Ringworlds: underwhelming?

[Mad King James]

Ringworlds have 3 million times the surface area of Earth meaning that if Earth is a size 16 planet, a ringworld is basically a size 48 million planet.

I know this would be unworkable as a planet in Stellaris, but a ringworld basically being a couple of Gaia worlds is sort of absurd. If we assumed that less than 1 percent of the ringworld is made to be actually habitable (the rest being other crap like weapons systems, power, etc) that would still be 400,000 Earths.

I guess if each Ringworld section had special pops where 1 pop equalled 100,000 pops on regular planets and you had 10 ringworld sections each with 40 pops that would represent the enormous size of a ringworld. A ringworld is supposed to be able to contain the population of the entire galaxy.

 

[Peko?]

Ringworlds have 3 million times the surface area of Earth meaning that if Earth is a size 16 planet, a ringworld is basically a size 48 million planet.

Niven's ringworld has 3 million times the surface area of earth. Stellaris ones might not.

I know this would be unworkable as a planet in Stellaris, but a ringworld basically being a couple of Gaia worlds is sort of absurd. If we assumed that less than 1 percent of the ringworld is made to be actually habitable (the rest being other crap like weapons systems, power, etc) that would still be 400,000 Earths.

And still be completely unworkable in the context of Stellaris.

 

[D Inqu]

Ringworlds have 3 million times the surface area of Earth.

Not necessarily. Who says they so wide or that their radius is equal to distance from Sun to Earth? For example, a ringworld may be, say 20 km wide, and a bit closer than Earth.

 

[Alblaka]

As well, small moons and asteroid provide the same constant production of minerals across centurys.
And any minerals and metals harvested galaxy-wide are inter-changeable and equally useful to all sentient species in the galaxy.
Let's not forget the mystic forcefield which prevents larger empires from ignoring truces despite their galactic military dominance and the laws of physic preventing anyone from taking more then x planets per war.

In related news, gameplay balance > realism.

That's fine but doesn't really add anything to the discussion

Said the guy who posted nothing but a post adding LITERALLY nothing to the discussion.
At least I pointed out that complaining about a gameplay mechanic being unrealistic is kind of pointless in any game that is actually designed to have a proper gameplay instead of realism.

 

[Mad King James]

Sure but Stellaris ringworlds look way thicker than Niven's ringworld, not thinner. I thought it was cool when I encountered them ingame, and sure the way they're implemented is alright I guess, but it's a goddamn ringworld. Maybe it's not possible to do them justice?

 

[Zaltys]

Not necessarily. Who says they so wide or that their radius is equal to distance from Sun to Earth? For example, a ringworld may be, say 20 km wide, and a bit closer than Earth.

Even it were only half of earth's orbit (which would be too hot to live in), that'd amount to 470 million kilometers.

And if it were mere 20km wide (which isn't feasible unless it's made of unobtainium), that'd still be equivalent to 18,4 earths.

 

[Mad King James]

As well, small moons and asteroid provide the same constant production of minerals across centurys.
And any minerals and metals harvested galaxy-wide are inter-changeable and equally useful to all sentient species in the galaxy.
Let's not forget the mystic forcefield which prevents larger empires from ignoring truces despite their galactic military dominance and the laws of physic preventing anyone from taking more then x planets per war.

In related news, gameplay balance > realism.

That's fine but doesn't really add anything to the discussion

 

[Wizzington]

Stellaris is not a realistic game.

We're not really going to be able to realistically represent something like a Ringworld or a Dyson Sphere, so the choice is between having something that is very powerful but doesn't break the game mechanics in half, or not having them at all.

I choose option #1.

 

[TempusxX]

I to would choose the first option

 

[Voidlord]

Ringworlds have 3 million times the surface area of Earth meaning that if Earth is a size 16 planet, a ringworld is basically a size 48 million planet.

I know this would be unworkable as a planet in Stellaris, but a ringworld basically being a couple of Gaia worlds is sort of absurd. If we assumed that less than 1 percent of the ringworld is made to be actually habitable (the rest being other crap like weapons systems, power, etc) that would still be 400,000 Earths.

I guess if each Ringworld section had special pops where 1 pop equalled 100,000 pops on regular planets and you had 10 ringworld sections each with 40 pops that would represent the enormous size of a ringworld. A ringworld is supposed to be able to contain the population of the entire galaxy.

Each Ringworld is the equal to 4 Size 25 Gaia worlds. When was the last time you saw 3 Size 25 Gaia worlds in the same system?

 

[klingonadmiral]

Each Ringworld is the equal to 4 Size 25 Gaia worlds. When was the last time you saw 3 Size 25 Gaia worlds in the same system?

Play at 500% habitability, research Gaia creation, invest 120 years and 60k energy credits.

 

[--Yigito123--]

Are you seriously suggesting a ringworld to have the power of 3 million planets?! Even if that's realistic, the word "overpowered" is underselling the ridiculousness of what you want. What you're suggesting would make a single ringworld have the power of thousands of max size galaxies. I feel like people shouldn't even need to point out why this doesn't work.

 

[Voidlord]

Play at 500% habitability, research Gaia creation, invest 120 years and 60k energy credits.

Or that...
But seriously Gaia Worlds are rare enough anyway. You go crazy when you find one in a system, and go MINE!

 

[bengast]

Or that...
But seriously Gaia Worlds are rare enough anyway. You go crazy when you find one in a system, and go MINE!

Not when you discover just in time it is the holy planet from a Fallen empire and not big enough yet to toughen up and beat em

also a classic game play vs realism discussion lol.

@Wiz can we mod ringworlds to have more sections in them? (To buff ringworlds in mods for RP reasons ofc!)

 

[klingonadmiral]

But seriously Gaia Worlds are rare enough anyway. You go crazy when you find one in a system, and go MINE!

As most Gaias are find are like size 10 glorified moonlets, I usually keep them alone.

In my current game though I found a size 17 one right besides Gargantua which I turned into Pantagruel in 2226 - I had BBs researched by 2265

 

[Peko?]

@Wiz can we mod ringworlds to have more sections in them?

I believe at least one mod allows you to start on a super ringworld with 12 inhabitable segments.

 

[bengast]

I believe at least one mod allows you to start on a super ringworld with 12 inhabitable segments.

So it is possible ok, @OP if you want more segments in ringworlds, mod em in! Problem solved.

Move along, move along!

 

[Tim_Ward]

I guess if each Ringworld section had special pops where 1 pop equalled 100,000 pops on regular planets and you had 10 ringworld sections each with 40 pops that would represent the enormous size of a ringworld. A ringworld is supposed to be able to contain the population of the entire galaxy.

I'm not a game designer or anything, but I believe there may be some minor balancing issues with this proposal.

 

[DukeLeto42]

Additionally, the art of the ringworld generally suggests that most of the ringworld isn't very habitable, instead only the zones that aren't damaged or simply part of the general structure.

 

[Tim_Ward]

That would still be like a million earths. In an ideal world they'd have exactly the same mechanics but be depited as Iain Banks orbitals instead, because a) Iain Banks orbitals are cool and b) it's the Banks patch c) you can fudge the population, land area issue however you like but keep in mind d) who cares.