Nomadic Races

[Windborne]

I like the locust-like aspect to macs idea, though I'd also hope there would be a specialized, more efficient form of mining they could use without destroying the resources, this would of course give them less resources per turn then simply strip mining the area.

On the other hand I'd think that since their ships could have weapons and troops on them they wouldn't be in a lot of danger from the other players, they could fight or run at their own discretion and never be tied to one area of space, especially after they learn to open and close warp points.

The big thing is they must NEVER be able to colonize planets, take them over yes, but never build a single colony ship. As soon as they learn that technology the game is over, they win.

[dmm]

They could be natural nebula dwellers, which explains why they can't colonize planets. But they can see through nebulae, and collect resources from them. So they would be very non-threatening in the early part of the game, when nebulae are worthless to other players. Then when people start getting stellar manipulation techs, watch out! They'll want to turn everything into nebulae, and everyone will want to turn their nebulae into planets!

Same idea for asteroid dwellers.

[Nitram Draw]

It could definitely be done if a human played and abided by the house rule not to colonize any other planet.
They would need their own tech tree to allow for ship minig and such. I would think the research costs would be real low, as they won't be building many research facilities.
Would be an interesting race to play!

[Suicide Junkie]

A simple way to prevent planet colonization from making nomads powerful, it so give them

-100% reproduction and -100% environment resistance

with zero maintenance (no mod needed), and the maximum negative settings for:
-reproduction
-environment resist.
-mineral prod.
-organic prod.
-radioactive prod.

You'd be most of the way there. They would get almost nothing from planets, but would not lose ships from lack of income.

-Have a racial trait 'non-nomadic' that provides access to colony ships & colony components, and normal ships, at a cost of 10,000 racial points.
-Add another racial trait 'is a player' that gives the nomadic racial modifiers, at a cost of -10,000 racial points.
-A third trait 'is-nomadic' would provide nomadic attributes (as above), allow non-colony ship hulls, and would give special components that store resources and can be built on space stations. As well, you may want to provide access to a low-tech SM storm generator component.

So, every race needs to have the 'is-a-player' trait plus 'is-nomadic' or 'not-nomadic' in order to build ships at all.
Nomadic races would no be able to research or steal colony tech.

Now, the SE4 engine will give them Rock colonization or something by default.
That's OK, since they still can't build colony ships, or the actual colony component.

How's that for designing nomadic races? you just have to change the AI's files so they choose the racial traits 'isaplayer' and 'non-nomadic', as well as research 'non-nomadic tech I' first, so they get colony components.

[Sinapus]

quote:

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Originally posted by Tampa_Gamer:

There are also a host of minor hurdles that would have to be hard-coded as well (pop growth on spaceships, morale of colonists, etc.) The rest can all be modded.

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Hm. This might help with planet-bound races building space colonies in deep space. Big O'Neill type cylinders and such.



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"What do -you- want?" "I'd like to live -just- long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this..." *waggle* "...can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?"

[Windborne]

Nomadic races should

A) Be available both for humans and AI

B) Be unable to colonize any planet, their planet perhaps set to none and a setting to stop them from colonizing anyhting but their homeplanet type/atmosphere

C) A number of special ships, perhaps using colony ship hulls, which can hold facilities for life in space

D) Advanced remote mining abilities that don't hurt the planet being mined, but also give less resources then strip mining

E) Have population quarters on each of their ships where population actually is able to GROW as if on a planet. These replace colony modules.

[This message has been edited by Windborne (edited 02 March 2001).]

[mac5732]

In regards to Tampa_Gamer instead of changing abilities of certain facilities why couldn't you just add or design new ones just for that race? and just design a brand new race with all new limitations, disadvantages and traits? I was just wondering if this would be easier then trying to change current designs to fit the new race?