ABSTRACT: I've been wondering lately why there are artificial stars in some solar systems, such as Dyson Spheres and Artificial Suns. Who built them? (I'm guessing the Endless?) Is there anything we can learn from them (especially as we progress late into the tech tree)?



POSSIBLE GAME MECHANICS: I don't know if it is possible to treat stars like planets, in that you can observe them or assign anomalies to them, but I'd be very interested in learning more about the stranger star systems, like when there is no star at all.

  • Create really high-level anomalies to study on stars. Like with the SOHO (SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory) probe from NASA, humanity has already been studying stars for decades, and I could only imagine what else we could discover by orbiting a Dyson Sphere.
  • Launching a probe to a star could activate a small quest where you can repair the ailing machinery at enormous cost. This would discover a control centre or computer database that would provide a small science or food bonus (like a temple on a moon). Alternatively, you could instead receive an enormous lump-sum of research or resources at the cost of this 'damaged' artificial star placing a negative anomaly on the nearest planet.
  • Discovering extra lore concerning the Virtual-Concrete Endless War, how and when these stars were built and for what purpose. (the Concrete hoping to hide entire systems of civilians from the Virtuals by building a brand new solar system, etc.)
  • I'd also love to be able to see the stars up close like you can with planets, especially if there was a functioning base or control centre to show how your civilisation has advanced to the point that they interfere in the stars themselves.
  • A more out-there option would be to be able to adjust the artificial star's brightness, and raise the planets in the solar system up one degree of temperature at enormous Industrial cost as a way of terraforming.
    • Of course, this could be difficult to implement, I'm not sure how planetary qualities are baked into the game in real-time.
    • However, it would only raise or lower them one degree max (for example, Cold planets could become Temperate, but never Hot)