Fwurg

[Mercury]

Regarding climates in general, from a story perspective:

Climate Features have been somewhat unclearly defined. For example, Volcanism isn't technically a climate, but arguably neither are 'abundant flora', 'gigantic trees' or 'extreme crevasses' - I probably should have chosen a better word than 'climate' ^_^

Climate Features are exclusive to Goldilocks planets with an atmosphere, because these have the most recognisable climates. To be fair, Hot and Cold worlds likely have climates too, but these are hard to place or compare. Furthermore, since you need to be in a space suit anyway, the differences doesn't really matter much for most lifeforms.

However, climate features aren't just there to provide stats, but also to provide a background for any visits to your planets.

For this reason, I can really see a climate such as Volcanism (or abundant flora, gigantic trees or extreme crevasses) work - after all, having lava-spitting vulcano's in the background is pretty much canon to most Star-something science fiction genre's.

That about climates in relation to story.

Gameplay-wise, not all raw materials are equal for climates:

Metals and Gasses are the most common, so are easily exchanged. Organics can exchange with these because they are already common on worlds with climates and because they are harder to get due to orbital limitations (goldilocks only).

Information can be exchanged for rare elements, crystals or organics, but not metals or gasses, since those are too common by comparison.

Rare Elements and Crystals can be exchanged only for each-other, organics and information, but only one climate feature boosting these should be applied on a single world. This is because these resources should be harder to acquire.

Now, on to the climates proposed for the Alitaera System - from your pages, I deduced the following climates:

Barren (Et-Warch)
This planet is almost a dead rock
+5 Metals, -5 Organics

There is a 'Scarce Flora' feature which does almost exactly the same thing as this, with the additional limits of requiring natural life and being mutually exclusive with Abundant Flora.

I think the difference between Barren and Scarce Flora may be too small.

To make the distinction more clear, I want to add a requirement to Barren of no natural life. This would mean the planet is not just devoid of natural life, but generally inhospitable to even non-native life.

Tectonic Stable (Et Takona)
The planets crust is very stable, this has boosted the mining for crystals.
+5 Crystals, -5 Information

Crystals are deliberately hard to get a bonus on. For game balance reasons, I want to make this climate mutually exclusive with Extreme Crevasses.

Considering that those Crevasses are most likely form due to some tectonic activity, I don't think thats unreasonable.

I also want to make it mutually exclusive with Volcanic, for story reasons. Given the origin of volcano's and plate tectonics, I find it hard to imagine a planet with stable plate tectonics, but extensive volcanism. This shouldn't hinder your worlds though.

Finally, for obvious reasons, it should be mutually exclusive with Tectonic Unstable.

Story-wise, being Tectonically Stable is hardly a notable feature and I have a hard time imagining how it would affect a planets production.

I would propose changing the name to Solidified Core. This is basically has the same tectonic effect, but it affects the planet more deeply. For one, it means the world has no magnetosphere and it means that any trace gasses from volcano's have long since disappeared. This would explain both the extra crystals (from solidified magma under the planets crust) and the lower information (interference from solar winds).

However, see also below for an alternative proposal.

Tectonic Unstable (Dral, Et-Nogolor)
- The planets crust is very unstable, this has boosted the research into the working of the inner planet
+5 Information, -5 Crystals

Daily earthquakes are certainly a valid and notable feature of a planet! I like it ^_^

I also have no problem with the game statistics of this climate feature, though it should be mutually exclusive with Tectonic Stable (because duh).

The only real problem I have with this climate feature is that I find the link between the back-story (which is good by itself) and the statistics (which are good by themselves) somewhat questionable. Just on the name, I might put a bonus on Metals and a penalty on Organics, for example)

I can sort of see the research into inner planet workings and mirroring Tectonic Stable is elegant but it haunts me as a bit arbitrary and I can't quite put my finger on it.

Perhaps a similar solution to the 'Solid Core' one for 'Tectonic Stable' exists - in other words, a minor name change that keeps the basic idea but that allows a clearer justification for the stats?

See also below for an alternative proposal.

Volcanic (Et-Zyden)
This planet has high volcanic activity, spewing elements from deep inside the planet to the surface
+5 Rare Elements, -5 Organics

For style reasons, I will add a note in the description that the toxic gasses are dangerous to life on the planet.

Game wise, Rare Elements are supposed to be difficult to get a bonus on. I am open to allowing the Volcanic climate, but for game balance reasons, I want to make it mutually exclusive with High Pressure.

Consider that a high pressure atmosphere planet with a lot of volcanism runs a huge risk of a runaway greenhouse effect (like the one seen on Venus), I think this isn't too far fetched.

I also want to make it mutually exclusive with Tectonic Stable. Given the origin of volcano's and plate tectonics, I find it hard to imagine a planet with stable plate tectonics, but extensive volcanism. This shouldn't hinder your worlds though.

-- about Tectonic Stable and Tectonic Unstable --

I had an alternative and I'm curious to hear your opinion. This option inverts the bonus between the two and I think it is an easier fit.

Solidified Core
The planets core has mostly solidified meaning the planet has no magnetosphere and is geologically silent.
+5 Information, -5 Crystals
Mutually Exclusive with Active Core
Mutually Exclusive with Volcanic

Analogous to Tranquillity, the silence of the planet makes it possible to make extremely detailed studies of the worlds interior - if it doesn't move, you can study it in quiet. It also makes it possible to dig deep into the centre of the planet to study the mantle and core in-situ. Unfortunately, with no magma, new Crystals are not formed and all minerals to grow them by hand need to be dug up from very deep since they aren't available at the surface.

Active Core
The planets core is very active leading to frequent earthquakes, wild fluctuations in the magnetosphere and many geysers and regular earthquakes.
+5 Crystals, -5 Information
Mutually Exclusive with Solid Core
Mutually Exclusive with Extreme Crevasses

The wildly fluctuating magnetosphere interferes with computer systems causing regular glitching which in turn disrupts the gathering of information. However, the many geysers and various lava lakes are ideal growing grounds for crystals.

Mutually exclusive with Extreme Crevasses as these do not last long enough (they are filled with magma or destroyed by earthquakes before they can become extreme)


Those are a lot of adjustments, and I can certainly understand if not all of it is exactly what you are looking for. Let me know your views. I'm sure we can find a fair solution

[Iladriel]

Thanks for thinking with me about solutions for the climates.

My opinions about the proposed climates:

Barren

When making the systems I didn't see Scarce Flora, so I made a similar climate of my own. But story wise it is still strong.
They only thing I see is that a Barren planet with a type I atmosphere would be somewhat strange, or do I need to see that as a large desert with good air.

Volcanic

When making this climate I wanted a new climate that could boost my Rare Elements production, so that the planet would have a bonus of + 10.
I didn't know you wanted to make Rare Elements to be more ..... Rare. The idea of my system was that I had a planet for each raw resource.
To balance the game wouldn't it also be an option to limit the atmosphere. Because of the large amount of toxic gasses produced, the atmosphere can only be III or IV.
This way it would still be possible to get +10 but you would have something to prevent you from maximizing it all the way.

Being mutually exclusive with High Pressure to prevent a runaway greenhouse is fair to, buy maybe at the exception that if you have the runaway greenhouse, you can take both.

But for my system idea I would still need an extra +5, would this be impossible for game balancing reasons?

Solidified Core

Originally I had the production bonuses of tectonic stable and unstable reversed. But I changed that to be able to make a better flavour text.

Active Core

The same story as above.

But being mutually exclusive with Extreme Crevasses still breaks my system idea.
Or would a +10 be game breaking.

Iladriel

p.s.

At my first draft of my system the planets had a +15, but that required some strange climates.
So I already made it more balanced by taking a +10 instead of a +15.

[Mercury]

I think we may be able to do something with the runaway greenhouse thing. With a suitable disadvantage, I believe can make the +10 you want work. There'd be a price for it obviously, but I think it'll fit with what you are looking for. Let me get back to you on that one.

To have a Type II or Type I atmosphere, Natural Life is required, so there's no worry about Barren on a Type I atmosphere world. Can I take it you agree with the Solidified Core and Barren as I proposed them?

[Iladriel]

yes, those are good

[Mercury]

I was thinking of adding the following 2 special climates features:

Runaway Greenhouse
The planet has a positive feedback loop going which has caused a runaway greenhouse effect, making ill adapted for life.
Allows High Pressure and Volcanic on the same planet
-5 Organics
Cannot have natural life

Exposed Mantle
The planet suffers through continuous destruction of its crust, exposing the planetary mantle and making it ill suited for
Allows Extreme Crevasses and Active Core on the same planet
-5 Organics
Cannot have natural life

These features allow you to take two Rare or two Crystal bonuses on the same planet, but it costs an additional climate feature, it adds an additional production penalty and it blocks natural life, and by extension the development of a Type I or Type II atmosphere.

You can grow organics on these worlds (think enclosed spaces where food is grown), but you suffer a penalty and you cannot grow it outside to make the planet more habitable.

If you agree, I will add all the proposed climates on the Wiki. You'll need to double check your climates and once you're done, I'll formally approve your system and you're in business!

[Iladriel]

I like those solutions, but what is the difference between the Runaway Greenhouse and the volcanic greenhouse with high pressure and volcanic that you can buy with a special point.

iladriel

[Mercury]

That's a good spot there! I missed it.

Fixed that one to:

Toxic Gasses
The planet's high pressure atmosphere is filled with toxic gasses from volcano's, making it unfit for life.
Allows High Pressure and Volcanic on the same planet
-5 Organics
Cannot have natural life

I have added these climates features to the Wiki so you can add them to your system, then I'll approve it!

[Iladriel]

maybe change the notes at High pressure and volcanic, that you need toxic gasses to get them both
the same for Extreme Crevasses and Active Core.

because right now toxic gasses allows something that isn't disallowed.
also the old climates don't say that they are mutually exclusive with the new ones


iladriel

[Mercury]

I think those are excellent suggestions. I have added those as notes to the relevant Climate Features.

I noticed you had your climates updated. I will approve your system during the course of the evening.