Discussion: Buildable Platforms/Buildings Creating Platforms?

I don't know how well this will go over with people, I also don't know if it's good, that's why this is a discussion. I'm sure there are many things I have missed, and many people who will not care either way. Anyway, on to the topic.

In the alpha trailer we saw an asteroid, with all it's engines pointing in the same direction, as if they were built on a flat surface. Wouldn't it be interesting if we could build platforms that would give us a completely flat surface? This would allow us to form our bases and the terrain to our advantage.

-Platforms would stick out of the ground somewhat
-Adjacent grid-snapping two platforms beside each other would merge the second with the first, creating a larger platform with the same surface angle of the first.
-There would be three sizes of platform:
-Small: A small platform, about the size of a halley, it sticks out of the ground below it, and ramps can be built that would give access to it, allowing for players to build impassable cliff faces at their whim.
-Medium: Would be about the size of four halleys, and would come with ramps all around, no cliff faces here, but gives a flat space for base construction.
-Large: Would fit three halleys, ramps on all sides. These would not overlap with other large platforms, so two adjacent ones would have different surface angles relative to each other.
-Platforms can be built on top of each other, and other structures can be built on top of platforms.
-If the difference in surface angles between the surface of the platform and the surface of the ground beneath it becomes to great (say larger than 30 degrees) the platform would align to the surface of the planet instead of the platform it would be merged with. An angled link is then made between the two platforms, allowing units to cross.

This structure would allow you to build your base as you see fit, around a terrain layout of your choice.

The other option, instead of platforms being able to be built by bots, and therefore potentially taking up another build slot, or a command (such as "level terrain" or something), would be to make it so that the gray base that appears under most buildings is the platform, and have those buildings stick out of the ground somewhat, on platforms. Buildings that are grid snapped to another building merge platforms with it, and therefore become aligned to the same surface plane. The platforms under the buildings would have the same effects/restrictions as the normal ones. Area command building multiple structures will create a single (or a few sections of) platform that are all merged together, and therefore snapped to the same surface plane. If a structure is not completed, the platform remains, however the platform is considered in the build cost of the structure, the larger the platform/the farther it must stick out of the ground, the more expensive the structure.

Perhaps a hotkey for building something with a platform rather than on the ground, so that you have an option either way? Do you want to spend the resources or not, essentially.

Note that this suggestion would affect aesthetics as well as gameplay.

What do you guys think? Interesting? Needs work? Plain bad? Honestly don't see the need/really don't care?

I feel like this idea could be cool if used as a way to create a fort or build a very formal looking base. The way I am imagining this is as the ability to raise terrain to create artificial high ground that could be useful for funneling ground units. If so, I feel like that could be nice to see, although it could also have its down sides, such as making static defense even more powerful and/or creating more unit pathing issues. Overall though, its certainly something to be considered.

On a separate thought, how nice it would look to see Halley engines all nice and lined up like in the trailer.

That is pretty much exactly how I envisioned it as well.

The way I envision this idea is like the really old game Bolo where the ground was destructible, but players could also build ground. This was useful for paving a base or creating a road to expedite movement, but also for building bridges across water or roads through impassable or very rough terrain.

Currently the major applications of the idea to PA are limited to building land over water or replacing destroyed terrain. But if biomes/terrain impacted unit movement or building placement it could be very useful there as well.

It might let you patch up a crater, or build a bridge over water. I think this will add more tactical variation.

interesting

The only time I would be really interested in "platforms" would be if we could build a floating base on gas giants. even though they are confirmed "mostly orbital play" I still think this could be a possibility. As far as everywhere else, I think it could be interesting but extremely hard to balance, and it would encourage turtle play.

Regarding the alpha trailer where we saw an asteroid, with all it's engines pointing in the same direction I think that that is something that needs to be addressed. Maybe not with platforms but still something that needs to be figured out. Maybe when using engines the ground of the asteroid gets cut away to make them all point in the same direction.

Personally, Im not a fan of platforms. I do agree that the engines look nicer if they all fact the same direction.

I toke a look at the Trailer, please keep in mind that the trailer is only a visual representation and features no real gameplay. The side that the engines where build on was flat, so all engines are aimed at the same direction. If I look at the size of the T1 pgen, the engines and the asteroid size are relatively the same that we use ingame.

So my conclusion is the difference is the shape of the asteroid, aka the "Hight" slider in the planet creator.

You'd think they'd be more efficient in the same direction. It would make sense for an engine to automatically have a platform/scaffolding made to match the orientation of existing engines.

Floating platforms would be great. Sad people like me would spend ages building a dyson sphere against a weak ai just because

The problem with platforms is either you build them into the planet, you basicly cut away a part of the planet,(terraforming). And if you let the plathform stick out it would be a pain for you fabbers too reach it and it would look very unnatural. Personally, I don't think it would work.

I like dyson spheres, but I really don't think these super structures are meant to be build by the player.

It wouldn't work, just perhaps look a bit like one

Why would you need floating platforms?

Hence the other option.

I am aware that it is only a visualization, that's why this is a suggestion which I have labeled as "I don't know if anyone will care". Also, larger platforms would automatically have ramps on all sides so that fabbers wouldn't have an issue getting up onto them.

Personally I think the idea of making a massive space vessel out of an asteroid, and then making it look cool using platforms would be pretty awesome. That's just my opinion though.

The gameplay function of this that I am thinking about is, suppose a planet has been hit by an asteroid and a substantial fraction of the surface is now unbuildable lava. Suppose you could build a platform on the planet allowing you to build structures on its surface again. This would cost resources, of course. And any mex spots would still be gone, since they would be permanently destroyed by the asteroid.

This might also be used to make lava buildable and pathable on lava worlds, or to make land bridges across water, or build land structures on water, or make rough/impassable terrain pathable, or make unbuildable terrain buildable.

The same platforms would also be destructible by the same methods that land is destructible. The only real difference would probably be a texture.

That would be another use for what i'm suggesting. I'd probably use something like the "building foundation" texture that is already used.

I do endorse platforms, also 'cos sometimes one's base ends up being cut in two sections by cracks or small waters (Bots should be able to traverse short waters anyway). Of course if use as bridges they should be neutral and allowing enemy units to transverse as well.

Perhaps one size fits all would be enough?

But for the sake of realism, to move and orientate an asteroids in Space you better go with a set of Halleys featuring different orientations. Indeed, I like very much those wildly pointing spikes of fire when I annihilate.

I think this is a great idea.

Platforms would certainly make gas giants a more desirable space. From what I understand, the rough concept is that gas giants will merely be a place to get efficient energy and you can only use orbital, which doesn't really matter a whole lot during late game. But if platforms are introduced, you now have a constructable staging area for another base, a huge one at that.

Perhaps a little far-fetched, but what if the platforms we made were of the metal planet texture? Perhaps building enough platforms and gas mining stuff would allow you to create like a giant plasma cannon, or another metal planet.

It would certainly make the land reusable after an asteroid hit. I like the idea of using bridges to cross water - which means you could also place defensive land structures around water.

The one caveat I'd like to see: If the platforms are elevated, AA should be able to attack it, and at a certain point avengers should be able to attack the higher stacks.

Perhaps if you are doing multi-tiered platforms this would mean you should be able to build an elevator to move units between levels, which would also open the door up for space elevators. Perhaps a high enough platform would mean you could put a unit cannon on a big planet and shoot it to something not in orbit.

Lol, i'm making a link train across threads now, I guess.

I would much prefer to see gas giants as an air vehicle version of ocean planets, IE air only, as described in this thread: https://forums.uberent.com/threads/gas-planets-an-air-vehicle-haven.55801/

Hmmmm. I could let that slide only if you can give me a reason as to why you could build floating platforms but not be able to build floating land factories and connected generic platforms for the units to chill on.

Also, I love air. But there isn't any interplanetary travel for them yet. Perhaps if you could tell the teleporter to "raise" up its rotating chevron rings to "air height" and let planes fly through them. Or had some sort of massive drop pod or carrier full of planes that could be travel between planets.

I think the fact that PA is so ground based is great, but the air is a little lacking. If they include a viable air transport method, it would definitely add a completely different layer of strategy to the game. Especially if there are gas giants which would be havens for planes.

As I said: