This is the second of a set of five related ideas.


The Endless Research Park and Endless World is presently a mutually exclusive empire competition -- there can be only one winner and everyone else has sour grapes (they only get a dust refund).  I propose that this structure should have counterplay possible by capturing the system on which it is built -- this can be military capture, pacific capture, diplomatic capture, etc.


1) The system on which the ERP (Endless Research Park and Endless World) is built should get an icon above it on the galaxy view just like home systems, the academy, and the trade clearing bureau.  This will allow enemy empires to locate the system on which the ERP is built.


2) If the system is captured, a solo quest is presented to the new owner with options similar to the following.


2.1.0) Part 1 of 1: Militarist: No one should have it.  The ERP's effects are disabled.  Disassemble the structure and obtain half of the construction costs: 5 titanium, 5 hyperium, TBD dust equivalent to 1170 industry.  Hold the system for six turns (or whatever half of a full occupation would take according to the current game mode: 8% occupation per turn = 12.5 turns for full occupation -> half would be six turns).  On completion, can have some fancy quest epilogue that says "The deed is done and this wonder is now lost to the galaxy forever".

2.2.1) Part 1 of 2: Industrialist: We should move it.  The ERP's effects are disabled.  Disassemble the structure by holding the system for six turns.

2.2.2) Part 2 of 2: Industrialist: Build the structure again, but for half the cost: 5 titanium, 5 hyperium, 1170 industry.  On completion, your empire now gets the ERP bonus.  Note that the 25 approval for 20 turns is not granted.

2.3.0) Part 1 of 1: Neutral: We can hold it.  The ERP's effects stay active and it stays bound to the current planetary system.  Note that by not moving the ERP like in option 2.2, this gives the former owners the chance to take back the system.  I would argue that if they do take it back, they should also be given the same choices to destroy/move/keep the ERP now that it has changed hands again.


3) To encourage empires to make the structure more vulnerable, assign the ERP to a class of system improvments that is flagged for diminishing returns.  If multiple structures flagged for diminishing returns are present on the same system, the effects are reduced.  For example:


+15% science on Devoted

+15% dust on Devoted

+10% science on Loyal

+10% dust on Loyal

+5% science if Unique (Unique system improvements hinder other unique system improvements.  The Galactic HQ of an empire's home system also counts as a unique system improvement.)

+5% dust if Unique

(Can only be built once per galaxy and cannot be moved with an Ark)


Note that unlike my ITER idea, the benefit of building this on a unique system is a marginal 5% out of the present 20% devoted bonus.  That means that if a player builds this on a unique system, they get 15 + 5 = 20% on devoted, 10 + 5 = 15% on loyal which matches what is in the game now.  If they forego the unique system and just build it on their home system, they will only get 15% on devoted and 10% on loyal.  Since this is an early game tier 2 deed, it actually poses a meaningful dilemma to min/maxers -- very early in the game, usually only a faction's home system can support the industry output to win the competition.  If you pick a system other than your home system, you may just lose the competition -- meaningful choices!


4) Squashing bugs ahead of time:

4.1) Make sure that the ERP stays protected against other player actions -- they can't manually scrap it, it doesn't die accidentally during ground invasions, it isn't removed when a system is razed/vacated.

4.2) Make sure that corner cases for multiple possession changes don't break things.  For example, Player B captures the ERP system from Player A, then on the same turn without clicking any of the solo quest actions, does a diplomatic exchange and sells the system to their ally Player C.


5) As an added bonus, the ERP should be made into a structure visible on the star system management and planet view just like how the academy is visible.  Not sure how you'd decide which planet to attach it to though.  Does the game keep track of which planet was the original outpost in every system?  That would be my first choice.


6) If the ERP can be assigned to a specific planet, can make destroying that planet with a core cracker automatically trigger 2.1.0 above.  It would be a great way to make late game core crackers more impactful.


-HP