How to transmit sensor data at 100%

[Captain Sierra]

So it's a pretty common complaint that people here have about sensors, which produce nothing more than a few numbers, cannot be transmitted for 100% science. Well, do something about it!

Like most others, I wasn't exactly sure how KSP was deciding that percentage and what to do about it. Now, anyone who has played around with DMagic Orbital Science (fantastic mod) knows that those instruments transmit at 100% science value. But how? What parameter controls this? That's what I'm here to answer.

First, let's look at a stock Gravmax Negative Gravioli Detector. When you look into the config, the MODULE section appears as this:

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleScienceExperiment	

	experimentID = gravityScan

	experimentActionName = Log Gravity Data
	resetActionName = Delete Data

	useStaging = False
	useActionGroups = True
	hideUIwhenUnavailable = False

	xmitDataScalar = 0.4
	dataIsCollectable = True
	collectActionName = Take Data
	interactionRange = 1.2

	rerunnable = True
}

Okay . . . So let's break this down.

First line opens the module. The second line states that the module is a science experiment.

Now the third line says experimentID = gravityScan. That is what links the experiment to it's appropriate segment in your scienceDefs.cfg, the file with contains all the possible results of experiments.

The next two lines are your execute and delete buttons that you see on your right-click context menu. This is simply setting the display text for that action.

The section below that is the display options. It is saying this part should not appear in staging, should be action group bindable, and should always display a UI, even when unusable.

Now we get into the good part

xmitDataScalar = 0.4
	dataIsCollectable = True
	collectActionName = Take Data
	interactionRange = 1.2

First up is the data scale factor. THIS is the magic number which dictates what percent of the earned science is transmittable. Next is the ability to collect the data and below that is the UI text binding for it. The last parameter determines how close you have to be to get the "take data" button while on EVA.

Looking back to the top, the last line says rerunnable = True

This simply means the experiment is repeatable.

Now let's compare this to the Radio Plasma Wave Scan Antenna from DMagic Orbital Science:

MODULE
{
	name = RPWSModule

    animationName = rpwsAnimation

	experimentID = rpwsScan

	experimentActionName = Log Radio Plasma Wave Data
	resetActionName = Discard Data

	useStaging = False	
	useActionGroups = True
	hideUIwhenUnavailable = False
	rerunnable = True

	xmitDataScalar = 1.0
}

This looks a bit different since this mod runs on it's own plugin, but you notice some of the terms are the same. You notice that this data does not have collection parameters, as the DMagic.dll does not contain support for that. This sensor data cannot be collected (as it should realistically should be).

Now notice that xmitDataScalar is set to a value of 1. The data transmits for full value. By changing this value between 0 and 1, you can change the percent of science earned by transmitting the data.

So how do you make your sensors realistic and your probes practical? Let's open up the gravioli detector again.

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleScienceExperiment	

	experimentID = gravityScan

	experimentActionName = Log Gravity Data
	resetActionName = Delete Data

	useStaging = False
	useActionGroups = True
	hideUIwhenUnavailable = False

	xmitDataScalar = 1.0
	dataIsCollectable = False
	collectActionName = Take Data
	interactionRange = 1.2

	rerunnable = True
}

Now, notice carefully as I changes xmitDataScalar to 1.0 and dataIsCollectable to False. These two changes make the sensor data noncollectable and transmit for 100% science, forcing you to transmit the sensor data, since there is no longer any punishment for not doing so.

I hope at least one person can learn something from this and that my time writing this is not a complete waste. If you read this, thank you very much and I hope it helped you somewhat.

[MajorThomas]

Great post Captain!

I believe the files you're referring to, in case anyone doesn't know, are located at:

C:\<KSP install directory>\GameData\Squad\Parts\Utility (see "sensors") or Science directories.

I have always thought like you, that sensors ought to be transmitted for full value. Sensors should only have data that's transmitted and not brought home, full stop. That is usually how real space probes behave, they don't return.

However I'm not quite ready to alter my config files yet, since the game balance is probably very heavily dependent on those scalars being less than one. I like to imagine scenarios that explain why Squad set things up the way they did:

- It is possible to imagine a pen and paper plot having more and better data that somehow can't be transmitted. Maybe that's what's up with these sensor scalars; they're trying to tell you that while your science tree isn't filled up, your technology level is years behind where it could be and hence transmitting a small subset of the data is all you're able to do. That if you actually managed to run a probe or manned mission where you could return the instrumentation, you'd get more science value.

- Meanwhile, it totally makes sense for materials studies and surface samples to be something you return home. I'm not sure what "transmit" represents in the case of these physical samples... regardless, whatever you transmit should pale in comparison with having access to the real samples.

Edited January 27, 2014 by MajorThomas

[Seawolf]

Is there a similar way to change the value of surface samples or eva reports? since they aren't done using a part but with a kerbal instead, i can't find a xmitDataScalar to modify.

[SpacedCowboy]

I'm sorry but, isn't that cheating? What's the point if you cannot play with in the original game parameters? Again I'm sorry but, to me it just takes all the challenge and fun out of the game. To each his own.

[alter5]

I'm sorry but, isn't that cheating? What's the point if you cannot play with in the original game parameters? Again I'm sorry but, to me it just takes all the challenge and fun out of the game. To each his own.

i think till 0.22 it was one of the "Original Game Parameters" to send everything with 100% so i guess its k (MJ noob here )

[mellojoe]

A real probe logging temperature data will send 100% of that temperature data home via transmission, ie: the temperature logged = 23*C

Current KSP probe transmitting temperature data doesn't? Which means it is transmitting: the temperature logged = 2....

For more realism, certain data should be 100% when either taken by a Kerbal or sent home via transmission. This is more of a realism mod than anything else. Granted, it will change how many science points you get in total, which could end up in a "cheating" situation where you are unlocking things faster in the science tree than the KSP devs expected. You could easily ammend that by tweaking the numbers required to unlock in the tech tree. Then again, you can also just go straight to sandbox mode (which is how I play) and ignore the tech tree completely, but still want the feel of realism wherever possible.

[Superfluous J]

I'm sorry but, isn't that cheating? What's the point if you cannot play with in the original game parameters? Again I'm sorry but, to me it just takes all the challenge and fun out of the game. To each his own.

KSP is a single player sandbox (even career is mostly sandbox) game with no defined goals or way to win. Hence, there really is no "cheating." It all has to do with what you are willing to accept and/or insist on happening. It's reasonable to expect to be able to get 100% return on temperature data. Mix that with severely cutting the return on temperature data and you can actually just modify the way science is retrieved, without necessarily making it easier. In fact you could make it harder.

But even if you mod it to return a tech-tree-unlocking 50,000 points from one EVA report, it's still not "cheating" as nobody is losing anything on account of it.

[Zeroignite]

I think any of the instruments that don't physically collect a sample should transmit at 100% --- i.e. crew/eva reports, the thermometer, barometer, Seismic Scanner, Gavmax, and possibly Atmosphere Analysis. I do think the data sizes need balancing... imo seismic and gravity scan should be pretty expensive, since those would have large data sets, wheras thermometer and barometer should be only a couple mits since it's literally a small scalar number. The atmospheric probe is an odd case... 200 mits of data generated makes sense, but there's currently no way to downthrottle antennas and I don't want to cover a plane with enough batteries to do that large a transmission.

[SpacedCowboy]

KSP is a single player sandbox (even career is mostly sandbox) game with no defined goals or way to win. Hence, there really is no "cheating." It all has to do with what you are willing to accept and/or insist on happening. It's reasonable to expect to be able to get 100% return on temperature data. Mix that with severely cutting the return on temperature data and you can actually just modify the way science is retrieved, without necessarily making it easier. In fact you could make it harder.

But even if you mod it to return a tech-tree-unlocking 50,000 points from one EVA report, it's still not "cheating" as nobody is losing anything on account of it.

Like I said, "To each his own".