“Dome” Colonization and "Terraformable" as World Type

[Rafss]

Hello!

In this thread I’ll suggest a new type of colonization for planets with very low habitability, and a new type of world with very heavy habitability penalties (even for robots) but terraformable (Mars, for example). I was inspired by Surviving Mars, btw.
Let’s begin.

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Terraformable Worlds

We know barren terraformable worlds are quite rare. But what if they were a bit more common? And acted a bit different?

The main points:

1. Barren Worlds and Cold Barren worlds would have a not-so-small chance to come with the terraformable modifier.
   
   
2. They would be “colonizable”, with a -200% habitability penalty. They once sustained life and have some key elements for it.
   
   
3. They could have positive modifiers, as long as they were not biological related. At most, could relate to the dead remains of biological life, or even a dead civilization.

That means that even robots would have 0% habitability by default (since they have +200%), having to deal with corrosion, floating temperatures and dust, so that a default large scale colony would suffer a lot. Lithoids would also have a hard time, as well as default organic species.
The only way to instantly terraform these worlds would be as it is currently, with late Climate Restoration technology.
But I will present some alternatives to colonize it and gradually terraform on-site, too.


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[source: https://www.this-is-cool.co.uk/the-epic-sci-fi-creations-of-allen-wei/]

Dome Colonization

This is a new way of colonizing a planet.
It is available from the start, or via a new early society tech for dome construction technology, available also for machines (no habitability bonuses, just dome construction).

Main points:

1. Dome Colonization can be used at any habitable world, and once colonized, a planetary decision to remove domes is also available.
   
   
2. It grants 70% habitability, like Habitats by default.
   
   
3. All districts are replaced by Dome Districts, which are more expensive to build and offer less housing overall. They are the controlled atmosphere parts of a colony, be it for organic or robotic pops. Robotic pops however could get a decrease in housing demands, since they can be exposed more and expend more time outside the dome (but as explained, not all the time).
   
   
4. Organic pop growth could be reduced to keep up with technology/unity advancements in housing, otherwise the colony could get overdrowded quickly early on.

Another important aspect of this colony would be the Terraformer building.

1. It will slowly terraform the planet. The moment you place the first building, you decide which climate to terraform to (of available ones), and it can be changed via decision (with 30% loss of current progress).
   
   
2. Unlocked by Terrestrial Sculping technology (early).
   
   
3. Can be built repeatedly on slots. Doesn’t require jobs. Only buildable in Dome Colonies.
   
   
4. It can terraform any planet, even those that would need Climate Restoration. You don't need Ecological Adaptation to use it either.
   
   
5. It transforms energy in terraforming progress. It’s slow enough to make one want to use more than one. This will make the struggle of terraforming the planet much longer and important but rewarding too, since it may start way before Climate Restoration is available (specially for barren terraformable worlds and tomb worlds which were colonized early with domes).
   
   
6. Notably, the trade-off between housing buildings or faster terraforming would require a lot of thinking. City Dome districts could be used in higher proportion for more pops and free building slots, decreasing resource exploit but speeding up terraforming and thus the future removal of domes.

So, the Dome Colony lets you colonize any habitable planet, with its pros and cons.
Early game a pure Life Seeded empire can use it to colonize a simple Tropical World, robots can use it to colonize a terraformable barren world, a normal organic species can use it to colonize a tomb world.
These places will operate in a lower efficiency but at least you are able of exploiting the resources. And in most cases, feel the challenge of a long terraformation. We could even have some events tied to terraformation progress.
Planetview Terraform action would still exist (simply expending a ton of energy in a click, and waiting thousands of days), but it would still be as late game and expensive as it is today, specially for tomb and barren terraformable worlds, while also requiring Ecological Adaptation if already colonized.

As soon as the planet is finished terraforming, you have the option of removing the domes, which applies a 1800 days happiness bonus. All dome districts become normal districts, with regular housing.
Finally, the dome is more of a temporary effort with great RP and strategic value and no empire would require it late game.

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That’s it!
I hope I have covered most aspects, feel free to add your own ideas and tweaks

 

[Spaceception]

I thought this was going to be "just let us colonize everything" but I'm coming around to this idea!

This is a new way of colonizing a planet.
It is available from the start, or via a new early society tech for dome construction technology, available also for machines (no habitability bonuses, just dome construction).

So what happens to Barren worlds? Do you just negate the -200% habitability, and jump to 70%? Because if so/regardless, I think that these domes should be required before colonizing that planet type. And -200% wouldn't have any motivation to colonize over say, 20%, so you'd just sit around until you have domes or terraforming anyway. I do like the idea of special modifiers for them.

It will slowly terraform the planet. The moment you place the first building, you decide which climate to terraform to (of available ones), and it can be changed via decision (with 30% loss of current progress).

Hmm, this is interesting. Terraformer jobs could provide engineering, society, food, and take a lot of energy. But I'm unsure how this would work in practice. If it could be doable, does each job add a bonus to terraforming time?

• All districts are replaced by Dome Districts, which are more expensive to build and offer less housing overall. They are the controlled atmosphere parts of a colony, be it for organic or robotic pops. Robotic pops however could get a decrease in housing demands, since they can be exposed more and expend more time outside the dome (but as explained, not all the time).

• Organic pop growth could be reduced to keep up with technology/unity advancements in housing, otherwise the colony could get overdrowded quickly early on.

Then the modifiers should be good. Though, being able to reasonably colonize any planet type at the expense of growth and overall space might be nice, but only if the net growth is better than if you just colonized as is.

I would also remove the +5% habitability techs, and replace them with better domes or terraforming buildings (as in, more space/better growth, not habitability). If you want proper habitability, fully terraform. Mastery of nature could have a habitability boost for domes though.

 

[Rafss]

So what happens to Barren worlds? Do you just negate the -200% habitability, and jump to 70%? Because if so/regardless, I think that these domes should be required before colonizing that planet type. And -200% wouldn't have any motivation to colonize over say, 20%, so you'd just sit around until you have domes or terraforming anyway. I do like the idea of special modifiers for them.

The dome colonization is there to provide habitability for colonists, regardless of "external habitability". From there it can be increased by bonus habitability traits and techs.

I think it is safe to say that Dome technology would be required for colonizing Terraformable Barren Worlds regardless of species portrait. I don't remember if there are locks in the game for, say, a normal early organic pop trying to colonize a tomb world (0% habitability); in that case, only Dome Colonization would be available, considering you had the means to.

Hmm, this is interesting. Terraformer jobs could provide engineering, society, food, and take a lot of energy. But I'm unsure how this would work in practice. If it could be doable, does each job add a bonus to terraforming time?

I opted to suggest the idea as a no-jobs building, so that you could spam it as long as you had slots; however jobless buildings aren't that great unless you have a lot of districts built.
I like your suggestion and I think a Terraformer job could generate not only terraforming progress but also resources, mainly research, as every empire type can benefit from this. It makes sense to study and learn from ongoing planetary changes.
After Dome removal, the buildings could become laboratories.

I would also remove the +5% habitability techs, and replace them with better domes or terraforming buildings (as in, more space/better growth, not habitability). If you want proper habitability, fully terraform. Mastery of nature could have a habitability boost for domes though.

That's an interesting take on it, however I doubt devs would mess with the gradual habitability bonuses from techs; some empires benefit a lot from it early on (until ascension, glandular acclimation or special terraforming).
Bonuses exclusive for domes wouldn't be so interesting as I still see them as a temporary measure and they would already receive bonuses normal districts get from techs (like engineering techs that provide city housing, same would go for dome city housing).

A Dome oriented origin though would be interesting, like having a colony already set in your system (think of Humans with a rudimentary Mars colony), as well as dome tech unlocked and perhaps a bonus related to it like cheaper dome districts or 90% dome habitability instead of 70%.

Or even better, a Dome colony start.
It is set right after your original species planet broke in war (non-hive) and became a tomb world while the colony (organic or machine) watched it, and then they had to develop their own new society. You can now colonize your former world with domes (if not robot) and later on restore the climate.

 

[Lorenerd11]

This sounds interesting, I like it.

 

[Skali]

I really like your idea.
But terraforming while having people on the planet should not be easy.

With technologies terraforming that way should last about 200 years.
IF you decide to build up more jobs you could speed it up to 30-50 years duration.
In the first 33% of terraforming every job should cost you money (overall).
At 33%-66% the planet should be neutral in cost/gain. It should represent that this planet starts to be able to care for itself.
At 66% Terraforming (Habitability of the planet itself should now be at 30-40%) some Species could start do deconstruct the dome.
Other Species should have to wait further but in general the planet is good enough to contribute some income to your empire.
At 100% all your Terraforming enigneers get transformed into other jobs. Your planet is like any other now.
Perhaps there is a chance to get different modifiers to the planet in the process of terraforming.

That would be really interessting (Durations could be different of course).

 

[Nexus Entity]

Out of the connection and my interest in this idea I take the freedom to push it to catalyst possible exchange:
More sophisticated, enjoyable terraforming and planet construction

 

[Connacht]

This is great and it's due that we could set up outposts in barren planets even if they are not terraformed. Surviving Mars is a good example of the type of colony.