Other AI Colonies

[IncRaven]

I do apologizes if this has been said. I attempted to look over the forums and the closest topic to my suggestion was Endgame Raider Camps ( http://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=1001.0 ) and I would really like to see them added as well as my idea of passive AI colonies.

Suggestion:
What I would like to see is other survivors try to form other colonies, and the player has to decide to raid/enslave them, help them, or ignore them. 
I would have them spawn nearly at the same time you start you world. They are mostly passive, but will go after the same resources that you are going after. They do not do much or advance other then mine metals build a small camp.

Details/balancing:
A few neat ideas to think about;
1) I call them "passive", however they are not just standing there waiting to be arrested by your colonist. They will attack you if you enter their "home" area or approach them. (unless you ally yourself to them)

2) They will mine other areas of the map (trying to avoid you), however if you ignore them for too long they will start to mine in the area you are in.

3) If your colonist decide to go renegade they might join the AI colony.

4) Raiders should ignore them* so that they are a moral choice for you alone allowing you to become a raider. (*if you become allies with them, raiders should start attacking them)

5) You can research diplomacy and become allies with them. They will help protect you from raiders, and you will have to do the same for them. 

6) Open up trade with them if you stay neutral or ally yourself with them.

7) Random strangers who appear are very likely to join them, or if they are no longer living there, take over their camp.

Other notes:
I understand having them form a colony could be very hard to do, that is why I have a few ideas to make it easier.
-pre-built base, when you spawn in they are already there.
-Do almost nothing, just roam around, collecting metal and surviving.
-unless you tell the AI to interact no one will interact with them (other then other roaming AI).

Well I would like more RPG elements in the game, and a moral choice to raid another colony would be an enjoyment for me. Sorry if there are any typos that chrome failed to catch.

[ShadowDragon8685]

So, raiders should ignore the obvious, easy target in favor of rushing straight at the psychotic compound militia nutjobs?

FAIL!

[Galileus]

So, raiders should ignore the obvious, easy target in favor of rushing straight at the psychotic compound militia nutjobs?

FAIL!

I agree. Yes, I said it. I'm not happy about it anyway.

[Kender]

Maybe it will work if you change 'raiders' to 'mercenaries'.

So the story can begin in this way:
The reason you crashed on this planet (RimWorld) is because you ship was chased by mercenaries (or their employer) and damaged in a previous encounter. Mercenaries tracked your ship to this planet soon after you landed and planning to finish their job which is to eliminate you at all cost. Hence they sent constantly and ever growing number of units to your planet.

In this way, it can also explain why you can't just leave this planet with those trade ships: they will be hunt down by mercenaries too if you are on board, they will trade with this planet but won't risk their live for you.

This suggestion can add element of diplomacy to this game, which I very mush like to see in the future.

+1

[IncRaven]

The obvious easy target won't have the inventory that the psychotic compound has.

I like the story idea as well. It really does help explain why we can't pay for passage on a trade ship.

[ShadowDragon8685]

But it doesn't explain why the mercs don't just nuke you from orbit or deorbit a crapload of space debris/rocks right on your head.


Mercenaries are like pirates. Priority 1 is staying alive to enjoy getting paid. Priority 2 is getting paid. Priority 3 is completing the client's objectives. Rushing headlong into an armed militia compound that's boobytrapped and well-defended, on foot with small arms and no overwhelming force multiplier, is a really, really bad way to get paid, let alone to live to enjoy being paid.

That's more "Religious fanatic" territory.

[ShadowDragon8685]

The obvious easy target won't have the inventory that the psychotic compound has.

And little merchant ships don't have the inventory that an English Man-of-War or a Spanish Treasure Fleet would have had, yet pirates very, very seldom attacked those, because they were very, very hard targets capable of putting up an overwhelming fight that was likely to result in the pirates going to meet Davey Jones rather than absconding to Tortuga with the loot.

[Kender]

But it doesn't explain why the mercs don't just nuke you from orbit or deorbit a crapload of space debris/rocks right on your head.

Well, will every mercenary choose to nuke every one of their assignments? I don't think every mercenary have access to nuke, and the ability to fire one.

Maybe they will fire from orbit, but not necessary at the beginning. It could potentially be one of end game scenarios.
If in the end, after various fail attempts, they decided to bring their strongest mothership to give you a final ultimatum. You can either accept (surely not), or face the consequences.
So what you gonna do is either
1) build you new ship to escape before their mothership arrives, or
2) advance/ trade for technology to defeat the mothership and final wave.
Or even
3) if you have high enough social skill, you can try to persuade their leader to sympathy your course.

PS: It is still pre-alpha, please don't nuke every ideas, let's check the bright side first.

[Galileus]

But it doesn't explain why the mercs don't just nuke you from orbit or deorbit a crapload of space debris/rocks right on your head.

Because if they would we would still be playing pac-man. Otherwise every military shooter since 1487 to the date would start with 5 minutes intro and Game Over screen.

Same goes for movies btw. Sute the masterpieces don't suffer that problem - but that's why they are called masterpieces.

[lt_halle]

Maybe it will work if you change 'raiders' to 'mercenaries'.

So the story can begin in this way:
The reason you crashed on this planet (RimWorld) is because you ship was chased by mercenaries (or their employer) and damaged in a previous encounter. Mercenaries tracked your ship to this planet soon after you landed and planning to finish their job which is to eliminate you at all cost. Hence they sent constantly and ever growing number of units to your planet.

In this way, it can also explain why you can't just leave this planet with those trade ships: they will be hunt down by mercenaries too if you are on board, they will trade with this planet but won't risk their live for you.

This suggestion can add element of diplomacy to this game, which I very mush like to see in the future.

+1

Despite the fact that some people think this game should be 100% realism even if it hurts gameplay or story extensively, I actually really REALLY like this idea. It wraps up a lot of the loose ends.

Also, given the traits like "vehicle mechanic", I'm assuming that eventually there'll be stuff like mobile weapons platforms and tanks in the game that the raiders will use to bust through fortifications.

And hey look, my topic got linked. Sick.

[todofwar]

I think multiple AI colonies would be great but only if it gets fleshed out properly, as in the AI colonies should also grow. I always enjoyed playing AoE with random maps and going to war with PC opponents, competing colonies would bring this out. It would lead to certain Walking Dead *not really a spoiler please don't yell at me* Prison vs Town scenarios.

[Kender]

It would lead to certain Walking Dead *not really a spoiler please don't yell at me* Prison vs Town scenarios.

Prison wins XD

Are we the prison? : p

[Nocebo]

Having other AI bases would definitely open up potential for interesting events.
However it would put a serious dent in any feeling of being stranded.
Perhaps limit it to nomadic caravans?

[Galileus]

Nomadic caverns have awesome feel to it. A four-wheel wagon with muffalos doing all the work, sets few tents around for a day or two and moves on. Also, no HUGE amount of work on AI with this plan. I mean - AI actually building a colony on randomly generated world? HUGE.