Make "testing" contracts more interesting

[TyrannoFan]

You know those "test x at y" contracts? The ones that you complete by strapping on a bunch of stuff to a rocket?

Well, I had an idea to make those a bit more interesting. If you have not researched the part that the contract wants you to test, there should be a good chance that the part will fail or blow up. That way, not only is there a risk to abusing those contracts for higher-tier parts, but you can't just strap on a bunch of nonsense on a rocket and do all these contracts in one go. However, if the part is already researched, it will not fail, so people that would rather not deal with random part failures otherwise (like me) won't have to.

I feel like this should be a suggestion for the stock game and not for a mod because test contracts are honestly too easy to abuse and complete. I'm not really suggesting something that would make the game harder, just make exploitation harder and contracts a bit more balanced. And just to clarify once again; I am not suggesting to have random part failures for parts in general, just for "experimental" parts that you have not researched yet but are tied to "testing" contracts. I know Squad doesn't want random failures or malfunctions, and honestly neither do I (that should be something added via mods, not stock), but I think it's fair for parts that you're supposed to "test".

I apologize in advance if this has already been suggested.

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

Personally, I would love to have random failures in stock. Until than, I use the mod. For part tests, I would like to have more orbital stuffs. You shoot up your shuttle, and do the experiments in the cargo bay. Maybe with an engineer on EVA?

[Joonatan1998]

Experimental parts having a change to do something unpredictable seems fun.

-Engine doesn't work.

-Engine doesn't shut down. (unles you cut the fuel flow from tanks)

-One axis of reaction wheels doesn't work.

-Parachutes don't open.

-Fuel tanks don't let you take the fuel out of them.

-Decouplers don't decouple, or decouple extremely violently.

-Solar panels dont work, or work inefficiently.

-Batteries explode when testing.

[Just Jim]

Experimental parts having a change to do something unpredictable seems fun.

-Engine doesn't work.

-Engine doesn't shut down. (unles you cut the fuel flow from tanks)

-One axis of reaction wheels doesn't work.

-Parachutes don't open.

-Fuel tanks don't let you take the fuel out of them.

-Decouplers don't decouple, or decouple extremely violently.

-Solar panels dont work, or work inefficiently.

-Batteries explode when testing.

OK, I'll agree, a couple of these do sound kinda fun!

[nikokespprfan]

Yes, I like your idea Tyranno, I've always found random part failures a very .. how should I say it... Kerbal thing, but for gameplay issues this would be devastating (like you already have your hands full on design mistakes you made yourself, let go random failures generated by game), and certainly for new players. This I think is the perfect middle way.