Making Space Travel Useful

[darknotezero]

Something that I wish was potentially implemented better is what happens in space transit.

In the early and mid game, traveling through space has a purpose more than transition - dealing with orbital research and unveiling the starmap. Once those things are complete, however, space travel becomes only about going from point A to point B where dupes are idling a majority of the time. This feels counter to how the rest of the game works - if a dupe is idling on an asteroid, you can usually find something for them to do.

So it would be nice if the dupes had something they could optionally do as they pass or stop in empty hexes to reduce the heavy idling. Ideas:

• a new spacefarer module building like the wall toilet that extends functionality outside of the walls, but instead of excreting PW, it's a sight-seeing telescope, or some 'collection from space' building
• Data Bank research. This was mentioned in another thread. Bring Data Banks back and use them for more of a purpose beyond the research tree. Maybe they contain data that adds more lore to artifacts/is needed for the artifact analysis station. alternatively it can be the main conduit for extended log entries
• Material Transit Exchanger. interplanetary payload transfer is great, but how about adding the ability to build a "transit point" in an empty hex that payload bullets can target? A rocket can then pick up (or drop off) materials at those transit points. A well-built transit network can allow for more flexibility in mid-late rocket design (this doesn't exactly solve idling once the network is completely set up, but it still gives more things to do in space in the meantime)

Just some thoughts.

 

 

[Primalflower]

I enjoy and second all three of these suggestions.