Possible use for Corium

[superscooper]

Was reading up last night on some of the Spaced Out! & Frosty Planet content last night (base game player here), when I meandered across Corium. After finding out more information about it and "how to get it" (air quotes), I thought of a semi-realistic way to actually implement a use for it in-game.

Make an RTG (radio-thermal generator) building.

RTG's are devices equipped (oftentimes) to long-range space probes to provide them with power when solar energy isn't exactly an option. In real-life they utilize the half-life decay of plutonium to generate heat, and from there (through thermo-couples), electricity. Though not particularly powerful power generators, their advantage isn't in their output, but rather in their longevity and "maintenance-free" operation.

RTG's are a technology we've utilized since the 1960's, and are featured on space probes such as Pioneer 10 & 11, and the two Voyager spacecraft. The latter of which are still operational almost 50 years later.

In a nutshell, the idea would be that if Corium was available, allow the player to use it as a secondary material to make an RTG (like plastic is to a Steam Turbine). If "lore-friendly", then the RTG wouldn't have to be particularly powerful. Maybe 400-600W. Once built, it would not require any fuel to operate. The provided Corium would be it's "fuel".

Though it would be more 'fun' if the buildings output power gradually decreased over X cycles (much like how real RTG's age), that might be problematic to implement in coding. So perhaps it would be easier if the building would output energy for, say, 50 cycles flat. To prevent players from exploiting it as free energy by deconstructing and reconstructing the building, delete half or all of the Corium upon building destruction. This would also provide the added consideration to the player to think carefully where they build it before doing so.

Truthfully, if a player is at a point in the game where they have accidentally made Corium, then power is likely not an issue for them. Still, it would be a fun building to offer them to utilize a so-far unutilized element. Kind of a consolation prize, haha.