Alt-F12 menu: Biomes Visible on Map option

[Renegrade]

Does anybody else think that this little thingy should get more representation in the game OUTSIDE of the debug menu?

The raw biome data is a bit.. ugly, but that could be touched up..

It occurred to me that it might take away a bit from the 'exploration' bit on one hand, but on the other, it would be logical to assume that the Kerbals are assigning these areas of interest and would know where they are. Of course, it would be rather interesting if landing in a biome and taking samples could result in the R&D group asking for samples from regions that are NOT obvious from long range observation, thusly revealing other biomes..

Any thoughts?

[xXIndestructibleEVAXx]

Sounds interesting. I support it, and claim it for Spaceland!

[Sidereus]

Yeah...this is a feature I think needs to be in the regular game. It makes no sense to be guessing where and what each biome is (especially when there are unique ones that aren't obvious), when IRL you'd have a chart or something to tell you where everything is (well, except for the unexplored areas).

I'd like to see something similar to what they're doing with the SCANsat for the new resource mining feature modified for this. Instead of scanning for resources, you'd scan for biomes, and then you'd be able to see those biomes on your map. Bodies that could be studied from Kerbin-based telescopes wouldn't need to be scanned (i.e. Duna, the Mun, and Minmus), or maybe scanning would reveal some smaller biomes, where as others that are too far away would need it (Jool's moons, Eeloo, maybe Eve if you want it to really be a Venus analogue, Gilly, Ike, Dres, and Moho).

Edited February 10, 2015 by Sidereus

[ShadowZone]

Yeah...this is a feature I think needs to be in the regular game. It makes no sense to be guessing where and what each biome is (especially when there are unique ones that aren't obvious), when IRL you'd have a chart or something to tell you where everything is (well, except for the unexplored areas).

I'd like to see something similar to what they're doing with the SCANsat for the new resource mining feature modified for this. Instead of scanning for resources, you'd scan for biomes, and then you'd be able to see those biomes on your map. Bodies that could be studied from Kerbin-based telescopes wouldn't need to be scanned (i.e. Duna, the Mun, and Minmus), or maybe scanning would reveal some smaller biomes, where as others that are too far away would need it (Jool's moons, Eeloo, maybe Eve if you want it to really be a Venus analogue, Gilly, Ike, Dres, and Moho).

This. Yes please!

[Streetwind]

I don't think this needs to be a thing. It doesn't look good, and it does way too much - if you can see every celestial body's biomes without even launching a vessel, it removes the aspect of active exploration and discovery from the game.

There are far better ways to expose this information to the player:

- SCANsat, as mentioned, lets the player create their own maps. Invest the up-front effort, or go without? That's a meaningful choice! We need more of these in games.

- Better Than Starting Manned adds readouts to science parts (including manned pods) that tell you which biome you are currently over, letting the player do the exploring to figure out what is where.

- Kerbal Engineer Redux offers that data as well, in the Surface data window I believe. Again, encourages active exploration and paying attention to landmarks and whatnot.

- There are probably others too (MechJeb?)

This color map is in the debug menu precisely because it's not a good gameplay feature, but rather a dev tool to check for errors/inconsistencies.

[Alshain]

ScanSat would be ok, but I don't want to just see that button become anything more than cheating, because it is. The whole point of space exploration is... exploration. So why would you go to space if you know everything about it already?

[eddiew]

A biome could be as simple as the 'seas' on our moon, vs its mountains. With Mars, we saw reddish land, and white caps at the poles. Before we started probing and landing on them, we knew nothing other than that they were different colours - but that was enough for us to assign them as separate areas of interest.

I find it completely fair that a biome map should be made more easily accessible, since it's basically constructed from data visible to a (powerful) telescope. Keeping the boundaries invisible makes no sense, since how would the kerbal in the rover know when he'd crossed from one area to another - from the ground there's often very little obvious change.

[Devric]

Yeah...this is a feature I think needs to be in the regular game. It makes no sense to be guessing where and what each biome is (especially when there are unique ones that aren't obvious), when IRL you'd have a chart or something to tell you where everything is (well, except for the unexplored areas).

I'd like to see something similar to what they're doing with the SCANsat for the new resource mining feature modified for this. Instead of scanning for resources, you'd scan for biomes, and then you'd be able to see those biomes on your map. Bodies that could be studied from Kerbin-based telescopes wouldn't need to be scanned (i.e. Duna, the Mun, and Minmus), or maybe scanning would reveal some smaller biomes, where as others that are too far away would need it (Jool's moons, Eeloo, maybe Eve if you want it to really be a Venus analogue, Gilly, Ike, Dres, and Moho).

Yes, I agree too!

[Renegrade]

I'd like to see something similar to what they're doing with the SCANsat for the new resource mining feature modified for this. Instead of scanning for resources, you'd scan for biomes, and then you'd be able to see those biomes on your map.

.. and ..

- SCANsat, as mentioned, lets the player create their own maps. Invest the up-front effort, or go without? That's a meaningful choice! We need more of these in games.

.. and ..

ScanSat would be ok,

It looks like a ScanSat-style implementation would be fairly popular (well, limited sample set so far, but promising anyhow). I'd also not be opposed to a ScanSat-like mechanism (I happen to have that installed in my current stock-ish save) as well.. especially in conjunction with the new ISRU/mining system.

My thoughts on the 'exploration' side of things is that it's kinda.. meh.. these things are already fairly well known. But that could just be the jaded, long-time player in me.

- Better Than Starting Manned adds readouts to science parts (including manned pods) that tell you which biome you are currently over, letting the player do the exploring to figure out what is where.

Um, yeah, I know that bit. I know it's a bit shocking to see me start a thread (I've made .. three?), but I am the same Renegrade as in the BTSM thread.

VOID also has a nice little line for biome in the HUD too, FYI. (Can be seen below)

This color map is in the debug menu precisely because it's not a good gameplay feature, but rather a dev tool to check for errors/inconsistencies.

Aren't we a bit equatorial for TUNDRA? We're a grand total of 0.3 degrees south.

[problemecium]

I concur that this should be a game feature. I'd say there should be a button in the Tracking Station that toggles "Biome View", and if a ship has some kind of scanner fitted (as is probable in 1.0) a similar button in the flight map view.

Also, Micro Tundra FTW!

[metl]

When you look at some of the other options that were in the debug menu before and are now stock, I can't help but wonder and hope that they are making a ScanSat-type feature. Sure would be nice.

[longbyte1]

If you can see all of the planets' full data from the Tracking Station, what's the point of not seeing biomes either?

[Xaver]

At level 5 scientists should offer this Option!