Making space stations and science infinitely useful

[Clockwork13]

Right now, stations are no more than structures in space which are next to useless. The only uses I can think of is refueling and possibly some very brief science.

So, I'm sharing my suggestion to make space stations and science constantly

Making science useful

Upgrading kerbals

Science would be able to upgrade individual kerbals.

10 science: Increase maneuverability for a kerbal by 2% (capped at 100%)

15 science: Increase durability for a kerbal by 2% (capped at 100%)

100 science: Change a kerbal's profession

50 science: Rename a kerbal (doesn't work with jebediah, bill or bob)

30 science: Increase fuel efficiency by 2% (capped at 60%)

200 science: Level up a kerbal by 1 level

Making stations useful

Station contracts

Stations would be able to generate unique contracts about collecting data based on where the stations is positioned. It would benefit you with good science, reputation and funds.

Take crew report: Uncommon but very simple. Take and transmit a crew report. This is a 1 star contract, and earns you 10 science, 500 funds, and 5 reputation.

Take EVA report: Like the crew report one, but less common and pays more. This is a 2 star contract, and earns you 15 science, 750 funds, and 10 reputation.

Test [random part on station]: Test any part on the station, either by activating it or by using the test button on the part. This is a 2 star contract, and earns you 5 science, 1000 funds, and 20 reputation.

Use [any renewable science experiment]: Use any renewable science experiments and transmit the data. This is a 3 star contract, and earns you 50 science, 2500 funds, and 20 reputation.

New part: Radio receiver

The radio receiver would allow you to receive contracts and do them. You can use the radio receiver to access the contract board. Your contracts won't reset if the receiver is taken off the station.

[Wabbit]

Awesome! I want this! Another thing would be for certain station parts to generate a constant small stream of science, so that instead of doing experiments once and getting a lot you can just let it build up over time slowly. Just a suggestion , but I really like your idea!

[tater]

100 science is a single surface collection on the Mun, or thereabouts. Fuel efficiency? Of what, EVA? A better way to do EVA suit skill would be without adding the navball, add the prograde.retrograde facing buttons for pilots for astronauts on EVA at a certain skill. On a planet, always set to "surface." Would be useful for killing velocity given how featureless the ground can be.

Station stuff is OK, but they have radios, and it's sort of absurd to think for some bizarre reason they are only transmitters.

Really, all the science earned values are too high (not just yours, all in the game).

[Bioman222]

I like the idea. Science grinding sucks.

[Joonatan1998]

-Magic part effiency improvements? SQUAD already tried to add them, but didn't because so many players didn't want them.

-Contracts you can grind infinitely with no cost? They just don't work with the currecent system where you can just go trough contracts and pick the ones you want.

The first idea could work, but I think it should just add levels of the already existing skills at the cost of Science, but the second would allow easy infinite money in the current system.

[Pthigrivi]

I actually think the key to making stations useful is the science lab. At present there isn't much that it does. The fundamental question is strategically what is the value of having a hub? My thinking is the science lab needs to be heavier and more expensive, but do something vital. A few ideas for that:

1) Collectable/loadable materials for the materials bay - Surface samples as well as atmospheric samples, ground scatter core samples etc can be brought back to a science lab, processed, and then distributed to materials bays. When the materials bay is activated, different samples give higher and lower bonuses, meaning amassing a collection of the best samples is a huge asset. Samples can also be brought back to Kerbin, but if you're, say, on a Jool mission it might make more sense to fill materials bays with what you find there than shipping it all the way back to Kerbin for processing. This could be a big step toward end-game living-off-the-land type strategies.

2) Major upgradable ability of scientists is to improve science processing results for transmission back to Kerbin. I think you could even go in 20% increments, with level 1 scientists processing results to 20% and level 5 scientists processing to 100%. This would mean results and samples could be brought back to a science lab with a level 5 scientist for the same value as returning them to Kerbin. From a balance standpoint, science labs will be very heavy and expensive, meaning you aren't going to put them on every lander you send down, and getting a scientist to level 5 will be difficult enough that you wont have a large supply of them.

3) Soil testing necessary before determining a good drill site - When prospecting, orbital imaging will only tell you the general region in which harvestable resources can be found. Once there, the only way to tell if you've struck gold is to process a surface sample either at Kerbin or a science lab.

Id love the idea that you could run longitudinal studies, but its too exploitable if you can just put these experiments on and press the period key for infinite science.

I already use orbital labs a great deal. Its a great system to put a station around kerbin with a lab on it and run 6 or 8 mun and minimus missions with a lander. Same for Jool and Eve missions. You leave your return fuel and a science lab in orbit. This kind of thing would be even more profitable if there were more compelling mechanics behind it.

Another idea Ive had is a big heavy "training module" part added. As Kerbals gain experience, they must return either to kerbin or a training module in order to level up. This way instead of having to return home after every mission, kerbals could instead level up on the fly by returning to a training module. This part should be big, 3.75m maybe, be expensive, heavy, and power-hungry meaning sending one down on every lander makes little sense.