Point of Transmissions?

[henryrasia]

I am sorry if this is obvious bu I must ask this of players who do missions to various destinations (since I stay on Kerbin generally). What is the point of science transmissions?

I mean, I understand that it keeps you from going all the way back home, but it has a percentage penalty AND it depletes the science value of that experiment. So why would you transmit? Unless interplanetary data is so huge that it is worth it. But then again the higher tiers in the tech tree require more science, so does that balance out?

[dudester28]

Right now, you can transmit the data over and over to get the scientific value up to its full potential. It doesn't actually deplete the experiment like you may think. In fact, if you transmit enough, the science you can receive will total more than the initial experiment says.

Of course, in the upcoming update, transmitting data will be nerfed and there will be more incentive to bring samples back or to a science module. Still, transmitting will not deplete the science in the way you may think it does.

Edited December 16, 2013 by dudester28

[Landwalker]

I'm not sure what the plans are for 0.23's changes, but in 0.22, transmission does penalize your return on a given experiment... however, it doesn't mean that you're depleting the available pool of science by 100% of the value and getting only 20-60% of the value in actual return.

By way of example, let's say that you're in a situation where a fresh Materials Study would normally yield 75 Science if you return it to Kerbin, with a transmission efficiency of 20%. This means that, if you transmit the experiment, you gain 15 science (20% of 75). However, this does not reduce the total pool of science for that experiment by 75 and give you only 15 science in return. It reduces the pool by 15.

If you want to get way into the math of it all, check out the wiki page: http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science

Ultimately, though, the only part that matters to your question is "Each activity will provide a certain amount of science points, and the subsequent amount will be decreased whenever some science points are already obtained (either through recovery or transmission). This decrease depends on the amount of received points, which means it makes no difference whether a player recovers or transmits data: the maximum amount of science which can be obtained is always a constant. "

[manskal]

Cheaper, and mostly easier.

Right now, the amount of science gained from transmissions is the same as recovering the science, only thing is you have to grind multiple transmissions (which requires a healthy power supply) whereas recovering it gives you all the science points at once. Which can be risky especially when returning science from faraway places like Eeloo or Jool, but might be worth it.

I think no matter what method you use (transmissions or recoveries), the tech tree does sort of force you to search for science outside of the Kerbin system as you progress further. Unless you plan on draining every last bit of science from Kerbin and its Muns, which is tedious and defeats the purpose of the science system.

I'm pretty Squad will tweak how the science system works in later updates.

[bptrav]

I think no matter what method you use (transmissions or recoveries), the tech tree does sort of force you to search for science outside of the Kerbin system as you progress further. Unless you plan on draining every last bit of science from Kerbin and its Muns, which is tedious and defeats the purpose of the science system.

Yep you'd really have to exhaust every biome on Kerbin and Mun/Minmus to come anywhere close to unlocking the whole tech tree. Kerbin's biomes give so little science. They are okay when you are first starting career mode but further down the tech tree it would become pretty boring. You get a lot more science for exploring the moons and other planets. A one way probe to Duna/Eve really doesn't require that much delta-V either, not much more than Mun if you make use of aerobraking and parachutes.

[Imran60]

Point Transmission is in the development phase, with detailed routing, permitting and technical aspects under careful evaluation.