Science

[darpavader]

Some things that I think would fix things in KSP:

1. Science should unlock technologies, not parts. Once technologies are unlocked, contracts would be offered to develop new parts.

2. Science should be tiered. Certain technologies would not unlock unless you visit certain bodies.

3. Science should not be instant. Some techs should take time. Maybe a years worth of study in a lab on space station. This would force players to build space stations and build outposts on other palnets

Edited July 21, 2014 by darpavader
grammer

[Kerbart]

Is there anything that needs "fixing?"

1. Science is meant as a way to enhance gameplay by setting goals and posing challenges (performing missions without the parts that make it easy). The thought of tying in Science with Contracts (R&D) is interesting and I wouldn't be surprised if .25 is already being developed in this direction.
   
2. If the challenge is to make science more realistically, tying it to reaching certain bodies is not in line with that. But certain milestones would surely work (first orbit, first mun landing, etc). Perhaps new science can only be unlocked in the tree if all the parts in the parent nodes have been "triggered" (staged, tested, put in orbit, etc)?
   
3. In a game where 100,000x time acceleration is available anything that is time-based to force players "to do without this technology until it becomes available" is bound to fail. Tying it to real-time clocks will not go over well, and is hard to defend in light of "making things realistic"
   

[darpavader]

Things can always be fixed, or made better.

1. Science should open the doors of what is possible. Then, with that new information, new parts could be made. You just discovered x, now here's a contract to put x in a new engine and test it.

2. Right now, all the science you need is on Kerbin, the Mun, or Minmus. I think forcing players out to the rest of the system before the tech is great would be a good thing. I think it would encourage small probes and the like.

3. Real space programs do more than one thing at once. If a player chooses to build a space station and just wait for the science...well fine. But why not have your space station work on science while you're doing other things?

Edited July 21, 2014 by darpavader