New space station and income ideas

[kucsidave]

Lately I've been playing with the old star wars games(Xwing series and Rebellion) and thought that there are lots of stations that could come into ICW.
Golans are nice and all, but they are only equipped with anti corvette or bigger ship weaponry and some bomber groups can really do some damage against them.
There are the 6 Platforms in X-Wing Alliance which could serve a simmilar role to the Hand's Brask. You already use one of them in Ascendancy, so it wouldn't really need much work to port it to ICW. And to make it differ from the golans more, it could have anti-fighter weaponry only, since they were armed with laser cannons only and no turbolasers as much as I know. As an addition, since there is 6 versions of it, there could be some variety between New Republic, the Warlords and the Remnants. I know this is a lot of work, but the end result to bring at least one in would worth it. both gameplay, player choices and variety-wise. Like for a world able to build up to 5 stations like Kuat it does not need a Golan I next to 2 Golan III and 2 Golan II. But an anti-fighter station with more fighter groups could perfectly fit there, filling a gap.

My second idea is related to income.
There could be a space station that sacrafices defense capabilities for income. There is no need for golans 3 jumps away from any enemy planets. But income can always be good, especially if you are a warlord and have limited resources. I suggest making the asteroid mines buildable for the warlords, so their small territory could still produce an income good enough to make building up your forces possible. It wouldn't need much work, since the model is already in the game. Just require some coding.

On the ground, there could be more difference in income. OK, I know there are already two methods, but the only difference between the mining facility and the Tax Collection Agencies are minimal... Well, except for the Hand.
But 5 imperial factions having the same TCA is not the best idea... So i think the PA could move to a new building which would relate to trade, so it would also make a link to Ascendancy, where the PA has very good trade upgrades.

Also for the other warlords there could be some minor but more important difference in the Income, like Zsinj using TCAs, but cost slightly more, limited to 4/planet but would give a slightly larger bonus, while maldrood's being unlimited, cheaper but give a much smaller bonus.
Eriadu could use Mining Facilities for sake of some difference, but with different parameters from the NR's and Hand's version.

And I know that the DL is not even a third, but actually an 8th wheel, but they could have Mines too, since they had a thriving metal industry if I remember correctly.

[Helix345]

I actually really like the asteroid mining idea, especially since the model is already in game. When you start a GC with  planets and one of them is the maw, a bit of extra income instead of a golan would be fantastic!

[Corey]

First, we do intend to put something in as a "civilian" space station, however income will not be the primary use. As for other military stations, XQs would most likely only be used by a select few factions, though I do intend to put the one in from Ascendancy for certain of them (we actually do have one that's already in ICW, but it was cut years ago for a few reasons). Trade stations will only be used if we can actually make Sins-esque trade mechanics work.

On the ground, there could be more difference in income. OK, I know there are already two methods, but the only difference between the mining facility and the Tax Collection Agencies are minimal... Well, except for the Hand.
But 5 imperial factions having the same TCA is not the best idea...

Also for the other warlords there could be some minor but more important difference in the Income, like Zsinj using TCAs, but cost slightly more, limited to 4/planet but would give a slightly larger bonus, while maldrood's being unlimited, cheaper but give a much smaller bonus.
Eriadu could use Mining Facilities for sake of some difference, but with different parameters from the NR's and Hand's version.

This is where we run into difficulties. Having a single consistent Tax Agency situation among the Imperials (or giving one or two the Mining Facility) is much better than making even smaller artificial differences between the factions within what's essentially the same building, unless it were something like a "Corporation" you could build for the PA. The name difference brings at least some aesthetic variation to what's happening, and we can attach slightly different stats to it with a clear indicator of the fact that those differences exist, even if they're not huge. If, between the IR, Maldrood, Zsinj and Eriadu we tried to make it so they all used tax agencies, but the IR one was 10% better than the Eriadu one... Well, why? And how can that be communicated clearly? And who would notice? It doesn't really add as much for seasoned players, and for new players it's at best a non-factor and at worst confusing. Most likely the end result will be Eriadu, PA and maybe the NR with a new Corporation building (or trade if we can make it work properly), IR and Maldrood with Tax Agencies, and EotH, Zsinj and the Duskhan League with Mining Facilities. There will be slight differences within those buildings, but between the factions they will be the same.


Primarily my concern as far as space stattions go, though, is fixing the shipyards so they don't make battles where the AI is defending so terrible.

[kucsidave]

I have to admit, your words have truth in them. But then having a third kind of building would really be the best. Thank you for your considerations.