For Science! An Alternative Tech Tree Concept

[Sabreur]

First up, let me say that I enjoy career mode a great deal. Limiting the parts we start with is a great way to force some creative thinking, as a lot of the sandbox designs we take for granted are literally impossible early on. It also helps grant a tangible sense of reward for completing a mission - instead of just some pretty screenshots, we can earn new parts to play with! That being said, there are some downsides.

Career Mode Downsides:

• Too much emphasis on grinding out science points instead of challenging yourself
  
• Experimenting gets repetitive - not enough experiment types, not enough variety in how the experiments work.
  
• Minimal guidance on what to do next
  
• Not much incentive to keep earning science once you have your favorite parts unlocked
  

Proposed Improvements:

• Remove the whole 'redoing' of experiments. Experiments have value once and only once - no need to repeatedly grind the same experiment. Science values for experiments will probably need to be adjusted.
  
• Increase the variety of experiments available, using real-life science programs for inspiration. Slam a probe into the Mun, then fly another probe through the debris cloud for mineral analysis! Land a nuclear science-tank on Duna and search for rocks to laser apart so you can look at the pieces! Stick a kerbal in a space-station for six months just to see what happens!
  
• Implement science modules that have special requirements for how they are used. For example, some experiments require a kerbal on-site to be performed. Or perhaps certain experiments can only be performed while on an ice cap, or while floating in liquid.
  
• Parts unlock as-normal, but can be upgraded by completing challenges. For example, your first successful Mun landing might grant certain engines an improved ISP in vacuum. Landing a probe on Eve could upgrade your aerospike engines, etc. The research lab would have a list of "Unanswered Questions" - basically specific science goals that haven't been unlocked yet.
  
• Make some planets/moons hazardous due to high temperature, high radiation, a corrosive atmosphere, or some combination thereof. Landing unprepared kerbals on these celestial bodies will result in a tragic mission failure. Landing probes lets you perform experiments, which in addition to the usual science rewards also unlock the special spacesuits needed for kerbals to survive these worlds.
  

[Vanamonde]

Thread moved to suggestions & feedback. Carry on.

[Eric S]

I think that the rest of the features coming to career mode will deal with many of your issues, including diluting the importance of maximizing science return. Sure, mission X gets more science than mission Y, but if mission Y has a better expense to science ratio, it might be more lucrative, or even necessary, depending on how tight your budget is.

As for repeat science experiments, it sounds like the devs are already doing something like that. Personally, I don't think the science rewards need to be balanced too much for this, I've been playing this way for weeks and have never run into "I need more science to get to where I want to go next, oh woe is me!"

[Superfluous J]

I'll never understand the current complaints about grinding of science. Tie observing all your parts to an action group. Hit that number, then click "send" or "keep" until it stops popping up. Science DONE.

Even without that, you don't need to repeat experiments until you're transmitting 0.1 science points in order to unlock stuff. Just exploring like normal should get you far more science than you'll ever need.

That said, I would like more to do and your suggestions are intriguing though I don't know how the game would handle something like flying through the dust plume from another explosion.