RELEASE 1.0
4th April 2014
RoverScience is a KSP plugin that attempts to add more interactive functionality to the science system FOR rovers. The rover can be either manned, or unmanned (the former will be revised eventually).
Firstly, RoverScience will not function unless the Rover Terminal is opened. This is done through the right-click menu of the Rover Brain part.
To do science with a rover, you must have a vessel with at least one wheel in contact with the ground. Wherever you land first with your wheels will establish a landing spot. Science is analyzed from science spots. To find a science spot you simply have to drive around; however, the farther you are from the landing spot the higher the chance of finding a science spot. Once a science spot has been found, the terminal will show the distance and bearing to the spot; heading and rel. heading will be shown as well. Simply drive to the spot (within 3m) and information will be shown about the spot.
Please avoid using more than one RoverBrain on the same vessel! This is not supported yet - a very rough method has been used to prevent spamming of this part.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION IMAGES FOR THIS PLUGIN
1. Science spots are given a distance boost scalar - the farther they are, the higher the scalar. But be careful: a 10 science spot 200 meters away with a 50% increase is only 15 science; so be wise!
2. You can also set the maximum distances your science spots will be detected through the console. This is good for maximizing those science distance boosts. You can upgrade the maximum distance your spots will spawn through the upgrade menu.
3. A prediction of your science spot's potential will be given once you've detected one. The prediction relies on a "success chance roll" that will give you the correct reading if successful. Otherwise it'll just spout any other reading, including the one it actually is. Improve your accuracy chance by upgrading through the upgrade menu.
4. Don't be afraid to reset science spots if you really want to - no point driving far for a low potential!
5. Each analysis past the third one will start to return less and less science, so make sure you really hunt for those high potential spots.
Please check this! There's a lot of important little bits to remember, so please read the bottom half of it.
Everything should be running fine, but if there any issues please post here or, even better, on the RoverScience GitHub.
Much thanks to the community of KSP modders, who have been very patient, very kind and very helpful. This is my first major C# project and I'm still learning. The code may be messy in some places and I apologize. But nothing will ever describe my gratitude to those who helped - particularly malkuth, whose inbox I have no doubt spammed with questions. Rockstar04 for loyal testing for much of the development. And anyone else who I might have forgotten (sorry)!
This is a wonderful community, and I thank you all once again.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.