Telescope Star Upgrade

Neptune's Pride Feature Requests
1

Hi,

I had an idea for a new infrastructure upgrade for stars similar to warp gates: Telescopes! This special scientific equipment will increase the scanning distance for that star only.

Rules:

  1. It can only be built on stars with at least 1 science point!

  2. Scanning distance for this star will be normal scanning distance * 1.5

  3. Telescopes are not destroyed when captured by another player. So, protect it well and don’t let the star fall into another players hands!

  4. Because the technology used in the telescope is of an active nature, every opponent star within the scanning distance of the telescope will also be able to see your star (resources, ships, infrastructure etc., even if the opponents scanning radius is much lower).

What do you think? It should be expensive of course, but I’d like to build this at critical points at my borders… :smile:

Cheers,
Andreas

1 Like
2

I posted a similar topic once, and never really thought about a star system-based telescope. I’m not sure it changes the ultimate result of the “extra scanning/spying” debate, but I like the sound of this.

Only difference I’d make is that it does get destroyed upon being invaded. That, or the player has the option of ripping it to shreds when they leave the place to the enemy.

3

I think that would be counter intuitive as all infrastructure but economy is kept when a star is captured.

And I think keeping it makes the star more precious, because you have to try everything for it not to fall into your opponents hands. I just think that would be more interesting :smile:.

4

Real life telescopes being entirely passive, what is your gameplay reason for #4 ?

1 Like
5

I think this could be a cool variation for a game where there is no scanning tech. No star can scan at all until they build a telescope at a star.

6

cataflam, I think we might be able to fudge the word telescope into the evolving definition of a spy scanner, i.e, it’s something others know is there.

I was just thinking that maybe having it so everyone knows if you’re building a telescope would be a great way to hype the tension and question motives. ESPECIALLY in dark galaxies. Exactly who is that slug trading with? What is hoping to learn? Why didn’t he TELL ME ABOUT IT?!!! Traitor!

You get the idea.

7

Hi cataflam! Regarding Rule #4, I have two reasons:

  1. I want others in range of your telescope be able to realize that they are scanned, adding diplomatic tension, reducing unknowns.

  2. I want to discourage players building a telescope on every star. Because when building a telescope makes the star visible to your opponents in range, you certainly don’t want one on every star along the border! :wink: