Orbital Colonies

[Captain Kwok]

Here are the results of my test:

The special ability number does not affect the map generator from placing a planet.

Setting constructed to "true" restricts the planet from being place by the map generator. If you set the sphereworld/ringworld to false, it will place them on the map.

So, it should be easy to create a component that converts asteroids into the specified size.

[Captain Kwok]

Continuing:

Create a new entry for planetsize.txt (not the position # of the entry) and set constructed to TRUE. The map generator will not place it. Create an entry in sectype.txt that corresponds to the new size with a pic.

Create a new component that generates planet with the ability set to the position # of entry. This should create the "new planet".

[geoschmo]

Kwok, you missed my previous point I think. THe created=true planets have to be made from stars. They cannot be made from asteroids.

[Captain Kwok]

It might be Place Constructed Planet that specifies it needs a star.

However, I did some in game testing. Not successful. The Create Planet must conflict with Constructed=True setting, because it reverts to the next viable entry and counts that as the position # corresponding to the value for Create Planet ability.

[ December 12, 2002, 20:45: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

[Puke]

hmm.. other problems with LaGrange points:

as mentioned, space colonies will be able to be created on top of a star. not so bad, except that means the star goes away. also, as space colonies are constructed, solar supply available in a system goes down, because the number of stars drops.

if regular stellar manip is enabled, then sphereworlds can be constructed at lagrange points. grr.

[Puke]

new idea: LG points can be asteroids instead of stars. this makes since, since clutter tends to gather up at these points, and most of them have their own little asteroid fields. they can be beyond huge asteroids, to differentiate them from normal asteroids. then space colonies can be created on that special extra-big size (as long as their facility numbers are kept low)

or, they can be asteroids that are marked as constructed worlds. or, they can be constructed worlds that are planets but look like asteroids. or look like nothing, if thats possible. then you would just need some way to do something with them that would not involve randomly placed space colonies during map creation.

or, it can be a 2 part construction process, where its a constructed world that you need to blow into asteroids, that you need to turn into a planet. naw, thats just silly.

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Puke:
new idea: LG points can be asteroids instead of stars.

Now this I like -- some rare new asteroid type, using no asteroid picture (or a starfield background) called a Lagrange point, that a special planet creator component will use exclusively to create a space colony.

Can we:
1) make a new size of asteroid field
2) make a component that only works on this size field (unlike the current one which uses any size field to make an appropriately sized planet

Anyway, how big is this space colony going to be? A large or huge planet of optimum climate? Or what?