How to spend science. (Like a strategy)

[ThatKerbal]

Title asks it all, My last career save was alot unlocked. But i still needed things unlocked to have a return mission from any planet. So i started a new career save, And i got general rocketry (Second from start). But i'm curious as what i should research next. And how cautiously i should use science points, Because on my last one i got so far i can't get science from kerbin anymore.

[Vanamonde]

I don't have a detailed path worked out yet, but in general: solar panels, then probe cores, then science instruments. With those you can send probes just about anywhere on one-way missions, and do roundtrips to Kerbin's moons.

[capi3101]

With Tier 0 tech, you can build an SSTO rocket - just a chute, a command pod, 9-12 FL-T200 tanks (fewer is better but go with more if you're not comfortable with your piloting skill) and a single LV-T30. Launch into polar orbit and do EVA reports over as many biomes as you wish. Come back down when you're ready. Expect to lose the engine and about half your fuel tanks when you finally land - your command pod should survive. That'll get you a goodly amount of science right off the bat.

So....that was not your question. #facepalm

Tier 2 techs I recommend in this order: Survivability, General Rocketry, Stability (radial chutes allow you to make bigger constructions - read moar goo pods in polar orbit; the Mk1 Command Pod has sufficient torque thrust for steering most of the rockets you'll be building at this level unless you go ape, and about the only thing moderately useful Stability offers is the TT38-K, which is quickly outmoded by the TT-70 with General Construction). I do recommend you get them all before moving on to Tier 3.

Likewise I recommend you get all Tier 3 techs before moving on to Tier 4. I recommend Science Tech (batts!), General Construction (struts!), Flight Control (Stayputnik!) and Advanced Rocketry (not much!), in that order.

Tier 4 is where your options open up. Go first for Electrics (solar panels), then Fuel Systems (fuel ducts = asparagus staging).

From there it's really a matter of what you want to do next. In general, though, I'd recommend Heavy Rocketry and Advanced Construction next on Tier 4, then jump to Specialized Control and Heavier Rocketry on Tier 5 before hitting Nuclear Propulsion on Tier 6. That gets you nuclear engines, which is generally what you need to go interplanetary. You don't necessarily have to do that to max out the tech tree, of course, but like I said it really matters what you want to do most.

EDIT: I suppose once you've got Electrics, you could go Electrics -> Advanced Electrics/Advanced Exploration -> Electronics -> Advanced Sci Tech. That way you unlock the rest of the Science instruments.

Edited January 6, 2014 by capi3101

[Dave Kerbin]

It really depends on what you need to get to the Mun and then to other planets with your current skill set. The comments so far are all good.

Since it sounds like you are not at a Scott Manley you should definitely get all the techs that cost less then 45 each (all 4 of the odd priced techs) and then Science Tech. That gives you the basics to go to the Mun and Minmus (just pack some batteries) and gives you the Science Jr which is the highest value science instrument you can use until very late in the tech tree.

From there I would suggest getting the other 3 items that cost 45 science before investing in items like Fuel Systems, Electrics and Space Exploration. If you've been having trouble going to the Mun or Minmus these techs will help.

From there it depends on how far you want to go - there is a lot of science on the Mun and Minmus (just try landing in different places). If you are happy staying near Kerbin then you can get a lot of mileage by pursing the techs at the bottom of the tree - Advanced Exploration, Advanced Electrics, Electronics and if you can finally afford it Advanced Science Tech. Investing in these early can greatly increase the amount of science returned by future missions.

Now all this really depends on your skill level in piloting and design as well as how many times you want to land on the Mun or Minmus (the Mun has dozens of different biomes, each one can be explored for more science). For example I was planning out my tech purchases like this.

[BlackBicycle]

I just go for as much scientific instruments I can - once you have the Gravioli detector, it is time to orbit everything high and low, and transmit back (for starters). And then there is the seismic thing+the cone...

Basically, it is just like mining tiberium - You first of all invest in the tech that allows you to mine more.

[Themohawkninja]

I'd suggest teching for the first solar panel and then go for the science parts to maximize the amount of science you can get per mission.

[Eric S]

Methodology really depends on your piloting and design abilities, but here's my general path:

T1: No decision, take it

T2: Take them all (I disagree on the TT-38K radial decoupler, it's the one I use the most on my earlier craft, and it's lighter than the TT-70). If I had to pick an order (I usually get 130+ points from my first flight, so I wind up taking them all together), I'd probably take Survivability, then General Rocketry, then Stability.

At this point, I stop doing things by Tier, and focus on goals.

Science Tech (SC-9001 Science Jr.) -> Electrics: Basic solar panels. Nice to have, but not as important as they were in 0.22 unless you play with a life support mod that requires electricity.

General Construction - > Fuel Systems: Fuel lines enable me to do landers with drop tanks, cross-fed launchers, etc.

At this point, I can do manned launches to the Mun (hitting multiple biomes), Minmus (hitting all biomes), and Duna/Ike, so it stops becoming about what I need to go somewhere and becomes about having the ability to get more science from the trip.

Space Exploration (Thermometer) -> Advanced Exploration (Barometer)

Advanced Electrics -> Electronics (Accelerometer) -> Advanced Science Tech (Negative Gravioli Detector/Computing Nose Cone)

At this point, I can pretty much finish the tech tree without entering the solar SoI, or I can do manned missions to Duna/Dres/Gilly, or I can drop probes on Eve/Jool/Eeloo, so past this point, it depends on what I'm in the mood to do.