Testing area

[Ampen]

Afternoon fellas.

I've read through what I can to see if this has been suggested before, but couldn't find anything, neither do I belive it falls under "More types of launch facilities" but that statement wasn't clarified further, so I can't know for sure. If it would be I'm re-posting in some way I do apologize for that.

Anyway, I'm fairly new to this game, and it is a lovely game indeed. I have though realized there's something missing at least for me, and that is a proper testing area. As an example, while building a rover for Mun, the only area to actually test it on was around the launch pad. I took it for a spin, and ended up driving a fairly long bit in the reasonable pace this vehicle achieved, and after quite some time reached the hills to the west(?) of the Kerbal Space Center. It did strike me then though that a small area connected to the Space Center would be a very useful addition to test rovers, as an example.

My suggestion:

Test area added to Kerbal Space Center, with various testing possibilities.

- Dunes and craterlike holes for testing rovers.

- Free fall facility to drop pods with chutes to get an idea how well the chutes will work on a certain spacecraft construction.

- Engine rack to run engines with different fuel loadout and examine how they behave.

- Rail for kerbal-strapped-to-rocket horizontal testing.

- Anything else that might be needed?

I do alot of testing on the launch pad, but as for the rover as an example, that's simply not a suitable place to test it considering the enviroment it's going to operate in. Most other things can be tested on the launch pad, but I think it would be an interesting concept to have an actual test area for it, and depending on how it is made one might actually discover stuff you wouldn't find out doing the tests on the pad (and who wouldn't love to strap a kerbal to a rocket on rails?).

Of course, in career mode this area could be upgraded, from starting with just a free fall facility to test chutes, to at next level include the engine rack when it's time for longer travel, and maybe finally the rover testing area.

Thnx for reading.

[Tex]

Aha, I was originally thinking that this would be something like the microgravity chambers others had suggested for testing crafts, but I would greatly enjoy a testing area for landing and perfecting rovers! At the moment I just use the KSC itself, driving along the roads and using the bumps for the tracks leading up to the launch pad to test wheel tolerance. That does the job for the most part for me, but having some rough terrain a little ways away for testing would be phenomenal.

Not so sure how the engine rack, rocket-sled rail and free fall chamber would work/be necessary, though. Interesting ideas, but perhaps not quite needed as much as rough terrain.

[Ampen]

Yes, the initial idea was all about the trying out different rover configurations, and the other stuff I usually do on the launchpad, wich works for what I need tested. But since I play career I thought it might be interesting with some stuff that actually could be upgraded, although a testing area for rovers could be that as well, with a bigger area in higher levels, and more bumps, larger craters etc.

[GeneralGuacamole]

Would it be outside or in a warehouse?

[Tex]

I assume outside would be best, for ease of implementation. Not much need to upgrade it, so having it a small distance away from the KSC would be easier to work with.