CobaltWolf
commented
4 years ago So, we're coming up on working on Keyhole cameras for BDB and have some input.
At a most basic level, we'd want to represent KH-4 (and possibly KH-9) and KH-8/10. The latter fits well with the High Resolution Imager experiment, while the KH-4/KH-9 would need something like "Mapping Imager" or "Survey Imager". This would effectively be the visual imagery version of the Radar Altimeter - low red visual data.
Now, I know Nertea maybe doesn't want to make more stuff? So (and forgive a humble artist for this and any further stupid coding suggestions) it may possibly be beneficial to let mods hook into Scansat and add more/new data types and definitions. That's probably a huge task I imagine but there are plenty more scan types I'd like to add even if they aren't perfectly fit for inclusion into the "core" Scansat.
Now, for Keyholes... the big thing is they'd need to consume a resource, preferably film? I imagine that is already possible just by defining something other than EC as the resource used.
How will science gain work in the new model? Last time I used Scansat, it required you to scan the whole planet in order to get a science result back for the points. Does it still work like that? It would be cool to have it just provide a % of the total science pool for a planet based on how much has been scanned (or how much more since the last transmission/return).
And then on that note: Will it be possible to make it so specific instruments can have the transmission ability removed? Again, not something that I think is useful for "core" Scansat but would be a nice to have an xmitScalar or whatever the line is to make it so the Keyhole imagers in specific need to return their data.
And on that note, just as an idea for a balance lever for BDB to use - ability to set in the cfg whether a specific experiment can be turned off. That would be cool to have the KH-10 be able to turn off while something like a KH-4 or KH-8... y'know if you blow your load covering something that's already been scanned too bad.
Obviously these are big asks and a lot of them aren't even necessarily useful to Scansat itself, just wanted to add some thoughts.
@ChrisAdderley @DMagic1
This describes the approximate gameplay concepts mapped onto parts
Multispectral Scanners
Multispectral scanners are bulky but very be versatile, collecting low res color, biome and resource data. Great for an initial scan mission. Higher tech level gives the ability to work at higher orbits and therefore scan more area faster.
All multispectral scanners need sunlight to operate.
High Resolution Imagers
High resolution imagers collect high res color imagery. Larger sizes/higher tech levels unlock the ability to observe from higher orbits.
All high resolution scanners need sunlight to operate.
Resource Scanners
Resource scanners are fairly compact and detect resource data. Higher tech level gives the ability to work at higher orbits and scan more area faster.
All resource scanners need sunlight to operate.
Radar
Radar scanners collect low res elevation data. They are effectively made obsolete by SAR but are smaller and need less power to operate.
Radar does not need sunlight to operate.
Synthetic Aperture Radar
SAR antennae collect high res elevation data. They require a lot of power to operate.
Radar does not need sunlight to operate.