Tourists

[Cymsdale]

Latest patch notes reminded me that tourists was even a thing. They are defaulted to off and the game gives you no reason you would ever want to actually turn them on.

So what are tourists actually for in terms of this game? They don't do any work, there are no service buildings specifically for them like the Tropico games. Do they bring in some form of secret funding?

 

[PaulMClem]

Do they perhaps return to earth and spread the word about how great/bad the Mars colony is? Therefore you want to WOW tourists so they will return to earth and encourage more high-quality applicants to head your way i.e. Tourists are a form of recruiting tool. That would be my guess. Seems a decent idea.

 

[sortulv]

Tourist celebrity or Genius wouldn't be half bad to have come by.

 

[Ri0Rdian]

Sounds like they should bring in money. Dunno whether they actually do though!

 

[Requiemfang]

Seems to me to be an incomplete mechanic and strangely this sounds very familiar seeing as Planet Base has a similar mechanic where you get visitors that stop by your colony for services and give you something in return be it money, resources or prestige.

 

[gjc8]

The description says that they'll decide to stay if Comfort is high. It's not specified if they'll stop being Tourists and start working at that point, but it would make sense, and that would basically make them applicants that are only available when Comfort is high.

Not that you'll need more applicants if Comfort is high, Martian fertility rates being what they are.