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Artefact Ideas

Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 1:15 pm
by Arcalane
So, some of you may know we'll have some large-scale, Sins-of-a-Solar-Empire type mega-artefacts in the game.

Problem is, we're I'm running short of ideas. I won't mention the existing ones (since we don't want to spoil things) but I wanna know if you guys have any good ideas.

Keep them short and simple, like "an <x> that does <y>" - for example;

"A planetary artefact that allows a faction to 'see' the contents of a system of their choosing in decent detail for a single turn."

or

"A planetary artefact that is actually an ancient missile defense grid that prevents it's host planet from being hit by all but the most overwhelming intersystem missile attacks."

Can't promise every idea will be used of course.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 12:10 am
by Kal Adama
Here's an idea...

"An ancient laboratory leftover from a long-dead race that gives the finder access to a powerful, advanced technology (that may or may not be on their tech-tree)."

Or

an artifact that gives the player access to a new element that facilitates faster lane-space travel, or something.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 12:49 am
by vidboi
a warp lane stabiliser, could be used to open up a new area that was either impossible or too risky to explore before

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:08 am
by Kiltric
An artifact which alters (masks or multiplies) the number of radar signatures ships gives off, changing the intel scouting parties deliver and affecting decisions on whether to attack.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:27 am
by STARSTRUCK
An artifact that does nothing.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:28 am
by Arcalane
Kal Adama wrote:an artifact that gives the player access to a new element that facilitates faster lane-space travel, or something.
Lanespace travel is hardly slow to begin with. Making it faster would be like increasing the top speed of an SR-71.

~~
vidboi wrote:a warp lane stabiliser, could be used to open up a new area that was either impossible or too risky to explore before
The map has restabilized by the start of the game. The grid has it's limits, and trying to break them is an incredibly bad idea. That and expanding the map mid-round is just going to get ugly.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 11:15 am
by Silverware
A wreck of a starship that provides a new branch of the tech tree (if it branches) else it provides a new tech.

An unstable rift in space that does not lead to node-space but can be studied for a slight research bonus for a few turns before it collapses.

An automated starship construction facility that produces at twice the production rate of your best constructor. For a turn or two before it breaks irreparably.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 5:21 pm
by InsaneCat
Artefacts should be giving a SMALL bonus.

like +10% to ship movement or something like that.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 6:10 pm
by Arcalane
Silverware wrote:A wreck of a starship that provides a new branch of the tech tree (if it branches) else it provides a new tech.

An unstable rift in space that does not lead to node-space but can be studied for a slight research bonus for a few turns before it collapses.

An automated starship construction facility that produces at twice the production rate of your best constructor. For a turn or two before it breaks irreparably.
InsaneCat wrote:Artefacts should be giving a SMALL bonus.

like +10% to ship movement or something like that.
These are all small-scale things that do not qualify as Artefacts. That's not to say they might not appear in the game, mind you, just that they're not the sort of thing I want.

Let me make this clear: Artefacts are meant to have a significant impact on how the game plays out. They are big. They are potentially gamebreaking if you can complete the necessary research to learn - at the very least - how to use them, and what they do. Ideally, they can help break gridlock scenarios, and provide powerful reasons for factions to go to war with one another... even if the function of an artefact is unknown. Or they can be a considerable encouragement to stay on somebody's good side. ;)

These are not toys, these are the surviving remnants of a massively advanced race that lived in this layer of the lanespace grid, but died out uncountable millenia ago, or otherwise moved on/left this area of space somehow.

That said, they all vary in usefulness, and not all of them need to be star-killing superweapons, or even weapons at all.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 7:26 pm
by Cynsye
A previously undiscovered isotope of an element is found in an underground derelict, that when an currents of certain frequencies are applied creates strong gravitational fields that may be manipulated to cause motion, or a strong implosive field - allows and accelerates research into creating fuel-less engines that reduce the detection chance to sensors not calibrated to it, also gives some interesting "exhaust" possibilities. Also can be used in missiles for extra speed and damage, as the propellant becomes the warhead, or smaller, harder to hit missiles with similar damage stats/speed. Probably a "dangerous" artifact to research. Impeder/Flux Projector probably too >.>.

Not really a "Does something" artifact, but unlocks research options in the areas and makes it progress faster. The products will probably be expensive, synthesising the isotope in large quantities for use in ships and such would probably take a lot of resources unless further researched. Of course there could be other ways of making the effects :3.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:13 am
by Aurafire
Here's a few ideas off the top of my head:

Clockwork Seraphs:
Once found, these powerful automated strike crafts come to life and are tied to defend the planet where they were discovered.

A gigantic effing missile:
An interplanetary warhead. One shot. One kill. One use only.

Liquid November:
This artifact covers and blocks the light of a star for X amount of turns, preventing any more jumps into or out of sector for X turns, due to screwed up navigational systems.

Mirrored Mercury Array:
Focuses starlight to an intensely accurate degree, allowing the user to shoot down some of his enemy's ships mid-warp.

Revenant:
An AI computer program left behind from said strange-alien-long-gone race. Revenant is able to remotely access the wrecks of ships within a system and somehow override their mainframe to turn the wreckage into automated ships capable of serving in a fleet.
Zombie ships! OMG!

There ya go. Have fun.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:57 am
by Kal Adama
Ah! That being what you want, Arc, here's an idea...

After having researched how to find artifacts...

"Deep-core scans of a moon in a nearby system turn up odd results. Upon further investigation, one of your starship commanders discovers that the moon - the ENTIRE moon - is naught but a giant, camouflaged lane-space capable sentient warship, constructed as a deterrent by a long-dead hyper-advanced race. The ship's AI, due to a quirk in the commander's genes, recognize her/him as a descendant of the race that built it and allows them access to it. Information gleaned from it indicates that it may not be the only one of its' kind left..."

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:07 pm
by Verminator
Alchemist: An alien supercomputer wired to a machine that can somehow change a certain amount any old worthless layabout material like sand or leftover pizza boxes into an equal mass of precious metals. Gives a big econ boost each turn.

Observatory / Watchers: These come in two parts. The Observatory is a long abandoned alien space station, that relays to the Watchers. The Watchers are undetectable (by regular means, maybe detectable by the highest-tier sensors) drone ships that keep tabs on everything that goes on in a certain system. The player that controls the Observatory basically has full, silent intelligence on every system that has a Watcher in it.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:36 pm
by calvin1211
A warp lane destabiliser which restricts access to a system by destabalising/slowing down/constricting the lanes leading to the system it's in.

Re: Artefact Ideas

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:42 pm
by Squishy
We need more 'temporary' or 'limit-use' artefacts and goodies.


Advanced Agricultural/Horticulture System:
A collection of devices and equipment that briefly provides a signifcant boost of PHATCASH for X amount of turns from that particular planet or system, comes in time-togglable and duration flavours.


Enigmatic Beacon of Unknown Origin:
When activated, summons a bunch of (hostile) alien ships to the system. One-time use or unlimited use. Can be used to farm technology (if you got big steel balls) or toss it into the property of an enemy to act as a distraction or for trolololo purposes.

Incursions from these beings may become more severe with subsequent uses of the beacon. Regardless, they are never pushovers from the start.

Aliens are possibly of eldritch/non-euclidean nature.


System Lockdown Device:
Through technobabble means, this thing disables the lane gates in a system, preventing travel into or out of the place. Never permanent: Limit turn usage before the 'battery runs dry' or can be disabled by forces within the system.


Battle Moons:
Giant space titties that shoot ass-reaming lasers, or tides of missiles, or a sea of projectile fire, or all three! Like the Death Star or such namesakes found in War Planets.

Takes forever to move, if it can. Probably costs a few resources to fuel movement, on top of maintenance and upkeep to keep it active.


Box of Space Locusts:
Unleash this on a planet to ruin its economy and other nasty things. May spread between planets in a system. Cannot jump through lanespace.

It is only a one-time econ penalty. After the initial rampaging, pillaging and migration of these pests, the affected planets will recover over time.

Doesn't have to be locusts. Absolutely no space bees.