekas generated. I have a manned zoology module with lots of Kibbal. Must the experiment module be attached directly to the zoology module?

[ethernet]

Hm, I can't get the creature comforts experiment to work. I click "start experiment", I get a message that the experiment is running, but as soon as I click on another module it stops, without any eurekas generated. I have a manned zoology module with lots of Kibbal. Must the experiment module be attached directly to the zoology module?

You also have a fully crewed Science Lab, right? If you do, can you PM me your persistence file?

[ola]

You also have a fully crewed Science Lab, right? If you do, can you PM me your persistence file?

Yup, did that a while ago!

[ethernet]

Yup, did that a while ago!

Thanks for sending me the file.

You need to have the Science Lab connected to the same station as the experiment you're doing. The Science Lab generates Eurekas and distributes them throughout the station to any active experiments.

But, the behavior on clicking Start Experiment should be more clear. I'll add some checks to give a message if a required module isn't attached to the station.

[jduchock]

Hello ethernet! I love your mod and it's concept. I was actually just chatting with some others on how to execute Station-Based science-trickling experiments and your unattended Eureka concept is wayy better than what I had envisioned for the unattended component. Very well executed!

That said, I was wondering if you wanted some models? I've modeled a bit in the past and would like to get back into it. Check my signature for some examples of my work I guess.

Lab + FusTek = fantastic...

take him up on it !...FusTek is a mod that i will never delete...just hoping you would do more with it Fusty...sounds like you guys could have a plan !

[ola]

Thanks for sending me the file.

You need to have the Science Lab connected to the same station as the experiment you're doing. The Science Lab generates Eurekas and distributes them throughout the station to any active experiments.

But, the behavior on clicking Start Experiment should be more clear. I'll add some checks to give a message if a required module isn't attached to the station.

Of course! Sorry.

[Tobyz28]

Just wanted to say I'm watching this thread for when Fusty's models come out! Any chance we could get some sneak peeks?

Edited November 11, 2013 by Tobyz28

[ethernet]

Just wanted to say I'm watching this thread for when Fusty's models come out! Any chance we could get some sneak peeks?

Can't post anything from fusty yet, but I've been doing some modeling myself, for the simpler parts, and here's what I have for the experiment pods:

[soranno]

simple and elegant!

and they`ll fit in my shuttle

[mushroomman]

Would I need to start a new file to use this?

[oniontrain]

How hard would it be to get this working with Kosmos parts? Is it just a matter of changing the model or is there more to it than that?

[jpinard]

Can't post anything from fusty yet, but I've been doing some modeling myself, for the simpler parts, and here's what I have for the experiment pods:

Beautiful but... could you add a window on the opposite side? I always imagine these things to have a viewport, either square, or a circular window (port window) one like you''d see on a ship.

[jpinard]

That is why I want to start to use the mod when the models are out. Because I want to enjoy my space station with the new models. This isn't even a problem as I am not yet at the point of building space stations in my career. But I tested the parts already and can say good work so far

me too :)

[johnsonwax]

I like the overall direction of the experiment pods, but maybe tone down the icon a bit. Just less contrast. I always thought Fusty got the labels just right with his FusTek parts. From a distance, you barely noticed the labels, but a bit of zoom and you could read it just fine.

[ethernet]

Would I need to start a new file to use this?

No, it should work fine with an existing save. You might have to go to the R&D building to individually "buy" the new parts if you already have their tech nodes unlocked.

How hard would it be to get this working with Kosmos parts? Is it just a matter of changing the model or is there more to it than that?

It should be easy to copy the MODULE and RESOURCE sections from my parts into the Kosmos parts. Look for EurekaProducer, KuarqGenerator, BioproductProducer, StationExperiment, and SampleAnalyzer, as well as resource sections for Kibbal. You should also copy over the mass values from my parts.

Beautiful but... could you add a window on the opposite side? I always imagine these things to have a viewport, either square, or a circular window (port window) one like you''d see on a ship.

I'll see what I can do.

I like the overall direction of the experiment pods, but maybe tone down the icon a bit. Just less contrast. I always thought Fusty got the labels just right with his FusTek parts. From a distance, you barely noticed the labels, but a bit of zoom and you could read it just fine.

I'll give it a shot, but my concern would be usability. It would be a pain to have to zoom in to pick which experiment to click on if you have multiple different types all at once. The FusTek parts don't have a function other than looking nice, so subtle type indicators are fine for them.