This is the first of a set of five related ideas.
The Intergalactic Technology Center (ITER) 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 ITER 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 ITER 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 ITER's effects are disabled. Disassemble the structure and obtain half of the construction costs: 12.5 titanium, 12.5 hyperium, TBD dust equivalent to 2340 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 ITER'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: 12.5 titanium, 12.5 hyperium, 2340 industry. On completion, your empire now gets the ITER bonus.
2.3.0) Part 1 of 1: Neutral: We can hold it. The ITER's effects stay active and it stays bound to the current planetary system. Note that by not moving the ITER 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 ITER now that it has changed hands again.
3) To encourage empires to make the structure more vulnerable, assign the ITER 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:
+5% science per System Level 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% science per System Level
(Can only be built once per galaxy and cannot be moved with an Ark)
-5% science cost on technologies on Technology costs if Unique
-5% science cost on technologies on Technology costs
In this manner, if you're paranoid, you can just stack everything on your own home system in exchange for reduced efficiency. If you're bold, you would build the ITER in a separate system optimized for science (e.g., five cold planets). This would add to the fantasy of enemy empires focusing their attacks on the primary science system of their rival empire to thwart their technological advancement (*cough* Star Wars: Rogue One *cough*).
4) Squashing bugs ahead of time:
4.1) Make sure that the ITER 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 ITER 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.
-HP
Comments
hp2
Apprentice
HP
hp2
Apprentice
18 600g2g ptsReport comment
Why do you report hp2?
Are you sure you want to block hp2 ?
BlockCancelAre you sure you want to unblock hp2 ?
UnblockCancelModerate comment
Annotate comment