CREATE: Applications and Buildings

Creation, discussion, and balancing of game content such as techs, buildings, ship parts.

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Tyreth
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CREATE: Applications and Buildings

#1 Post by Tyreth »

Well, it's time for more work to be done! Previously we asked you to build technologies and submit them in XML format for inclusion in the game.

Just a quick rundown on our current status. 0.3 is nearly complete:
* Production UI is currently not implemented
* Specials have just been implemented - so submissions of these are welcome - three examples are currently in there
* Tech screen has been updated to show more information, and most of the theory icons are completed - this is something that still needs finishing
* Planets rotate!
* Many more in-game options available through options menu
* Sound effects
* Many bugfixes

Now we need application technologies and buildings to include in the 0.3 release. This is not a complete list, but enough to demonstrate the game and have something to research/build.

So, when creating your applications and buildings, examine the tech tree images below to see what they belong in.

What do we need?
-------
Example application techs and buildings so that there's something to build once you research! At the moment all the theory tech items have been implemented, according to the images below. 20 applications, with 20 buildings to go with them is a rough goal for us to aim for.

What do you need to do?
-------
Two things:
1. Create the application tech item
2. Create the building(s) that it unlocks

How should you submit?
-------
1. Post your ideas, in XML in this thread.
2. Once you are satisfied it is suitable and working XML, I will put it on the wiki

Don't put effects on applications for now, since applications are always constant whereas buildings must be constructed. Just have applications unlock buildings. Later on they will do more, but for now that is all we need.

You will find this document the most useful. Be sure to follow the links it mentions, including tzlaine's FAQ, effects document, and XML examples:
http://www.freeorion.org/index.php/EffectsTutorial
viewtopic.php?p=17335#17335 - tzlaine's FAQ
http://www.freeorion.org/index.php/Effects - effects document
http://www.freeorion.org/index.php/XML_ ... n_Examples - XML examples
http://www.freeorion.org/index.php/Tech ... tion_Enums - Enumerators - used to specify types and values

Tech threads
-------
These are a collection of threads where we first called for items. Thanks to your work, in particular Geoff, the theory items were completed, but not many applications/buildings were. This thread is a call for you to code them. More information available in the various threads:
viewforum.php?f=15

Economics:
Image

Growth:
Image

Construction:
Image

Learning:
Image

Production:
Image

Remember: We're creating here the items that will be included in the 0.3 release.

Tyreth
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#2 Post by Tyreth »

There is a recent build of FreeOrion for windows available to help you with testing application and building technologies. It will help you verify your XML, and the application technologies will appear in the tech tree in-game. Buildings you will see if the game accepts, but you won't be able to test building them yet. Implementation of the production UI is currently in progress.

If you plan to help building technologies and want to test them, please contact me via forum pm to obtain a copy of this windows build.

moxy
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#3 Post by moxy »

20 applications, with 20 buildings to go with them is a rough goal for us to aim for.
20/20 for each school? or in total?

as an aside, has it been determined if there is some specific relationship between applications in the same tech? does getting one app make it harder or impossible to get other apps in that tech (like moo2) or easier as is more intuitive? or is there no relationship at all in view?
of course i think i'm right. if i thought i was wrong, i'd change my mind

Tyreth
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#4 Post by Tyreth »

moxy wrote:
20 applications, with 20 buildings to go with them is a rough goal for us to aim for.
20/20 for each school? or in total?
In total. If we achieve more then that is fine.
as an aside, has it been determined if there is some specific relationship between applications in the same tech? does getting one app make it harder or impossible to get other apps in that tech (like moo2) or easier as is more intuitive? or is there no relationship at all in view?
No relationships like this exist yet, nor are they planned, but it may get implemented later. For now, assume no.

Carbon Copy Man
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#5 Post by Carbon Copy Man »

Actually, you've got me interested. How many applications have already been devised, and where are the gaps?

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Geoff the Medio
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#6 Post by Geoff the Medio »

AFIAK, none have been written yet... at least officially. There are probably a few XML examples from earlier lying around that would work.

Tyreth
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#7 Post by Tyreth »

Very few. Something like three that I pilfered from the wiki, made by Drek and Geoff as examples. You can look in these files:
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/* ... /techs.xml
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/* ... ldings.xml

In techs.xml obviously just search for techs of type TT_APPLICATION

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#8 Post by moxy »

ok, ive got a bunch ready but want to get some feedback before i get too far since i only recently encountered the project. in particular i want to see if i correctly understand what sort of 'buildings' we're talking about here. basically this is my understanding based on reading the reqs and past design discussions. please correct me anywhere im off:

techs lead to apps. apps may unlock special 'buildings' the player queues up. i think of these 'buildings' as being roughly equivalent to a civ wonder, something which a planet only has one of and for which the planet becomes known. normally these 'buildings' would confer some unusually good benefits to the planet or region--these are the buldings being asked for at the moment.

other buildings would be the infrastructure buildings that are built automatically. these would be represented as effects in the apps that raise the max meters for planets of the appropriate focus (this is my assumption--i dont see these explained explicitly anywhere) e.g. an app may unlock an abstract factory that all industry-focused planets automatically begin building, at the same time unlocking a concrete factory-plex, or something so unusual it would dominate the industry of a planet if it were to be built. this would be a player choice. im not worrying about these abstract buildings/effects just yet.

empire and galaxy wonders are basically like buildings, but with special enums or a param in the buildings xml that has not yet been implemented.

one question: is there a meter to directly improve pop growth? or is the health meter considered to be the same thing?

also, i did not see it explicitly, but it appears that the <activation> clause in a building's effect group determines where the building can be built. correct?

here are 4 Growth apps and 4 related buildings:

stringtable.txt:

GRO_PLANET_GENOME
Planetary Genome Project
GRO_PLANET_GENOME_DESC
To truly master the genetic destiny of a race, it is insufficient to map the genome of the race in isolation. One must map the genome of the entire planet--every single species, every choromosone, every gene.

GRO_PLANET_CONSC
Planetary Consciousness
GRO_PLANET_CONSC_DESC
Symbiotic biology is just an arcane set of equations restricted to the laboratory. To truly realize symbiosis, the means must be developed to make every conscious citizen aware of their place in the planetary biosphere.

GRO_ORBITAL_FARM
Orbital Farm Complex
GRO_ORBITAL_FARM_DESC
To truly realize the potential of orbital farming, it would be necessary to develop a vast orbiting network of farms capable of producing every required environment and tether the entire structure to a space elevator.

GRO_CLONE_CENTER
Cloning Center
GRO_CLONE_CENTER_DESC
It would be possible to convert a planets entire reproduction to cloning. It would require a vast genetic database, and an enormous dedicated facility--probably several networked together.


BLD_PLANET_GENOME
Planetary Genome Project
BLD_PLANET_GENOME_DESC
Map the genome of every single species on a planet. This greatly improves health and farming potential for that world, and slightly increases the maximum population.

BLD_PLANET_CONSC
Planetary Consciousness
BLD_PLANET_CONSC_DESC
Using a vast network of computers, coupled with relatively simple brainwave transceivers, grant all citizens of a planet an awareness of all living things around them and their place within. Greatly improves farming potential with some side benefit to health, happiness and trade.

BLD_ORBITAL_FARM
Orbital Farm Complex
BLD_ORBITAL_FARM_DESC
A monumental network of orbiting farms with every conceivable environment required to produce any food, tethered by a space elevator to the planet. Greatly increases both base and maximum farming output.

BLD_CLONE_CENTER
Cloning Center
BLD_CLONE_CENTER_DESC
A network of cloning facilities that produce tailored individuals for an entire planet. Population growth increases greatly and genetic disease is effectively eliminated.


techs.xml

Code: Select all

<Tech>
  <name>GRO_PLANET_GENOME</name>
  <description>GRO_PLANET_GENOME_DESC</description>
  <type>TT_APPLICATION</type>
  <category>GROWTH_CATEGORY</category>
  <research_cost>20</research_cost>
  <research_turns>5</research_turns>
  <prerequisites>
    <prereq>GRO_GENETIC_ENG</prereq>
  </prerequisites>
  <unlocked_items>
    <Item> 
      <type>UIT_BUILDING</type> 
      <name>BLD_PLANET_GENOME</name> 
    </Item> 
  </unlocked_items>
  <graphic></graphic>
</Tech>

<Tech>
  <name>GRO_PLANET_CONSC</name>
  <description>GRO_PLANET_CONSC_DESC</description>
  <type>TT_APPLICATION</type>
  <category>GROWTH_CATEGORY</category>
  <research_cost>40</research_cost>
  <research_turns>5</research_turns>
  <prerequisites>
    <prereq>GRO_SYMBIOTIC_BIO</prereq>
  </prerequisites>
  <unlocked_items>
    <Item> 
      <type>UIT_BUILDING</type> 
      <name>BLD_PLANET_CONSC</name> 
    </Item> 
  </unlocked_items>
  <graphic></graphic>
</Tech>

<Tech>
  <name>GRO_ORBITAL_FARM</name>
  <description>GRO_ORBITAL_FARM_DESC</description>
  <type>TT_APPLICATION</type>
  <category>GROWTH_CATEGORY</category>
  <research_cost>80</research_cost>
  <research_turns>5</research_turns>
  <prerequisites>
    <prereq>GRO_ORBIT_FARMING</prereq>
  </prerequisites>
  <unlocked_items>
    <Item> 
      <type>UIT_BUILDING</type> 
      <name>BLD_ORBITAL_FARM</name> 
    </Item> 
  </unlocked_items>
  <graphic></graphic>
</Tech>

<Tech>
  <name>GRO_CLONE_CENTER</name>
  <description>GRO_CLONE_CENTER_DESC</description>
  <type>TT_APPLICATION</type>
  <category>GROWTH_CATEGORY</category>
  <research_cost>150</research_cost>
  <research_turns>5</research_turns>
  <prerequisites>
    <prereq>GRO_INDUSRY_CLONE</prereq>
  </prerequisites>
  <unlocked_items>
    <Item> 
      <type>UIT_BUILDING</type> 
      <name>BLD_CLONE_CENTER</name> 
    </Item> 
  </unlocked_items>
  <graphic></graphic>
</Tech>
buildings.xml

Code: Select all

 <BuildingType> 
   <name>BLD_PLANET_GENOME</name> 
   <description>BLD_PLANET_GENOME_DESC</description> 
   <build_cost>100</build_cost> 
   <build_time>10</build_time> 
   <maintenance_cost>20</maintenance_cost> 
   <effects>
     <EffectsGroup>
       <scope>
         <Condition::Contains>
           <Condition::Self/>
         </Condition::Contains> 
       </scope>
       <activation> 
         <Condition::Or>
           <Condition::FocusType>
             <primary>1</primary>
             <FocusType>FOCUS_RESEARCH</FocusType>
           </Condition::FocusType>
           <Condition::FocusType>
             <primary>1</primary>
             <FocusType>FOCUS_FARMING</FocusType>
           </Condition::FocusType>
           <Condition::FocusType>
             <primary>0</primary>
             <FocusType>FOCUS_FARMING</FocusType>
           </Condition::FocusType>
         </Condition::Or>
       </activation>
       <effects>
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_HEALTH</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxHealth+4</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_FARMING</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxFarming+6</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_POPULATION</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxPopulation*1.05</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
       </effects> 
     </EffectsGroup> 
   </effects>
   <graphic/>
 </BuildingType> 

 <BuildingType> 
   <name>BLD_PLANET_CONSC</name> 
   <description>BLD_PLANET_CONSC_DESC</description> 
   <build_cost>100</build_cost> 
   <build_time>8</build_time> 
   <maintenance_cost>10</maintenance_cost> 
   <effects>
     <EffectsGroup>
       <scope>
         <Condition::Contains>
           <Condition::Self/>
         </Condition::Contains> 
       </scope>
       <activation> 
         <Condition::Or>
           <Condition::FocusType>
             <primary>1</primary>
             <FocusType>FOCUS_FARMING</FocusType>
           </Condition::FocusType>
           <Condition::FocusType>
             <primary>0</primary>
             <FocusType>FOCUS_FARMING</FocusType>
           </Condition::FocusType>
         </Condition::Or>
       </activation>
       <effects>
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_HEALTH</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxHealth+3</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_FARMING</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxFarming+5</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_TRADE</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxTrade+2</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
       </effects> 
     </EffectsGroup> 
   </effects>
   <graphic/>
 </BuildingType> 

 <BuildingType> 
   <name>BLD_ORBITAL_FARM</name> 
   <description>BLD_ORBITAL_FARM_DESC</description> 
   <build_cost>200</build_cost> 
   <build_time>8</build_time> 
   <maintenance_cost>30</maintenance_cost> 
   <effects>
     <EffectsGroup>
       <scope>
         <Condition::Contains>
           <Condition::Self/>
         </Condition::Contains> 
       </scope>
       <activation> 
         <Condition::And>
           <Condition::Or>
             <Condition::FocusType>
               <primary>1</primary>
               <FocusType>FOCUS_FARMING</FocusType>
             </Condition::FocusType>
             <Condition::FocusType>
               <primary>0</primary>
               <FocusType>FOCUS_FARMING</FocusType>
             </Condition::FocusType>
           </Condition::Or>
           <Condition::MeterValue>
             <meter>METER_CONSTRUCTION</meter>
             <low>40</low>
             <high>999</high>
             <max_meter>0</max_meter>
           </Condition::MeterValue>     
         </Condition::And>
       </activation>
       <effects>
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_FARMING</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxFarming+12</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_FARMING</meter> 
           <value>Target.CurrentFarming+6</value> 
           <max>0</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
       </effects> 
     </EffectsGroup> 
   </effects>
   <graphic/>
 </BuildingType> 

 <BuildingType> 
   <name>BLD_CLONE_CENTER</name> 
   <description>BLD_CLONE_CENTER_DESC</description> 
   <build_cost>300</build_cost> 
   <build_time>8</build_time> 
   <maintenance_cost>40</maintenance_cost> 
   <effects>
     <EffectsGroup>
       <scope>
         <Condition::Contains>
           <Condition::Self/>
         </Condition::Contains> 
       </scope>
       <activation> 
         <Condition::MeterValue>
           <meter>METER_CONSTRUCTION</meter>
           <low>30</low>
           <high>999</high>
           <max_meter>0</max_meter>
         </Condition::MeterValue>     
       </activation>
       <effects>
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_HEALTH</meter> 
           <value>Target.MaxHealth+12</value> 
           <max>1</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
         <Effect::SetMeter> 
           <meter>METER_HEALTH</meter> 
           <value>Target.CurrentHealth+6</value> 
           <max>0</max> 
         </Effect::SetMeter> 
       </effects> 
     </EffectsGroup> 
   </effects>
   <graphic/>
 </BuildingType> 
i have several more ready to go. let me know
thanks
of course i think i'm right. if i thought i was wrong, i'd change my mind

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Geoff the Medio
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#9 Post by Geoff the Medio »

Rather than one-per-planet buildings, I think the focus should be more on one-per-empire, one-per-galaxy and two-or-three-per-empire type buildings. Each of these buildings would be a major project for the empire and would have wide ranging or very significant effects, such that a single building is important strategically to the empire. You're right that they're somewhat equivalent to a civ wonder... but in FO, a planet (or, IMO a whoe system) is equivalent to a Civ city... Civ wonders are one per empire or one per planet, so the equivalent for FO would be one per empire or one per galaxy, not one per planet...

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#10 Post by moxy »

hmm. well what youre describing are what i think of as the 'empire wonders' and 'galactic wonders' in the reqs doc. but i imagined that these would comprise the minority of the total buildings. not as small a minority as civ since we have fewer buildings overall, but i guess something like 20%-50% roughly. after all, if most of the buildings have empire-wide or large AoE effects, then whats the point of distinguishing where stuff gets built? i didnt include any of these 'wonder' buildings yet, since i dont see how to specify them in the list of enums or buildings params. i thought for now i would simply call them buildings, but no, i havent included any yet. but does this sound like what you were thinking?

also when i say equivalent to civ wonders, i dont mean in the gameplay sense that city=planet, but in the sense that something big enough to show up in a galactic build queue would be something that from a planet-bound civ-perspective, would be considered a wonder. anything less than this from a civ perspective (regular civ buildings) would be abstracted in FO. so for now, i was trying to think of projects/buildings that would be vast and unique from a planetary perspective, but not necessarilly unique from a galactic perspective. sorry if that wasnt worded clearly.
of course i think i'm right. if i thought i was wrong, i'd change my mind

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Geoff the Medio
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#11 Post by Geoff the Medio »

I might be wrong, but my impression was that it'd be more common to have a planet on which nothing in the build queue is ever built, than it would be to have a planet with more than two "buildings"... so most buildings would be empire or galaxy wonders or semi-wonders.

The area effects of buildings don't have to be so large as to cover the whole empire... so the location of a particular building, or set of buildings if you're limit to a certain number, could still be quite important.

Presumably, though not now, we'll also be able to have buildings that let you build things that you can't elsewhere (similar to buidlings in Master of Magic)

We could also have buildings that can only be built at a certain location because they require a certain special on the planet to be built or to function

The location of buildings, even if they affect the whole empire or galaxy, is also important strategically, as if they could be captured or destroyed more easily in some locations. What planets are "safe" might vary throughout the game though... so you'd have to be concerned with safety now or safety long term...

That said, you're right that there's not a lot of useful stuff available in the effects and conditions enumerations and building parameters... What we have now is somewhat limited, and is, IMO, mostly useful just to get things tested and up and running in an initial form. Many more useful and powerful effects and conditions should be added later, including the 'anywhere in empire' condition...

Though, one could do a "within X distance" or "within Y starlane jumps" condition and a powerful bonus to meters effect that would be a pretty significant and important wonder at this point.

I suspect "allows to build" stuff (which might be "requires" on the thing to be built) will be more significant long term though...

Another thing to keep in mind is that the point of having the meters on the planets to determine resource production and for there to be bonuses and penalties and meter current and max values as we do was so that we could eliminate the standard generic buildings that often are required in empire-building games. These are the autofactories or autolabs or libraries or marketplaces that you end up building at just about every medium or large city. It's tedious and repetative... so the idea was to abstract it into the meters. Rather that building a library, you just wait a while and the meter goes up... and you build the big important and *rare* wonders that increase the max meter values for multiple planets / systems at once... but since they're rare, you only build a few and it's not so repetative, and where you build them becomes an important consideration, as discussed above.

Does that all make sense?

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#12 Post by moxy »

Geoff the Medio wrote:I might be wrong, but my impression was that it'd be more common to have a planet on which nothing in the build queue is ever built, than it would be to have a planet with more than two "buildings"... so most buildings would be empire or galaxy wonders or semi-wonders.
i see. i was thinking slightly more than that. fewer than moo/civ for sure, but not quite that few. also, bear in mind that the average buildings per planet will necessarilly increase after the early game, on into the end game.
Geoff the Medio wrote:The area effects of buildings don't have to be so large as to cover the whole empire... so the location of a particular building, or set of buildings if you're limit to a certain number, could still be quite important.
agreed. altho i didnt want to go to the AoE well too often. i find effects of X starlane jumps to be unintuitive and hard to visualize, especially for X>1.
Geoff the Medio wrote:The location of buildings, even if they affect the whole empire or galaxy, is also important strategically, as if they could be captured or destroyed more easily in some locations. What planets are "safe" might vary throughout the game though... so you'd have to be concerned with safety now or safety long term...
agreed. absolutely.
Geoff the Medio wrote:Another thing to keep in mind is that the point of having the meters on the planets to determine resource production and for there to be bonuses and penalties and meter current and max values as we do was so that we could eliminate the standard generic buildings that often are required in empire-building games. These are the autofactories or autolabs or libraries or marketplaces that you end up building at just about every medium or large city. It's tedious and repetative... so the idea was to abstract it into the meters. Rather that building a library, you just wait a while and the meter goes up... and you build the big important and *rare* wonders that increase the max meter values for multiple planets / systems at once... but since they're rare, you only build a few and it's not so repetative, and where you build them becomes an important consideration, as discussed above.
oh yes, absolutely agreed. i would hope i hadnt given the impression of wanting autofactories. i think the area where we differ is that i saw the moo/civ approach to buildings bad for two reasons. the repetitiveness of course. but equally i dislike the homogenization of your worlds. i really want my planets to develop a uniqueness, a personality. yes focus does this. but whats to distinguish one industry-focused world from another? just maxPop and current meter level? i guess i was hoping for a bit more. so i imagined the abstract buildings being more where the empire-wide effects would be. of course everyone wants auto-factories and hydroponic farms. dont bother me with that. but the uber-auto-factory--that which separates the true power-house planet from a mere industrial planet? that i want to place myself.

another reason im hesitant to go too many empire-wide and regional effects is that it seems at first glance that this contributes to the snowball effect. if every effect is an area effect, then its total contribution to your empire is proportional to the number of planets you control. but output already scales with number of planets. if number of planets becomes too important then a larger empire will snowball ahead of smaller ones, just by virtue of having expanded faster. the fewer-better-planets as opposed to many-mediocre-planets strategy doesnt seem as viable. i cant say for sure, but thats my impression.

i might be splitting hairs a bit here tho. since we agree there should be some wonderific buildings, ill try to write more of those instead and then we can work our down to the lesser buildings, rather than starting at the bottom and working up as i planned. after all its only meant to be a start. then we'll see if we can agree on a balance.
of course i think i'm right. if i thought i was wrong, i'd change my mind

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Geoff the Medio
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#13 Post by Geoff the Medio »

moxy wrote:bear in mind that the average buildings per planet will necessarilly increase after the early game, on into the end game.
Assuming that after the early game, the galaxy is mostly filled, so the total number of populated planets isn't increasing, it's true that any additional buidlings will increase the average buildings per planet, but this doesn't have to be a very large increase. If the later-game buildings cost much more (and accordingly do much more) than the early game ones, then the total number of buildings being built at any time in the game could perhaps be kept relatively constant... As long as the player doesn't end up building more than ten copies of any building, any more than three or five of some, and any more than one of, say, half the buildings, and most planets have less than three buildings for the whole game, we'll be ok.
agreed. altho i didnt want to go to the AoE well too often. i find effects of X starlane jumps to be unintuitive and hard to visualize, especially for X>1.
Don't forget within distance... it's a bit more... consistent / visualizable, in general.
i think the area where we differ is that i saw the moo/civ approach to buildings bad for two reasons. the repetitiveness of course. but equally i dislike the homogenization of your worlds. i really want my planets to develop a uniqueness, a personality. yes focus does this. but whats to distinguish one industry-focused world from another? just maxPop and current meter level? i guess i was hoping for a bit more.
Aquitaine (I think... may have been Tyreth) has commented on this repeatedly, stating that having rare, special buildings actually makes planets more unique, not less.

Consider that for v1.0, if we have lots of one-per-empire and one-per-galaxy and only-at-special-X requirements on lots of different buildings, then there'll be lots of planets, each with it's own unique particular special building that no other planets have. This won't be the case for v0.3 though, as as discussed, we lack the necessary effects and conditions and buidling properties and such...
so i imagined the abstract buildings being more where the empire-wide effects would be. of course everyone wants auto-factories and hydroponic farms. dont bother me with that. but the uber-auto-factory--that which separates the true power-house planet from a mere industrial planet? that i want to place myself.
That's a reasonable way to view it... but consider if instead of having uber-auto-factories that you can put wherever you want (even if doing so isn't a good idea since they're expensive)... what if you had only one wonder building you could place which increased the industry of all surrounding planets. This is now a much harder and important decision... which group of planets get the bonus, rather than which few, otherwise unrelated, and probably obviously worthy of getting an industry bonus, planets scattered about the empire...

I always want the player to be torn between the good and bad of placing something somewhere... and for the bad to be more than just the opportunity cost of not placing it elsewhere, if possible.

Also, ideally, rather than just having an auto-factory, why not have several different kinds of factory that the player can build, which each do somewhat different things.
-One might improve industry, but have an negative affect on farming within a given distance.
-Another might have only a bonus with no negative, but be much more expensive.
-Another might improve both your production, and the production of other empires.
-Another might give a small bonus to all planets in your empire, rather than a localized big bonus.
-Another might require a certain resource or special at its location or within some distance or in the empire's possesion.
-Another might have some chance of causing ion storms or removing positive specials at nearby systems / planets.
if every effect is an area effect, then its total contribution to your empire is proportional to the number of planets you control.
Not if you keep the areas quite small... say within 1 starlane jump, or twice the typical intersystem distance is... then the total effect doesn't depend on the size of your empire (as long as it's bigger than a few systems...)
after all its only meant to be a start. then we'll see if we can agree on a balance.
Yes, it's more important at this point to just get something written and tested... But it's also good to work out the rationale behind how things will be implemented long term...

Tyreth
FreeOrion Lead Emeritus
Posts: 885
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 6:23 am
Location: Australia

#14 Post by Tyreth »

Without having tried to balance the requirements and advantages of each of these buildings, I have added your contributions to the game, moxy.

From there we can adjust and tweak to be more balanced.

If anyone is working on anything for this request, you need to submit it soon. We may be only a couple of weeks from a 0.3 release, so we're trying to get everything we can finished and polished before that.

moxy
Space Floater
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2005 5:02 pm
Location: Toronto ON

#15 Post by moxy »

based on the discussion with Geoff, ive re-thought the apps/buildings i was working on and tried to scale them up a bit. i know have 20 apps-building pairs of a more wonderific nature, scattered fairly evenly through-out the tech tree. also there are 10 basic direct-effect apps with no buildings. 2 in each tree's first tier. i included a few of the samples and a couple of the ideas i got from looking at the other tech-tree threads from last year.

ill paste the excerpts from the eng_stringtable.txt for easy reading, but the xml ill just link - theyre too big.

the effects im keeping fairly simple for now. i dont think the effects and conditions are worked out enough yet to worry much about them. i gather the idea is to just get some apps and buildings in the tree and flesh out the effects after. in particular, im modifying the current values in some techs even though i know this is a no-no. currently i dont see any way to directly boost the development of any one resource. construction can be increased, but this applies equally to all meters. it might make more sense if the formula for meter growth had the max value as a factor.

i.e. instead of:
Meter Change = Current Construction / (10 + Current Resource Meter)
something like:
Meter Change = Current Construction / (10 + Current Resource Meter) * (Max Resource Meter - Current Resource Meter) / 50

so that raising the max value thru a building or app would have an immediate effect on growth. as it is however, where i intend to kickstart meters with low values, i use a plus to max, and a tiny plus to current, with an activation only on low values. the intention is to make the value rise more quickly to a minimum threshhold. im sure there will be a better way to do this later.
CON_GRAVITY_WELLS
Controlled gravity wells

CON_GRAVITY_WELLS_DESC
To be able to turn a planet's gravity on or off like a light switch, but in a narrow well, would require a costly expedition to the planet core to install a massive null gravity generator. But how useful! Industry would have all the benefits of low-G and zero-G, without the drawbacks. And reverse gravity wells would make space launches cost practically nothing.

CON_MEGALITH
Megalith Construction

CON_MEGALITH_DESC
Mastering advanced orbital construction techniques, scientists create methods to enable construction of the awe inspiring Megalith.

CON_ORBITAL_FACT
Orbital Factories

CON_ORBITAL_FACT_DESC
Since all colonies begin in space, and raw materals are largely imported from off-world. it would seem absurd to abandon orbit, where the manufacturing work so badly needed for upstart colonies can be done more cheaply anyways. And yet this is just what colonists have been doing up until now. By equipping new colonies with pre-built orbital factory kits, we can help make use of the natural resource of low orbit.

CON_PLANET_RING
Planetary Ring

CON_PLANET_RING_DESC
A fantastic possibility. Space elevators are now a relatively modest task. We could place several in a ring around a world like spokes in a wheel, then connect them together by enormous chains of satelites and space stations, including the many already existing ones.

CON_SPACE_ELEVATOR
Space Elevator

CON_SPACE_ELEVATOR_DESC
The only way to fly. Dispense with the expensive, inefficient, and highly dangerous rocket launches to escape velocity. We can now build a massive elevator from the ground to low orbit.

CON_SUBTER_CONST
Subterranean Construction

CON_SUBTER_CONST_DESC
When space is at a premium, the holy grail of construction is the ability to build down as easily as up. Modern techniques can finally make this possible.

ECO_COLONIAL_ECO
Colonial Economic Blueprinting

ECO_COLONIAL_ECO_DESC
With advanced economic planning now a reality, the economy for an entire developing world can be blueprinted with the same precision as a physical building. Upstart markets can now tap into their raw potential for growth, without getting mired in the traditionally immature "wild frontier" mentality.

ECO_COMM_UNION
Commercial Union of the Colonies

ECO_COMM_UNION_DESC
A break-through in the application of economic spectroscopy, bio-memetics, digital psychology and advanced game theory, a research paper published by an unknown genius under the modest title of 'Economic Unity in the Colonial Age' has the potential to transform the empire's entire economy. All it needs is a little time--and a lot of funding.

ECO_DEEP_GREEN
Deep Green

ECO_DEEP_GREEN_DESC
The quantum fractal nature of the equations of economic spectroscopy make all but the relatively superficial analyses impractical for most markets. However a massive computer, designed from the ground up to handle the unusual algorithms, could supply the entire empire with economic foresight and stability.

ECO_ECO_ETHER
Economic Etherealization

ECO_ECO_ETHER_DESC
In the Exodus age of vast possiblities, it is regrettable that the economic systems of the world have been largely dragged kicking and screaming away from the old paper and pencil, trading floor mentality. It is time to dispense with out-dated, corporeal economic systems once and for all and transcend to a purer plane of digital information and virtual presence. This transition will boost the markets of all worlds, especially those largest.

ECO_PARADISE
Paradise Planet

ECO_PARADISE_DESC
This would be ultimate paradise, a planet-sized tourist resort. It would require converting the entire economic structure of a world, but the benefits to the empire would be far-reaching.

GRO_CADUCEAN
The Caducean Institute

GRO_CADUCEAN_DESC
An institute that is at once the greatest medical academy, and greatest center for treatment of disease, the Caducean Institute will supply the empire with the highest quality of health care for generations to come.

GRO_GENOME_BANK
Genome Bank

GRO_GENOME_BANK_DESC
The unkown variables in genomic calculations for our species remain severe for all but the simplest genetic repairs, not to mention the changes that a genetic modification can potentially have on the larger environment. To truly realize the benefits of genetic medicine, a massive genome database must be collected for all the species of the empire. It will be the single largest database ever constructed, a wonder to behold.

GRO_LIVING_PLANET
The Living Planet

GRO_LIVING_PLANET_DESC
If it were possible to completely understand the ecology of a single planet, and map out its entire web of interdependance, both sentient and non-sentient, a single computer program, run on a vast planet-spanning network could regulate the planet's entire biosphere. Besides furnishing the world with substantially increased farming and population growth, this Living Planet could be a huge boon to biological research throughout the empire.

GRO_ORBITAL_GARDENS
Orbital Gardens

GRO_ORBITAL_GARDENS_DESC
A marvel of engineering and design, the Orbital Gardens feature samples of flora gathered from throughout the known galaxy, each culitvated within the wide range of artificial environments re-created within this small artificial moon.

GRO_URBAN_FARM
Urban Farming

GRO_URBAN_FARM_DESC
On industrialized worlds, where arable land is rare to non-existent, the capability to produce food in hydroponic or aeroponic envioronments tightly packed into multi-storey buildings becomes critical to maintain food output.

GRO_WASTE_RESEQU
Waste Resequencing

GRO_WASTE_RESEQU_DESC
Farming on colonial worlds can seen an insurmountable task in the early going. By learning better how to genetically resequence a colonies own biological waste, the necessary nutrients can be cheaply produced locally, if somewhat unpleasantly.

LRN_COLLECTIVE_NET
Collective Thought Network

LRN_COLLECTIVE_NET_DESC
By transferring the mind into cyberspace, thousands of minds can act as one, solving problems and making breakthroughs that no single mind could.

LRN_DISTRIB_THOUGHT
Distributed Thought Computing

LRN_DISTRIB_THOUGHT_DESC
The average citizen literally wastes his mind away, one of the finest computing devices in the universe. By tapping into the idle brain cycles of a sufficiently large population through a network of simple cybernetic transceivers, the research centers of a world can gain access to cheap and plentiful raw computing power.

LRN_ENCLAVE_VOID
Enclave of the Void

LRN_ENCLAVE_VOID_DESC
Study of the Void Mind could be accelerated by genetically engineering the populace of an entire world to be attuned to the Void. This priestly class could transform the entire social structure of their world to better understand and channel the wisdom of the Void Mind to the entire empire.

LRN_EXODUS_EDUC
Exodus Education

LRN_EXODUS_EDUC_DESC
Since the brightest among our population are being drawn to the Exodus to the stars, now is the time to re-vamp our education system on the colonies. The traditional school systems are woefully inadequate for these adventurers. Education must be re-thought for the Exodus society. Learning is no longer limited to the classroom, neither to the young. A new era in education will help develop research among the younger colonies and their brilliant citizenry.

LRN_LOOKING_GLASS
The Looking Glass

LRN_LOOKING_GLASS_DESC
A window into Space-Time, the Looking Glass will be the ultimate museum. Instead of excavating the the ancient ruins of our ancestors, we can just open a window into time! Great leaders of the past will no longer be accessible only thru books and holo-vids. The citizenry of the entire empire will come flocking to see. And pay.

LRN_MONUMENT_EXODUS
Monument to Exodus

LRN_MONUMENT_EXODUS_DESC
The greatest of the worlds artists and engineers will be called together to produce a design for a fitting tribute to the accomplishments of our people, and usher in the Exodus Age.

LRN_PSICORP
PsiCorp

LRN_PSICORP_DESC
It is now possible to identify the nascent psionic abilites inherent in rare citizens through-out the empire. But to truly cultivate their gifts, it would be necessary to create an academy dedicated to psionics. Then a highly trained task-force of the Psi elite could be assigned to the empire's research projects as conduits and amplifiers for our greatests minds.

PRO_ART_BLACK_HOLE
Artifical Black Hole

PRO_ART_BLACK_HOLE_DESC
To carefully collapse a singularity in a distant solar orbit would be an incredibly useful thing. Expensive, yes. But imagine the benefit of a convenient located source of unlimited power.

PRO_EXOBOTS
Exobots

PRO_EXOBOTS_DESC
Exobots, as they become commonly known, are a marvel of form meets function. They are robots designed to fulfill nearly any manufacturing job, in fields as wide ranging as electronics to large-scale construction. Easily mass produced, they serve best on colonies that lack the infrastructure and work force to dedicate to specialized factories. Every colony receives a standard issue team of exobots, boosting their construction during the early development phase.

PRO_FUSION_PLANTS
Fusion Plants

PRO_FUSION_PLANTS_DESC
Fusion plants, while expensive to produce and maintain, easily pay for themselves on industrialized worlds with ever increasing power demands. Reliance on old fission based nuclear plants will gradually become a thing of the past.

PRO_HYPER_DAMN
Hyperspatial Damn

PRO_HYPER_DAMN_DESC
Once the greatest fear of N-dimensional physicists, now the noblest goal. To deliberately create a hyperspatial rift between our universe and the next, but inside a dimensional bubble, safely separate from our own space-time. Once this is accomplished, it would be a relatively simple matter to tap into the enormous flow of energy that would travel across the rift.

PRO_MINI_SUN
Miniature Sun

PRO_MINI_SUN_DESC
Domination of the night sky is within our grasp. A magnetically contained, self-perpetuating fusion reaction could be safely built and placed in coincident orbit above a planet's night facing hemisphere.

PRO_REMOTE_CONST
Remote Construction

PRO_REMOTE_CONST_DESC
Once matter becomes as transferable as data, why not build a network of matter 'servers'? Our colonies that lack the necessary infrastructure for large-scale construction could be shipped construction 'clients' that, in effect, download the materials and designs from a team of centrally located professionals.

BLD_GRAVITY_WELLS
Controlled gravity wells

BLD_GRAVITY_WELLS_DESC
Install a null gravity generator on a world, greatly boosting industry and commerce in the system.

BLD_MEGALITH
Megalith

BLD_MEGALITH_DESC
A marvel of Exodus-era Architecture, the Megalith is an abnormally massive Starscrapper, kilometers in diameter. The Megalith is an inspiration to architects sector-wide and is often the crown jewel of a powerful real estate mogul's empire.

BLD_PLANET_RING
Planetary Ring

BLD_PLANET_RING_DESC
A massive ring of satelites completely encircling a world, tethered to the planet by 12 space elevators around the equator. These are used for housing, micro-gravity construction and inter-world trade.

BLD_SPACE_ELEVATOR
Space Elevator

BLD_SPACE_ELEVATOR_DESC
An enormous and practically unbreakable line of cable tethered to a satelite in geo-stationary low orbit on one end, and a launch platform on the planet-bound end. The space elevator boosts the trade for the entire system.

BLD_COMM_UNION
Commercial Union of the Colonies

BLD_COMM_UNION_DESC
Establish the Commerical Union of the Colonies (CUC). The first empire to complete the CUC gains an empire wide bonus to trade on all worlds.

BLD_DEEP_GREEN
Deep Green

BLD_DEEP_GREEN_DESC
A central economic forecast computer used to boost all the markets in the empire.

BLD_PARADISE
Paradise Planet

BLD_PARADISE_DESC
Convert one world into the Paradise Planet, giving an enormous boost to trade and tourism in the region. This world may never exceed industrial or mining output greater than 30.

BLD_CADUCEAN
The Caducean Institute

BLD_CADUCEAN_DESC
A vast government operated medical academy and hospital, designed to serve the needs of the entire empire.

BLD_GENOME_BANK
Genome Bank

BLD_GENOME_BANK_DESC
The largest database ever conceived. The Genome Bank includes maps of the genomes of every organism known to the empire. This database is invaluable in the treatment of disease and in establishing farming colonies.

BLD_LIVING_PLANET
The Living Planet

BLD_LIVING_PLANET_DESC
Convert a planet into the Living Planet by way of a sentient, almost god-like, cell-based computer program. This planet will be known throughout the empire as a celebration of life and harmony. This world may never exceed industrial or mining output greater than 30.

BLD_ORBITAL_GARDENS
Orbital Gardens

BLD_ORBITAL_GARDENS_DESC
Construct the Orbital Gardens--an enormous moon-like satelite in orbit above a world. It will be a testament throughout the galaxy to your ability to harness your environment. Besides being an excellent tourist attraction, research conducted here helps boost farming on all worlds in your empire.

BLD_COLLECTIVE_NET
Collective Thought Network

BLD_COLLECTIVE_NET_DESC
By transferring the mind into cyberspace, thousands of minds can act as one, solving problems and making breakthroughs that no single mind could.

BLD_ENCLAVE_VOID
Enclave of the Void

BLD_ENCLAVE_VOID_DESC
Convert the population of an entire planet into a priest class, genetically attuned to the Void Mind and dedicated to channeling its wisdom to the empire. This world may never exceed industrial or mining output greater than 30.

BLD_LOOKING_GLASS
The Looking Glass

BLD_LOOKING_GLASS_DESC
Construct the Looking Glass, a space-time museum of galactic fame. Both tourism and science benefit from its exhibits.

BLD_MONUMENT_EXODUS
Monument to Exodus

BLD_MONUMENT_EXODUS_DESC
Construct the mighty Monument to Exodus, a massive orbiting sculpture visible from the ground and to passing ships. Your triumph over the starlanes will never be forgotten and your people will forever be emboldened to colonize new worlds. Increases population growth on all frontier worlds.

BLD_PSICORP
PsiCorp

BLD_PSICORP_DESC
Initiate the PsiCorp program and academy. Psionically gifted citizens throughout the colonies will be trained to develop their abilities to the benefit of the most advanced research programs of the empire.

BLD_ART_BLACK_HOLE
Artifical Black Hole

BLD_ART_BLACK_HOLE_DESC
A constructed singularity in a distant orbit in one system. Its power is harnessed to advance industry for all nearby worlds.

BLD_HYPER_DAMN
Hyperspatial Damn

BLD_HYPER_DAMN_DESC
A tear in the fabric of the universe, safely controlled and harnessed. The hyperspatial damn serves as a source of nearly unlimited energy for the entire sector.

BLD_MINI_SUN
Miniature Sun

BLD_MINI_SUN_DESC
A miniature sun keeps the night sky above the world perpetually twilit. Besides being good for morale, the fusion reactor serves as a convenient source of energy for all planets in the system.

BLD_REMOTE_CONST
Remote Construction

BLD_REMOTE_CONST_DESC
Build a central construction server. A team of construction workers and robots can assemble structures on distant worlds without the need for freighters or construction vessels. Only a small matter-terminal ship is needed. Quickly raises the industry on all worlds to that of an Established world.
the complete xml and strings file are here:
http://neocrat.com/freeorion/

there are no doubt lots of mistakes still. other than a quick proof, making sure the game loads them up ok and clicking around the tech tree to look for crashes, its hard to test much. ill try to go over them a little more carefully, but would like to get some feedback on the ones so far. someone could probably help sex up the names a bit too.
of course i think i'm right. if i thought i was wrong, i'd change my mind

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