Will planets be static, or will they develop in time.
Say a planet has tons of food, will population grow in time?
will they build factories for various goods if you (or someone else) supply them with building material?

If I hear another person say "Planet Development Completed..." I'm gonna pop.

I would like some form of difference between planets in high traffic areas and planets that are out on the edges of their territory. Maybe some form of procedural generation of these buildings and structures in the "docked" screen?

On a related note, are there any plans for allowing the establishment of new settlements on uninhabited planets?

Lanfranc wrote:On a related note, are there any plans for allowing the establishment of new settlements on uninhabited planets?

That would open up possible passenger ships and charter businesses. I like it

On a related note, are there any plans for allowing the establishment of new settlements on uninhabited planets?

I was under the impression that this would be the normal modus operandi, since you won't have to bother with enraged natives threatening you with orbital bombardments. If planetary ownership implied that you first have to assemble a war fleet to bomb the living daylights out of everybody, then it's probably not half as interesting to the more peaceful types.

I like the Idea of settling planets, it ties in with creating factions. think about it. you could be like the Sith empire, flee the known galaxy with a group of people start settling unknown planets and eventually return as a full blown empire to devastate the area's you left behind.

When a planet colony reaches a certain level of development it could start reaching out to other planets and moons in the same star system, setting up other colonies or just expeditions. Perhaps not space stations though as they would probably still be trying to tame their own world.

nemmises5 wrote:I like the Idea of settling planets, it ties in with creating factions. think about it. you could be like the Sith empire, flee the known galaxy with a group of people start settling unknown planets and eventually return as a full blown empire to devastate the area's you left behind.

Yes please, give me terraforming kits and let me establish my own settlements

How do you get (and justify) more than a thousand people moving to your remote planet though? Unless you introduce some Sim City aspects (tax, social services, etc.), I don't really see why people would actually want to move from their current planet to your mostly inhabited jungle?

Edster wrote:How do you get (and justify) more than a thousand people moving to your remote planet though? Unless you introduce some Sim City aspects (tax, social services, etc.), I don't really see why people would actually want to move from their current planet to your mostly inhabited jungle?

One way to model it would be that you have to supply your new colony with a steady stream of necessities (such as food, medicines, electronics, building materials, etc.) in order to maintain it and encourage it to grow. Eventually, it will reach a size where it is self-sustaining and can engage in trade on its own, but until then, you're responsible for it.

One way to model it would be that you have to supply your new colony with a steady stream of necessities (such as food, medicines, electronics, building materials, etc.) in order to maintain it and encourage it to grow. Eventually, it will reach a size where it is self-sustaining and can engage in trade on its own, but until then, you're responsible for it.

This idea reminds of games where you collect resources and build a town, city. Pretty much a strategy game.

For this idea, are you suggesting that you must bring a certain amount of goods by a set time to keep the colony alive or would it be you must bring goods for it to grow it but if fail to bring any goods, the colony will just stay as it is.

If you mean the first way then it would keep you tied to a planet. Time limits on a exploration game is never fun.

Masterofjumping wrote:For this idea, are you suggesting that you must bring a certain amount of goods by a set time to keep the colony alive or would it be you must bring goods for it to grow it but if fail to bring any goods, the colony will just stay as it is.

If you mean the first way then it would keep you tied to a planet. Time limits on a exploration game is never fun.

Yes, you're right, I'd definitely suggest the latter. There should be a pretty hefty investment in materials when a colony is first founded, but then it should just stay at the current level if you leave it alone, otherwise it'll probably be too tedious.

Although perhaps a colony could send you occasional requests for special deliveries from time to time, to keep you invested in it? E.g.: "Help! One of our hydroponic systems broke down! We need 5 tons of electronics and 5 tons of machine parts within two months to repair it! Otherwise people will begin leaving due to lack of food."

Or just give the planet the ability command it's own fleet for protection and economy. The player decides if the planet can purchase new ships or if they are taken from the players own fleet.
If the system has good security and manufactures many if not all the basic necessities a planet needs it will be trivial for the planet to grow.
However if your planet is 20 systems from another inhabited system and can't produce some materials due to not having the fabrication plants/mining bases/solar collectors in sector the growth would be severely weakened due to long and dangerous trips to other systems for materials needed. If the player or the planet don't have warships protecting the sector those freighters would face great trouble with pirates preying on them and possible skirmishes by other factions wanting the systems riches for themselves by raiding convoys.

Memnoch wrote:When a planet colony reaches a certain level of development it could start reaching out to other planets and moons in the same star system, setting up other colonies or just expeditions. Perhaps not space stations though as they would probably still be trying to tame their own world.

I really like this idea, because it allows for small (but powerful/resource rich/whatever) planets to become large Empires could allow for some fun gameplay

ZeletDude wrote:I really like this idea, because it allows for small (but powerful/resource rich/whatever) planets to become large Empires could allow for some fun gameplay

with the AI being as dynamic and changing as they are planned to be Manifest destiny would not only be logical but almost a must. the player couldent be the only one capable of setting up shop on a barren planet after-all XD. though even if it turns out that they dont with procedural generation being what it is and ai being what they are i figure only time will tell. XD. this would also give you another reason to re explore places you thought you knew.

though this would make managing relevant informatio0n of a system that much more pertinent. wouldent do for you to revisit a system and find out only after your in the brig that they system your wanted for 'questioning' flew a fleet over and took over this system

Dadalos wrote:

ZeletDude wrote:I really like this idea, because it allows for small (but powerful/resource rich/whatever) planets to become large Empires could allow for some fun gameplay

with the AI being as dynamic and changing as they are planned to be Manifest destiny would not only be logical but almost a must. the player couldent be the only one capable of setting up shop on a barren planet after-all XD. though even if it turns out that they dont with procedural generation being what it is and ai being what they are i figure only time will tell. XD. this would also give you another reason to re explore places you thought you knew.

though this would make managing relevant informatio0n of a system that much more pertinent. wouldent do for you to revisit a system and find out only after your in the brig that they system your wanted for 'questioning' flew a fleet over and took over this system

Yes .

I could also see this creating isolationist planets who just want to be left alone, and more expansionist ones. Ah.. I cannot wait for the joy of playing this game . The galaxy will fall under my iron fist.. eventually !