Wait, your R&D develops parts, but don't the companies do that?

[TADBTD]

Here is the current 0.24 career mode system= Contracts from a record society before R&D even asks you anything Then, companies ask you to test parts.

Why does your R&D need to research parts with science, when the companies make the parts? Shouldn't it be you buy parts with funds from the companies, and the parts you develop are the ones that the R&D makes. It's not the Space Center's job to research other companies part's, they research it, and give it to you to test it. Well, there's a question that's been bothering me, and I REALLY HOPE that SQUAD sees this. Anyway hope you feast your brain on this one :/

[Thiagobs]

Hahahah, you're right!!!!!!

Ahm... let's try to think of something here...

hmm.. maybe you could think that you don't actually develop the part, but the effort is spent on adapting and integrating the part?

Something like... Imagine that you create a revolutionary piece of technology on your backyard, you then send it to NASA or any other space agency. They immediately love it and intend to use it, but they'll need to run their own tests and adapt the part to work/integrate in their systems.

hmmm, maybe this works?

[TADBTD]

It won't, because your developing the same exact part as the company so why does R&D have to develop the same part again, and also, you don't need to integrate because on Kerbin, all the companies mysteriously use the same 1.5,2,and 3 meter parts. Apparently.

[cpast]

R&D and companies collaborate. Testing is done both by companies and by R&D; you develop some specs that companies need to meet, but they also have design input and make proposals for things. It's really not very different from how actual space programs work - there isn't a huge division between "this is the job of the space agency" and "this is the job of contractors".

[Algiark]

There's a little bit something called "outsourcing."

[GluttonyReaper]

I personally assume that unlocking a part in R&D just allows the company to figure out how to mass-produce parts. Both R&D and the companies collaborate to actually develop the part. This is the reason parts are available (in very limited supply) from the company, but you get an unlimited supply after unlocking them with Science.

[Sky_walker]

There's a little bit something called "outsourcing."

This brings up an obvious question: Where is India on Kerbin?

[KvickFlygarn87]

R&D develops, companies build. simple as that.

[goldenpeach]

The R&D develops the parts then give the plans to the companies.

The companies have to build the parts. however,they don't trust the R&D in developing new parts; that's why the R&D must test the parts: the companies want to be sure that the parts won't blow up during the fabrication.

[Twreed87]

I also find it kinda funny the way we use Science to gain new parts. Science is gained through things like temperature readings, and studying goo in space, and we use that... to develop new rocket engines? "Haha! I've done an EVA over Minmus, now we can build bigger fuel tanks!"

It's probably too late to make this kinda change, and as far as game mechanics go it works out pretty well, but it would almost make sense to just get rid of Science as a currency. Parts could be unlocked through Funds, and performing the experiments would be another source of Funds (someone pays you to do the experiment, or the research done is sold or something). Or we could keep Science, but just use it to expand the knowledge base.