Gravmax biome obsession

Oafman · November 4, 2014

I'm having a go at a career game for the first time in ages, and the first time since I installed KSP Interstellar.

I unlocked the Gravmax and set off to clear out Minmus of science, and soon noticed that the Gravmax is never 'in space near' or 'high in space over'. Instead, it's always over a biome. To the extent that I was approaching my Mun flyby, just before entering its SoI, and the Gravmax was still giving me data from above Kerbin's deserts.

Is this a KSPi thing, or did the Gravmax always do this and I just never noticed?

Edited November 4, 2014 by Oafman

KerikBalm · November 4, 2014

just before entering its SoI, and the Gravmax was still giving me data from above Kerbin's deserts.
Is this a KSPi thing, or did the Gravmax always do this and I just never noticed?

This is normal, it gives you data for the SOI you are in. If you are in the SOI of Kerbin, you get data for kerbins biomes.

If you are in the SOI of Mun, you get data for Mun's biomes.

You won't get Mun science data when still outside its SOI

Oafman · November 4, 2014

Right. But the dust collector only gives biome specific results when in space near an object. Increase altitude and it reverts to 'high in space over'. I always thought the Gravmax was the same.

Streetwind · November 4, 2014

I was also under the impression that in stock, the GravMax should only take biome-relevant science in low orbit, not in space high over <body>...

AlexinTokyo · November 4, 2014

AFAIK (since 0.23), Gravioli has always had different results for 'near' and 'high over' situations, as well as 'landed'.

That's one reason it's always worth running along the tech tree to unlock it as early as possible.

KerikBalm · November 4, 2014

gravmax has always been like that - it doesn't make much sense, and makes maxing science from an object a pain (trying to get high over small biomes is a real pain).

That is just the way it is :/

Oafman · November 4, 2014

But the point is, I can only get biome results. I'm now in low orbit around Minmus, and having taken Gravmax readings all the way from Kerbin, via a Mun flyby, I only have a selection of biome results (from all 3 bodies). I have no 'high over' data.

I'm sure something has changed. I have always run all science as soon as entering any SoI, and I'm sure I would remember if one of my experiments had always been giving biome results from so far out. I wondered if KSPi changed this, similar to how it changes the Seismometer. Or maybe it changed in one of the recent updates - it's some months since I've tried a career game.

Or maybe I just never noticed...

Edited November 4, 2014 by Oafman

cantab · November 4, 2014

Think of your science results as filling a grid something like this. The columns show the biomes, the rows show the situations.

[table=width: 500, class: grid]

[tr]

[td][/td]

[td]Biome 1[/td]

[td]Biome 2[/td]

[td]Biome 3[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]In Space High[/td]

[td][/td][td][/td][td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]In Space Low[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Landed[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Splashed[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

Some of those situations might give one result merged across all biomes, and which situations that's done in depends on the experiment. The Gravioli detector happens to give different results for different biomes in all situations it can be done in.

Oafman · November 4, 2014

Oh right. Sorry, I was being somewhat slow.

So my Gravmax was saying slightly different things based on altitude, which I just didn't notice because I was focusing on the biome.

Basically, Gravmax is OP!

Thanks for clarifying

UmbralRaptor · November 4, 2014

The gravioli detector has always done that. Firing up a copy of 0.22:

(As a bonus, you get to see some of the wonkiness in how old science values were displayed!)

cantab · November 4, 2014

Basically, Gravmax is OP!

I'm not sure I'd call it OP. While it's massless and gives good science returns it's late in the tech tree, expensive, and requires a lot of electricity to transmit results.

Gravmax biome obsession

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