Science refactoring and ideas

[TheIncredibleWalrus]

I posted this a couple of days ago in the KSP reddit sub and someone suggested that I should probably post it here too, so here goes, a couple of ideas for science accumulation and gameplay prolongation. Apologies if this has been posted before or if it's a common suggestion, I literally just signed up.

A more balanced Science gain. The first time I went through the campaign I was able to unlock the whole tree by just going to Mun and Minmus 3 or 4 times. We should have motive to build bigger and go farther. Lower the science points gained by each biome in Mun and Minmus.

I think a good rule of thumb for the science gain progression would be this: We should not be able to land/send kerbals to other planets and return until we've been able to land a rover or a probe in each planet of the solar system (except maybe jool's moons).

Different mechanics for science gathering. I want to be able to build my space program, so it would be really cool to actually be able to study planets, asteroids, the sun, etc. An idea for that could be telescopes, or other scientific instruments that can be launched into orbit and provide a net amount of science over time, just like their real life counterparts, giving our probes a purpose.

e.g. Kerubble Space Telescope: A telescope which is capable of providing a total of 500 science over a period of 4 years. You won't really need to actually see anything or use the telescope, it can just act like it's always on and continuously sending data.

Another idea would be to gain science over time from space stations, the bigger, the more science.

We really need different, interesting ways to gather science that are out of the default "send a ship loaded with every science part and get it back".

[spinomonkey]

I fairly agree, a bit of diversity in science would be welcomed. I spent a lot of time on Kerbin gaining science, but once I realized the Mun was a gold mine I completed half the tech tree in a few short hours. I agree on your other point too about a reason to build infrastructure, I imagine once money gets added in (.24?) we'll see a reason to be more thrifty and build lasting structures (space stations, refueling points, bases, space planes, ect) would become reasonable. But at the same rate, science should have its place in that too.

Case in point: I finally figured out how to dock. That in itself means more to me then sampling Mun dust. That's a practical, real world learning experience and the reward is building bigger and crazier things... but shouldn't there be incentive beyond just personal joy? Shouldn't we, as players- be encouraged to dock, to build infrastructure, to build ships made to be just ferries, or fuel transports or Kerbal transports, shouldn't we be encouraged to succeed beyond just the current status quo of NASA and build something better? Who knows, might just inspire some people to try in real life.

[arkie87]

i just posted a longwinded discussion of ideas for a revamp of the science system to unlock parts. Instead, i think it would be cooler to have achievements to unlock parts (which would give the campaign more linearity and direction) and the science parts to actually give you information about the planets, forcing you to crash a probe into a planet to learn of its atmosphere height and density so than you could perform an aerobreaking maneuver etc...

When do you think?