Science equipment

[DeepOdyssey]

Is it possible to use thermometer, barometer, gravity sensor, and seismic sensor a couple of times? Same for crew reports and EVA. I saw that in one of Scott Manley videos[interstellar quest episode 38], he went EVA, did something to the sensor package, and voila all sensors were reseted, while still having all experiments stored. So how is that working? Can i reset those sensors for biomes only, or for fly low/high or orbit low/high? If that's true, then...jesus i wasted a lot of time and many opportunities, to earn science.

[Claw]

Yes to most of what you said.

If you take a measurement/report/whatever you can use that experiment again provided you collect it via EVA with a kerbal. Kerbals can store repeat experiments (i.e. from the same biome/conditions). However, if you try to store repeats into a pod, it will only let you keep one of each experiment/conditions. Pods can store an unlimited number of experiments, so long as they are from different circumstances (again, different biome, conditions, whatever).

Once you collect the science from an experiment, it is ready for immediate reuse. The only exception is the SciJr and the Goo. After their science has been collected, you have to clean it with a lab module before you can use it again.

By the way, you can store multiple crew reports too. You need to send your kerbal EVA to collect it after making the report. But then you can go back inside and do another.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Claw

[DeepOdyssey]

Ok, so for example i can't store two goo samples in capsule, right? But i can store one piece of every experiment, whether it's crew/sensor/goo, of different biomes/altitudes in capsule?

[Claw]

You can store two (or more) goo samples in the pod, so long as they are from different conditions. It needs to be a different biome, altitude, surface, or whatever. Just so long as it is different in some way. This is true for ALL experiments.

The only catch for Goo and SciJr is that you either need multiple experiment modules, or bring a lab so you can clean and reuse them. All of the other experiments can be used repeatedly without cleaning. (You must remember to collect your data first too, before doing the next experiment.)

[asb3pe]

You can store two (or more) goo samples in the pod, so long as they are from different conditions. It needs to be a different biome, altitude, surface, or whatever. Just so long as it is different in some way. This is true for ALL experiments.

The end result of this (to my way of thinking as a beginner) is that you know you will be returning to the same place multiple times... because no experiment will give you 100% of the science points available the very first time you run them... and because you can't run two of the experiments until you DO return a second time (science Jr. and mystery goo).

Therefore, since I know I will be going to every biome at least twice (I think I've found that it even takes THREE visits to get 100% of the science points available), I don't worry about running multiple experiments. I do my one experiment with each device and then I get back home ASAP, and immediately do another trip back to wherever I was.

I think science could be designed better, for better gameplay, because I really don't look forward to making two or three trips to every location in the game. One trip is plenty, thank you very much! But... it's not my game, and perhaps I'm not seeing the reason (strategy) for their decision to make science work this way. It certainly makes career mode take longer, which we obviously want - I don't want to complete career mode in a few days of gameplay! Career mode should last months if not years before complete IMO. I don't know how long it takes yet because I'm still playing my first game.

Edited June 15, 2014 by asb3pe

[DeepOdyssey]

Thanks, all my questions were answered.

[cantab]

If you want to return repeat results in a single mission, you can carry multiple instruments, carry multiple command pods, or store the data in the science lab (which can take repeats). I think you can also return a Kerbal on a lawnch chair and have him holding the repeat results.

[Claw]

Glad we could answer your question!

Science is one of those things everyone likes to complicate with a lot of "what if" and "how to." At the base level it's pretty easy. It's just poorly documented. (The wiki KSP science page is a good source.)

So, with the primary question answered, time to complicate it some!

The end result of this (to my way of thinking as a beginner) is that you know you will be returning to the same place multiple times... because no experiment will give you 100% of the science points available the very first time you run them... and because you can't run two of the experiments until you DO return a second time (science Jr. and mystery goo).

...

..But... it's not my game, and perhaps I'm not seeing the reason (strategy) for their decision to make science work this way.

It's probably important to remember that nobody is making you go to each place more than once. Actually, nobody is making you go in the first place. Also, the game is still deeply in design so I think science is far from balanced/complete.

However, I don't mind that they did a diminishing returns because it sort of does three things.

1) If you are happy to get the main science and move on, you can do that.

2) If you want to revisit a location, there is still at least some science, which gives at least a small extra reason to go back.

4) It actually takes four experiments to get all the data. For people who are really obsessive compulsive (such as those people who are bothered by the fact that I started this line with a 4 instead of a 3) it can be satisfying to really want to squeeze out every bit, even if it's only 0.7 more science.

As for me, instead of taking two pods or just accepting 1 set of data and returning twice, I tend to double up on the experiments AND the flights. Which means I do visit each biome twice, but I'm carrying multiple sets of equipment. Now I have two options.

1) Send two missions on the same profile to the same locations. They each do 1 round of science in 2 biomes/conditions and can store all data in their respective pod. This gets me 4 missions worth of data, provides redundancy, and provides flexibility to change the mission if needed.

2) Send one ship with multiple experiments to a single location. Do the experiments and store the data. Jettison the collected set of experiments (for weight) and keep the copies in the second set of experiment modules. Return it all to Kerbin.

I'm becoming a big fan of #1. It provides all kinds of opportunities to practice other skills besides just getting the science.