Planned Infrastructure facilities and system bonuses

[Durendal5150]

So I was poking through Planned - Faction Points Economy and the suggestion that faction points be awarded based on system infrastructure got me thinking on a few things.

Factories and shipyards are fine and dandy, but I got to thinking about other ways the establishment of infrastructure might play into the game.

The first thing to come to mind is the mining bonus a flat x12 in owned territory. It might be more interesting to have, say, infrastructure systems that increase the mining bonus slowly in an area by their presence. Possibly only for certain resource types, to encourage exploitation and diversification.

That's the main example that comes to mind, but other such passive-bonus-granting structures might be a good way to both incorporate meaningful infrastructure, and make players/factions make interesting decisions about how to develop the natural resources of their territory, etc.

 

[Madman198237]

Very nice idea to give meaning to increased returns.

Perhaps even just passive structures that generate materials of various types, cost FP to run or something, and are only useful for a single resource per structure.

Something like that.

 

[Durendal5150]

Possibly. I feel like completely passive income could be problematic for servers that normally don't have respawning resources. Though something like a planetary infrastructure building that taps the core for a trickle of materials may be useful, and give further reason to interact with planets beyond strip-mining.

 

[Madman198237]

Yeah, something like that. Because really, you can't mine vacuum (Mostly) and asteroids are what drone miners are for, so why have any way to place this on anything other than a planet?

This prevents the ridiculous thought of fleet-mining a planet, because planet-mining's already laggy enough, and gives a purpose to planets other than "Adds immersion".

 

[Durendal5150]

In the long run it'd be nice if, with the NPC crew system, planets could be colonized for a source of crew too, and add that into infrastructure stuff. I feel like being a faction called 'somethingorother empire' but needing to buy all your personnel from the trading guild could be a little odd. Also, being able to self-create crew plays into my fixation with ex nihilo gameplay. :D

 

[StarWars1981]

A few structure ideas:
Colony: A special - nope. A building of X by Y by Z dimensions minimum, enclosed with a door in it for access. Door must be 1x2 blocks for NPCs to exit. On planets only. Maybe, later, on space stations w/ special requirements met for the "living quarters" - must have so many defined rooms, so many defined common areas, etc. These generate NPCs - slowly (so this has to wait for future updates, but it's interesting (and probably already planned lol)) - but allow for homegrown crew. On planets with a "Loyalty Rating" to your faction of above X value, they're automatically part of the faction. Below that, they won't attack you but won't follow you either. Low negative values mean they are rebellious and may murder you (say if you stripmine the planet, damage their facilities, or don't protect them from pirate raids) - but won't just attack random faction ships and crews, because they're not the cause of their issues. YOU are, you despicable leader!
Badly negative numbers mean they murder anything to do with your faction (now it's more an "Open Rebellion" rating) and will join the first conquering faction they can - regardless of their short-term treatment (i.e. planetary bombardment).

Mining Station: Placed on an asteroid in an asteroid field, it slowly eats away at nearby asteroids before tearing its own apart, getting far more resources from it than you could - but slowly. So it's more efficient, but not faster.

Planetary Generator: Lots of power for a planet - must be tapped into the core and insulated somehow - special blocks or hull or whatnot.

Command Center: A defined area of at least A x B x C blocks, either on a planet (instantly increasing loyalty rating by D value) or on a station. This increases territorial FP gains from that system. May give crew bonuses somehow - something like a "determination" sort of thing.

Fleet Base: Holds a "Rapid Response" fleet to defend a system. Upon detection of hostiles by ANY friendly/neutral elements in the system, the fleet deploys and begins attacking to defend the assets. So if Scavengers attack the Trading Guild, YOUR fleet may react to it, IF you're on good terms with the TG. Also, if "Unaligned Faction's Base/Station" detects a pirate fleet or a fleet from a faction attacking neutrals, or just hostile to you, the fleet will, again, react to it. It's basically a safe haven for a fleet that also gives it system-wide defense capabilities. Gives a FP-gain bonus for the territory.

Training Center: Allows for training of indigenous NPCs into valuable crew members. This also brings in another element: Conscription, of either indigenous NPCs unwilling to volunteer and fight, or hostile NPCs from a CAPTURED Training Center or planet.

Jail: See the tin. Mostly for RP purposes, but should be able to disable the cutting torch, if not remove all items from the inventory and place them in a lockbox that can't be robbed (unless you own the jail). Also, NPCs can be confined here for fear of them rebelling.

 

[Madman198237]

Those sound like things that could be based not on structure, but instead based on a faction block interaction. As in, you choose this planet plate to be a jail, this one to be a training center, another one to mine on, etc. Later (When plates are gone or changed) perhaps you can use the faction block (Or even a computer for each function) to designate an area in which you build rooms to serve various functions. Possibly with requirements. As in, a mining station must have X number of salvage turrets (Because we'll get those soon (TM)), while there must be X number of dedicated barracks per unit of size on a training center.

You could also allow for the building of stations meant to serve each purpose. As in, check a box that says "This station is meant to be a ________" and then build to fit.

 

[Durendal5150]

I think the mining station concept might be better served by a refinery. Instead of arbitrarily saying 'this station with mining turrets somehow draws more ore,' perhaps better to have a structure/factory that processes ore into more than the normal amount for a cap refinery, but takes a long time doing it. Possibly with the bonus percentage based on other infrastructure factors.

 

[Madman198237]

Neat idea. Maybe only allow salvage turrets at mining bases? Not sure how to make there be a point to a mining base other than "Exist and make resources"

 

[Durendal5150]

So After a bit of thinking, I've got some criteria an infrastructure project should probably fit:

1: Complex/Expensive setup
The player should have to jump some hoops to get these running. Lot of blocks, large crew requirements, special or rare resources involved.
2: large passive effect
Should provide something that either couldn't be had otherwise (Crew/population) or improve on some other aspect of the players operation (Refinery, mining bonus generator, planet-tapping for power gen or passive ore mining.)
3: Location dependent
Different planets or locations should be prime for building different infrastructure projects. earth-like worlds are ideal for colonies. Desert worlds are more ideal for ore-tapping. An asteroid belt may have a native bonus that makes boosting its yield of resource X more ideal. Generally make it so at least some infrastructure projects benefit from thoughtful placement. This also ensures that different players territories have vastly different things going on, making interaction via trade or warfare more likely.
4: Contestable
Maybe not special depending on where boarding mechanics go, but stations or facilities harboring infrastructure should be something contestable that players may be keen to fight over once they're in existence. As well, only one infrastructure project should be allowed per entity and, aside from planets, some space should be required between them. This both makes planets more valuable, and spreads desirable things to capture around a system. leading to campaigns to capture systems and their resources being more drawn out and engaging, perhaps.


My own thoughts for particular projects:
Mining Survey Facility
Replaces the stock mining bonus. Effects only one resource at a time. Number of blocks determines yield bonus, with soft cap.
Specialized Refinery Facility
Maybe also effects a single resource. Can process one resource 'class' (a paired ore and crystal) for a percentage bonus over the usual output. Slow. Possibly also able to grind massive quantities of a base mineral into small amounts of raw ore or capsules associated with it. Also can force production chains to be spread out a bit, making them hubs for the changes to shops and focal points of fleet trade/transfer orders.
Core Drilling Operation
Fires a big laser or animated drill down into the planets core. Produces a steady trickle of resources, though each planet should have a limited type. Possibly depletes eventually, or after a long time of operation, begins reducing the planets max health, making it easier to destroy due to 'tectonic destabilization' or something like that.
Solar Power Farm
Provides a system-wide passive bonus to all stationary power production. Possibly requires a small stream of crystals or something as components of the solar arrays burn out. Proximity to sun in part determines efficiency. Destroying these could be a good way to disable or reduce the efficiency of defensive platforms in the system.
Deep-space Detection Array
Extends the 'X has entered your territory' warning into nearby systems. Possibly links into
System Defense Coordination Center
Assigned fleets can be auto-dispatched against intrusions by hostile forces even if those are outside their patrol paths/guard radius. An obvious target for invaders.
Defensive Weapon Targeting Matrix
Gives a range bonus to weapons attached to static structures. Also an obvious military target.

I also like the thoughts above about a core-tap for power and the various colony thoughts. I don't think the jail needs to be this sort of big infrastructure project, and probably falls within the upcoming system for rooms/zones/areas. Though that could also apply to zoning areas for 'colonist habitation,' such zones should probably count as infrastructure for faction point purposes.

 

[Madman198237]

I don't know how far infrastructure's going to go, but some sort of research requirement would be interesting...


There's a fundamental problem with all of this, however: We can't really force the player to make a building look like a refinery or whatever. Most of the time these infrastructure things are going to become large blocks in space or planets that contain the max number of blocks to get the max bonus.

So instead, maybe place PREGENERATED STRUCTURES with these bonuses, around the galaxy, make them permanent and repairable (So they can be "destroyed" and then rebuilt at the cost of materials, credits, and time), to prevent spam and give a purpose to attacking fixed infrastructure.

Maybe tie these into procedural-gen factions, so that the territory of each particular faction has an abundance of something, based on the faction's particular skill set/knowledge.

 

[Durendal5150]

I don't know how far infrastructure's going to go, but some sort of research requirement would be interesting...


There's a fundamental problem with all of this, however: We can't really force the player to make a building look like a refinery or whatever. Most of the time these infrastructure things are going to become large blocks in space or planets that contain the max number of blocks to get the max bonus.

So instead, maybe place PREGENERATED STRUCTURES with these bonuses, around the galaxy, make them permanent and repairable (So they can be "destroyed" and then rebuilt at the cost of materials, credits, and time), to prevent spam and give a purpose to attacking fixed infrastructure.

Maybe tie these into procedural-gen factions, so that the territory of each particular faction has an abundance of something, based on the faction's particular skill set/knowledge.

I do like the idea of pregenerated factions building these. Much as I like the idea of them expanding just like the player does. I also think a research mechanic of some sort would be interesting for a lot of things in the game, but that's probably another discussion altogether.

As for the shapes, I feel like that's moot. there's nothing to stop players from making ships or stations floating efficiency cubes already, and I don't think this mechanic would need a special fix itself. If someone wants to play the game that way, I think it's kinda boring, but it's also their prerogative. Taking measures to actively limit player agency in a sandbox game is just kinda wrong, even if they do exercise that agency by building lots of squares. :P The best solution is probably to make the designs NPC factions use for them available in the catalog, so players that don't want to fret over individual station designs have ones they can just drop in.

 

[Madman198237]

Yeah, you're right about the creativity.

Perhaps have these NPC buildings give bonuses beyond the level that players can achieve, or just have them give better bonuses regardless. Also, every faction will MOST LIKELY spawn every type of infrastructure thing, but each faction will have an area or two of advanced technology which will mean that they have, say, twice the number of solar farms or similar structures in their area than other factions.

 

[StarWars1981]

I like the idea of solar farms, and the systemwide defense command post is also useful. The jail, FYI, was kind of an RP element but it's the same category.
I would love to see an expansion of infrastructure to allow us to do more, and I love all the ideas popping up (mine most of all :P). I think any of the ideas, even separately, would be a great addition. I hope to see it!

 

[Durendal5150]

Yeah, you're right about the creativity.

Perhaps have these NPC buildings give bonuses beyond the level that players can achieve, or just have them give better bonuses regardless. Also, every faction will MOST LIKELY spawn every type of infrastructure thing, but each faction will have an area or two of advanced technology which will mean that they have, say, twice the number of solar farms or similar structures in their area than other factions.

That works out just fine yeah. I still don't know about any NPC buildings being able to do things players can't. Unless you want to throw in the odd 'relic' that can't be reproduced, starts neutral, and can be captured by anybody. Some sort of ancient megastructure worth fighting a war over. Like a slow but limitless resource generator, a massive-bonus mining augmenter, or gate that can change its link to any point in open space once a day.

having different NPC factions favor different structures is a great lore idea, too.

The jail, FYI, was kind of an RP element but it's the same category.

Oh don't get me wrong, I think the jail is a good idea! Just that it doesn't quite fit the realm of 'infrastructure' so much as the sort of rooms and areas thing the devs are already working on. I can't imagine them doing that without including a functional brig of some sort. How else would we recreate all those arguing-through-a-forcefield scenes from startrek? :P

 

[StarWars1981]

I know, but it wasn't really worth its own post, and it does kinda fit into the subject of buildings useful for things other than pretty looks.
And it was just kinda funny to me - I mean, who DOESN'T want a brig???
We'd need an equivalent aboard ships - something NPCs can be ordered to go to, and then locked in. They would be unable to resume occupations or anything at that point, they'd sit there. If you CAPTURE NPCs, which would be an epic ability - perhaps once core is down and, Idk, 1/3rd the crew is dead, they surrender? -, then you could go ahead and lock them up until you ... Idk ... execute them for wasting your resources? Attempt to convert them through propaganda? Torture them for information and THEN execute them for the above? Lol.

NPC buildings need to be diversified, and each pregenerated faction should select 2-3 to "focus" on and then use mostly those. That's the best idea out of this thread so far. Also, they should contain things players cannot obtain or move, such as the "planetary generator" that taps the core for energy, or planetary mining facility that taps the core for - duh - minerals and ores. Also, asteroid mining facilities on extralarge asteroids that, when captured, grant a mining bonus beyond just controlling the system. The solar farm structure, and the various command/control/defense structures fit here too - they should be ultra-rare (for players attempting to build one), but NPCs should spawn them almost regularly, so they're common enough to actually find reliably in systems.

 

[Madman198237]

Hmmmm.....prison planets for captured NPCs? They'd give you a bargaining chip, and also makes enemies more likely to surrender and less likely to attempt to kill you rather than surrender. Mostly because if you don't imprison them, you'd have to kill them, and then everyone else would fight rather than be captured.

 

[Criss]

I am going to mark this as planned for a few reasons.

1 - The post is vague enough where this could be interpreted in different ways, and as such we could eventually fullfill the desires outlined in the post.

2 - We have something similar being laid out, but the details aren't there yet, and we aren't all in agreement that the plan we have is ready for implementation.

What we have is big though. It will change the very face of StarMade. The universe and how you interact with it will be very different from the stagnant gameplay we have now. I can't speak on it anymore, as it is still liable to change. However rest assured that we want infrastructure to play a part in how you acquire resources and spend them.