IT and computers as a alternate use for intellect and AI cores.
Certain types of objects such as turrets, research benches, automatic switches, or maybe eventually automated production create a certain amount of "Data". Data must be maintained by pawns with intellect using objects like punch cards or terminals depending on research tier, with terminals giving more efficiency. Servers could allow more Data storage, and AI cores could be used to maintain data passively.
If data is not maintained glitches will occur causing things like turrets shooting friendly's, electrical failures, and all sorts of "fun" things.
It could be implemented on top of the electrical system, so no need to lay even more cables, and I feel I would be fairly simple to implement.
This would allow a way to use intellect late game, balance turret spam, and gives an additional price to "Hi-tech" Structures. It would also give a way to balance automated production. And thing like researchable turret upgrades that are better but create more data.
This would make high tech bases more interesting, And require in a non contrived way for you to need AI cores late game. Managing an AI could be a challenge in itself, but that's outside the scope of this suggestion.
No replays on this great suggestion shame.
No way. You completely lost me at "fire at friendlies"
What about solar flares though? Wouldn't that just wipe out all your computer systems?
This is a good idea, I say that 99% because I want to be able to wirelessly turn on my turrets so that I don't have to have weird, twisting wires that carefully avoid each other: one for turrets, one for main power. Pain in the butt, give me my iSwitch X.
Quote from: Third_Of_Five on November 08, 2017, 11:28:57 AM
What about solar flares though? Wouldn't that just wipe out all your computer systems?
great point, makes it more interesting. that means we need a form of protection something like tech levels. In the first level data gets whipped by a solar flare. But that is no big problem because you can't store allot in that level. Second level your protection is better and you servers makes backups in a shielded disk, So only you systems go offline now you can make more complex data. But backup restores are slow. And on the third level you can make your severs as protected like a Mechanoids. Because they don't turn of or crash when a solar flare hits. But are expensive to make.
I think the addition of computers is a nice idea, I like the thought that automatic turrets would need some form mainframe to pull data from in order to identify targets. In fact I think this could pave way for a more interesting turret tree because at the moment we really only have the ability to make turrets shoot faster.
A rough tech tree like this would be interesting I think;
Manned Turrets: What it says on the tin really, basic machine gun of some kind that has to be manned by a pawn in order to be used.
Simple Auto Gun: Runs on electricity but has no identifying matrix and thus fires on anything within its sight range, makes the first few raids a bit more difficult by having to plan out where the turrets go and creating dead zones for colonists to avoid.
Standard Turrets: Are connected to a mainframe that allows targeting between enemies and friendlies, has to have a computer running in the background to function properly.
Modifiable Turrets: Now this is breaking into more mod territory I feel as it adds quite a lot of micromanaging of different parts but I like the idea of being able to make a turret but then switch out its standard barrel for a longer one, which in turn increases accuracy and range but makes it fire slower effectively turning it into a long range sniper turret. Or swapping out the standard ammo belt for a box magazine allowing for more shots in a burst before it has to reload. I feel by giving the player some agency on how they want to set up turret designs by making the player have to spend resources on little bits of machinery instead of just researching the upgrades and having them apply to all turrets it'll make defending against raids a lot more fun. The only issue is getting the AI to be able to counter these turrets as obviously you could probably cheese quite a lot of raids.