Suggestion: More options for colony building without increasing clutter

My idea for allowing cheaper building to be build without increasing the clutter in the colony management screen

It would be nice to redo the planetary build screen to separate the different types of buildings. For example: have a farms tab, a lab tab, a production tab, a morale tab, a trade good tab, and a super project tab. You could set it up like the Explorer in windows, by having them set up similar to how they are with the most advanced building available showing and a plus sign next to it if you want to expand it and pick a lower building (Because it would be faster to build.) It would be like this:

(-)Farming - Advanced Farming (BC 150)
... Farming - Intensive Farming (BC 120)
... Farming - Xeno Farming (BC 100)
... Farming - Basic Farming (BC 50)
(+)Factory - Industrial Sector (BC 400)
(+)Laboratory - Neutrality Learning Center (BC 300)
(+)Morale - Multimedia Center (BC 100)
(+)Trade Good - Ultra Spices (BC 500)
(+)Super Project - Hyperion Shipyard (BC 1000)

If you want to build the most advanced building, you can do it the way it is currently done. If you want a less advanced building on the planet (such as Xeno Factory instead of Industrial Sector) then you hit the (+) sign and pick the option that you want under that section.

This way the screen would not be cluttered, but you would still have the flexibility to build what you want on the planets. (Especially important once you research Industrial Sector, since you have to make sure that all of your planets are sufficiently productive before you can even consider researching that tech now.)
14,364 views 14 replies
Reply #1 Top
This suggestion will likely be semi difficult to do. (I could do it, but I would need to rewrite part of the game code, and I know that Brad hates doing that for some reason.) I just thought that this could be a nice solution to the problem of not being able to build the cheaper factories and such on new worlds without icnreasing the clutter in the colony management screen.
Reply #2 Top
(I could do it, but I would need to rewrite part of the game code, and I know that Brad hates doing that for some reason.)


I've thought about this for a minute, and I realize why he would have some reservations behind changing code. It would mean that it would need to be tested extensively to ensure that it works under all known conditions, and the current code is a known commodity. That being said, it is still a good idea to upgrade code when it is feasible - that is to say that it gives you a greater benefit than the problems that it could introduce.
Reply #3 Top
interesting idea.....

it would make building new colonies in the late game alot easier
Reply #4 Top
An alternative would be that the basic colony hub would provide the industrial capacity equivilant to your highest level factory that you have researched. That way, the first Industrial sector would be much quicker to build.
Reply #5 Top
An alternative would be that the basic colony hub would provide the industrial capacity equivilant to your highest level factory that you have researched. That way, the first Industrial sector would be much quicker to build.


ya but at that time you could just buy 1.

You could set it up like the Explorer in windows...


i really like this idea. Out of all the ideas i have seen on the forums this is def. my fav. i would love to see this feture i understand to the complexity of the problem (fellow coder) i wouldnt expect it for a major patch or 2.
Hopefully frog or some other rep. gets a look at this.
Reply #6 Top
But then I couldn't cripple the AI by giving them Discovery Spheres, Advanced Farming, Stock Exchanges, Xeno Entertainment, Cultural Exchanges, and Industrial Sectors, early on before they have the infrastructure built up.... Awwwww

*End Sracasm*
Reply #7 Top
Aack Green.... DOH!

When Mouse Click go Bad!
Reply #8 Top
Like mentioned it can get very expensive purchase high end buildings if you captured several planets at once and just setting them to build the game will be over before they come online.

Having the option to purchase lower end building would be mean you can get a planet up and producing cheaply instead of it being a drain on your maintenance budget.
Reply #9 Top
ya but at that time you could just buy 1.


Not necessarily. It depends how well you manage your economy. And I hate paying over the odds for stuff.
Reply #10 Top
when ever i capture a planet my bank goes red
Reply #11 Top
I have an idea. Let's have the basic buidings always available and add an upgrade button that will take a given structure to the next level.
Reply #12 Top
Excellent idea Organisation for us less inclined to sift throught clutter of buildings!
Reply #13 Top
Right click menu that shows all older versions of the same structure. Done.
Reply #14 Top

I still think this is a good idea, and I am surprised that something like it wasn't included in the V2.0 update.