New stellar manipulation component idea
 

I just had a neat idea for a future stellar manipulation component: a tractor beam that would let you move planets around a system. I imagine this would require a change in the game code, but it would have some interesting uses, depending on if you could tow planets through warp points (maybe the first level of this component would let you move small asteroids then eventually you could move huge planets then later you could move small asteroids through warp points, etc.)

Possible uses:
1) You could use it to save colonies from a system with a star that's about to explode.
2) You could pull your colonies out of enemy territory.
3) You could pull an enemy planet into a black hole system...
4) You could blockade a warp point with a planet.
5) Or you could ram two planets together! Maybe drag some asteroids into the enemy's homeworld and cause a meteor shower.

So what do you guys think?

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Interesting idea, but think of the SIZE it would have to be? This is not like the planet creator/destroyer components, which can be thought of as triggering a chain reaction of some sort. This requires raw power to move a planet in one piece, which would require gigantic engine power from the ship as well as power to 'hold on' to the planet with the beam. How about a "Planetary Engine" Facility instead? A facility on a planet is much huger than any ship and if it's ON the planet it doesn't need 'double' power to both hang on to and move the planet - it's already ON the planet! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif This would be a cool thing to have, though. Especially if a planet equipped with one could move one square per turn in combat. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif Hmm, could you RAM one planet with another?

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

FYI: This idea is included in the novel _Ringworld_, by Larry Niven.

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

As if the tech in this game wasn't outrageous enough as it is! Hehe. Here I was thinking how absurd it is to pla a game that lets you go around swallowing whole star systems with blackholes...

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Compete in the Space Empires IV World Championship at www.twingalaxies.com.

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

After you maxed out the planet movement tech, you get to start researching tech to allow you to move stars. That way, if your star was going to go nova, you could switch it with a neighbor's star. Or better yet, can anyone say "galatic hot potato". http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Don't warp points have size restrictions?

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Maybe it should take multiple ships to move a planet.

Wouldn't moving a star bring the planets with it? Which also raises the question of what happens to any moons of the towed planet? I guess they would come too...

I think stars would be too big to move (not that planets are tiny things either, but stars are several orders of magnitude bigger.)

[This message has been edited by Spoo (edited 17 January 2001).]

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Or the Tech to move planets could be some sort of inertialess generator (like the planetary Bergenholms in Lensman)...

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Moving a small planet into a sun would not destroy a system, only the planet. Allowing ships to move planets/stars (or planets to move w/a facility) would be hard to figure into the current system of play, not to mention the affect on grav'l fields. I was joking about moving stars. But.... if one could move a planet, one of the 'better' uses (for truly xeno races) would be to tow an enemy planet to a black hole system.

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

No offense, but a Tractor Beam to move planets around does not interest me in the slightest. Its kinda not what I had in mind for realism. Sorry to be a party pooper in this regard, but this idea is just not what I would consider to be a viable one.

Then again, I have been known to be wrong.

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Hrrrrrrrmmmm.

Moving an asteroid I could see... some aren't that particularly massive. And there are various nasty uses for asteroids that could have been included -- e.g. as platforms for sensors and weaponry, as very large projectiles, and so forth.

(Speaking of 'stroid / planets as bases -- planets and moons perhaps should be able to initiate combat against other planets and moons in the same sector. Nobody's going anywhere, anyway... would have to figure out how to regulate this, 'tho -- 1 point per turn, useable ONLY for attack?)



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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

If you want to start a combat, launch a fighter. I assume you mean for the planets to fight it out with just weapon platforms?

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Yup. Planets and moons often are in CSM-I range, if memory serves... and I *think* I've seen 'em closer. (Hrmm. You can't put most anti-planet weapons -- bombs of various sorts -- on WPs, can you? Probably not.)

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Did anyone else play the game Armada 2525? Many of you might be interested to learn that it was an old, old Dos game that got bought up and became Master of Orion 1. Anyway, they had artificial planets in that game. But instead of turning asteroids into planets, you built a big artificial planet at one world, then strapped engines to it and flew it over to the empty system where you wanted it and then parked it in orbit. Well, a few of us relaized that these babies were dang near indestructible in combat so we'd make fleets and park all our good ships behind a giant artificial planet. It soaked up horrendous amounts of damage while our ships fired at the enemy with impunity. So the designer added this tech called hyperspace missiles which teleported to attack the ships in the very back of combat.

Anyway, just some fun thoughts on a related topic.

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Compete in the Space Empires IV World Championship at www.twingalaxies.com.

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Personally I would not want mobile planets however, mobile asteroid bases would be fun. Of course, I suppose this could be done with a new ship type. Not that a baseship is far from this idea in anyrate..

Re: New stellar manipulation component idea
 

Yes - very nice . I really love this idea. I agree about it having to be a planetary facility though. The strategy of dealing with movable planets brings a complete new strategy of dealing with this game.

1) For sure i would block all warp points with planets equipped with resupply and shipyards.
2) I would strip all planets away from contested systems.
3) To invade an enemy system i would utilize a planet loaded with all kinds of planet defences.
4) I would use the planet to block warp points into enemy system to prevent reinforcements
5) Wow - i would crash a small planet into a sun to kill all life in the system. Would this mean all planets in system that are now uninhabited can be recolonized.
6) Haha - we would need a new facility on planets to provide a shield against radiation from planets going suicide into suns

PS - A brilliant idea - reward yourself accordingly