DISCLAIMER
I have witnessed many projects grow and die here, and know that discussion about new technologies, units and structures is sort of a touchy subject on the forums, therefore I am posting this in the test/spam archives because this project is purely a hobby project that I am looking for some polite and insightful input on
UPDATED - Added Units.
I don't really give a hoot if you think this is stupid, pointless or whatever, because I'm doing it for my own personal enjoyment, and if it goes somewhere it goes somewhere. That all being said, I couldn't think of a better community to present this information to since Outpost is a one-of-a-kind game. Civilization is the closest I've every found, but it's so Earthbound...
Anyway, the last couple of days in-between class and work I have been doing a bunch of research as to what a colony would require to survive, because I wanted to build a small colony-builder game. (Actually, I've wanted to build one since I first started outpost) Surprisingly... there isn't much information on ways to construct and build on surfaces other than earth, and the majority of my research leads me to orbital colonies. I don't really care about funding, economical advantages etc... which the majority of sites I have bumped into have contained. Though there where a few gold-mines of info, but so far must of my fruitful research has been via playing outpost 1 and 2.
So, I present to you my current information in hopes of new leads on research topics, fresh ideas and interesting conversation.
Research Tree To better facilitate the origination of the research tree I divided it into three categories. Civil, Industrial and Environmental sciences. Though these are flexible groupings, as the science from each one can pass over boundaries and effect the others. Also in an effort to keep things more legible, I decided to include unit descriptions below.
Civil Sciences
• Colony Protection Program
Desc:Colonists are the most valuable asset to our colony. Our survival is the whole purpose of the colony, and the reason we stubbornly continue to exist, even with odds against us. To help better assure that each life is lived to its fullest potential, services are required to lower the hazards of both human hands and natural disasters.
Current Posted Progress:
Research Tree: What I have
Units: What I have
Structures: Still To Post
Resources and their functions: Still to Post
Game-play Elements: Still to post
Research Unlocked:
- Colony Judiciary Program
- Emergency Management
Structures Unlocks:
- None
• Colony Judiciary Program
Desc:Colonists in our early stages are proving to be quite compliant, doing whatever in their power to help for the good of the entire colony. However, sadly, in the future it is possible that ideals will conflict and crime may begin to rise with population, thus establishing a judicial program will maintain a law that we can follow and abide, which will result in higher morale due to the fact that people will have a better sense of guidance. [Needs work.]
Research Unlocked:
- None
Structures Unlocks:
- Municipal Service Building
• Emergency Management (Increase Medical Block Capacity)
Desc:Under the Colony Protection Program it was understood assessed that natural disasters do, and will occur, and in such an event a force of trained colonists capable of handling these conditions was required. The goal of this Emergency Management Program is to assist the colony in times of need.
Research Unlocked:
- None
Structures Unlocks:
- Human Life Preservation Corps [H.L.P.C.]
---
• Colony Education System
Desc:Children that came from Earth need something to occupy their time during the day aside from visiting the Recreation Block’s Arcade, so an Education System is planned to be put in place. This will ease strain on Colony Parents, as well as promote the intellectual growth of our children.
Research Unlocked:
- Advanced Curricular Courses
Structures Unlocks:
- School
- Research Training Center
• Advanced Curricular Courses
Desc:As our research becomes more in-depth and as our scientists eventually age and then pass, there is a need to invest in potential future researchers. The Research Training Facility is a great asset to our research; however it is only a short-term fix. By scouring the Earth Science Databases we can easily compile courses to help train citizens further, and help our research progress much faster.
Research Unlocked:
- Expanded Research
Structures Unlocks:
- University
• Expanded Research
Desc:With our current research laboratory we can only conduct research to a certain degree. Lately our experiments are growing larger and more complex, and a need is arising for better equipment and more space. [Needs Work]
Research Unlocked:
- Unknown at this point
Structures Unlocks:
- Advanced Research Laboratory
---
• Health Implementation
Desc:Although all buildings have implemented first aid and emergency kits, there is still a growing need to maintain a healthy colony. Scientists have recently opened the Earth Science Database and have been working on developing plans for a Block structure that is capable of medical treatment.
Research Unlocked:
- Medical Block
Structures Unlocks:
- Embryonic Development Insurance
- Interior Flexibility
• Embryonic Development Insurance
Desc:Because our population’s numbers are so drastically low compared to that of Earth’s former population, there is a need to spark diversity in birth, as well as make sure that every life is achieved successfully. From earth there was sent a bank of genetic material from over 1,500 different donors, and this can be implemented for in vitro fertilization to keep our gene pool wide.
Research Unlocked:
- None
Structures Unlocks:
- Nursery
• Interior Flexibility (+Morale +Capacity for Block type buildings)
Desc:Living in an enclosed environment can be psychologically draining on the population; therefore steps are taken in the engineering of structures to help increase morale as well as the utility value of each building. Due to the Block design system, these structures can be easily renovated with little to no effort since there are basically exterior shells. An Interior Flexibility system allows walls to be moved and shifted transforming interior space to allow more functionality.
Research Unlocked:
- None
Structures Unlocks:
- None
---
• Public Recreation
Desc:A colonist’s health doesn’t just pertain to his or her physical condition but also their mental condition, by reconfiguring the Block resident buildings a recreation facility can be created with different events and entertainment for all walks of life. [needs work]
Research Unlocked:
- Simulated Outdoor Environments
Structures Unlocks:
- Recreation Block
• Simulated Outdoor Environments
Desc:Along with food plants for the Agristructs, several varieties of decorative plants carefully selected for colony conditions where boarded on the starship for the journey to a new home. These plants are placed in each building in small amounts for atmosphere recycling; however they can be used on much larger applications.[needs work]
Research Unlocked:
- Possibly Enhanced Condensation Receptacles, with the technology for Alternative Water Sources
Structures Unlocks:
- Park
Side Notes
After Research of Alternate Water Sources then these are some possible research topics:
- Suspended Hydroponic Gardening
-- Increase Food Production of Agristructs
-- Increase Park and Agristruct Air and Water output
- Advanced Indoor Climate and Water Systems
-- Indoor weather??
-- Improve water Production and reduce pollution??
Industrial Sciences
• Excess Material Storage Systems
Desc:As we gather more and more resources it has become apparent that more space is needed to store them. By creating simple storage facilities we are capable of increasing our resource capacity. There are two main reasons why this is important: To maintain future supplies and growth and to create backup resources incase of an emergency
Research Unlocked:
- None Yet
Structures Unlocks:
- Material Vaults
---
• Vehicle Production
Desc:With only a set number of vehicles currently at our disposal, there will come a time where they need to be eventually replaced, or more will be needed to efficiently complete tasks. Looking at the design of our current factory, it wouldn’t be hard to overhaul to equipment to make vehicles.
Research Unlocked:
- Vehicle Repair Service
Structures Unlocks:
- Vehicle Factory
• Vehicle Repair Services
Desc:Instead of simply replacing each vehicle that is damaged and decommissioning them, it becomes more economical to simply repair the unit. A new structure can be designed to both store and repair vehicles.
Research Unlocked:
- Remote Vehicle Repair Service
Structures Unlocks:
- Repair Depot
• Remote Vehicle Repair Services
Desc:After reviewing the machinery used to repair vehicles in the Depot, scientists believe they can engineer a vehicle capable of conducting these processes external from the depots.
Research Unlocked:
- None
Units Unlocks:
- Repair Vehicle
Environmental Sciences
• Colony Waste Disposal
Desc:Though buildings are designed to treat waste products on a small scale, we feel it is necessary to create an independent structure to house, treat and refine the waste of everyday life. [Needs work]
Research Unlocked:
- Recycling Program
Structures Unlocks:
- Waste Treatment Plant
• Recycling Program [INCOMPLETE]
- Something about the recycling of actual byproducts from construction, rather than trash.
- Unlocks a Recycling plant similar to the GORF
Research Unlocked:
- Alternate Atmosphere Generation
- 
Structures Unlocks:
- Recycling Plant
• Alternate Atmosphere Generation [INCOMPLETE]
- Taking the byproducts (Sulfur) from the smelters it can be used in electrolysis in water to separate it into hydrogen and oxygen.
- Requires Alternate Waters Sources
Research Unlocked:
- None
Structures Unlocks:
- Electrolysis Plant
---
• Alternate Water Sources [INCOMPLETE]
Water is a valuable resource for maintaining life inside the colony, and our current means of water are insufficient for maintaining a larger colony, thus we turn to the polar ice caps of our planet.
Allows A.M.O.s to build on and near ice
- This creates an Ice Harvester
- It operates like a mine, however contents is delivered to an Water Treatment Plant
Water Treatment Plants
- Process ice like smelters
Pump Station
- Distribute water to colony?? Like in SimCity
Cryogenic Water Storage (Requires Material Storage Research)
- Allows production of Water Vaults, which increase water production??
Research Unlocked:
- Cryogenic Water Storage
- Subterranean Ice Extraction
Structures Unlocks:
- Water Treatment Plant
- Pump Stations
- Ice Harvesters
- Cryo Water: Water Vaults
• Subterranean Ice Extraction
Allows AMO to build on a Ice Beacon (Like a mine)
Harvest ice like a mine from below the surface, therefore not restricted to long hauls from ice-caps.
Research Unlocked:
- None?
Structures Unlocks:
- Ice Extractor
Research Tree is still in development, more will be posted as I continue working.
Vehicle Units Vehicles are the workhorses of the colony, preforming jobs and tasks outside the confines of the actually colony structures themselves. Realizing the dangers of colonizing on a hostile surface, automation was ruled as the safest means to conduct construction and other labor intensive tasks. There are two reasons behind this: 1. Colonists should be limited from dangerous tasks to help in the preservation of life. 2. Because the technology was already fairly well developed, it is more efficient to work on the basis of remote control when possible.
Vehicle units are controlled via a station within the C.C.C. (Colony Control Center), by trained technicians. Each vehicle is programmed to perform the majority of it's tasks, therefore these technicians need monitor and correct program errors.
• Automatic Mining Operator [A.M.O]
Developed on Earth before it's abandonment, the Automatic Mining Operator was designed. It was the first vehicular unit designed based off automation technology that was currently being employed in factories, along with some ideas that where in a database for colonizing the Earth's Moon. The A.M.O. sets out with the task of creating a mine... first by locating a resource rich vein under the surface of the planet. Once an appropriate place is found, the miner then works to drill into the surface until the resource pocket is found, where it then creates an elevator system, bringing the materials to the surface where they can then be loaded into cargo trucks and shipped to a smelter.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting units.
Tasks:
- Creates a Mine
Upgrades:
- Ice Mining - Alternate Water Sources
- Below Surface Ice Mining - Subterranean Ice Extraction
• Architectural Deployment Vehicle [DepoV]
One of the challenges to be faced on our new planet would be to raise buildings with as little effort as possible. Thankfully most of the planet choices had less gravity than here on Earth with lowers the limits of structural demand and height. A team of scientists developed a way to raise structures using a building lattice composed of beams with magnetic sensitive joints. By applying different frequency magnetic pulses to this frame, it would unlock these joints causing them to connect, eventually lifting the entire basic structure of a building. Developing this into a vehicle was fairly simple, but the second part of the task was a bit more daunting. The arms of the DepoV are some of the most advanced seen, able to lift sheets of material and place them against this lifted magnetic frame, then welding sheets of metal to the exterior, placing preformed windows, and even door components.
Once a building's skeleton and exoskeleton is in place, the DepoV's job is finished, and the interior of the building is finished by human hand. The scaffolds holding it up are welded into place so that the magnetic properties aren't the only force holding it, then the floors, plumping, lifesupport, etc... are installed.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting units.
Tasks:
- Builds structures from "kits" created by the structure factory.
- Perhaps limited repair to structures.
Upgrades:
- Currently None
• Cargo Transport Vehicle
<span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'>Developed lastly, since it was the most simple vehicle designed for the colony, the Cargo Transport Vehicle is quite simple. It consists of a small fuel-cell run engine, wheels, a receiver and computer, and a cargo hold. It's programs are also very simple, and it is by far the cheapest unit to produce.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting units.
Tasks:
- Carries materials between structures
Upgrades:
- None so far
• Automated Labor Vehicle
The Automated Labor Vehicle, commonly just refereed to as Auto-Worker, is essentially just a lite version of the DepoV, it's primary function is to smooth terrain, and place RTunnels to connect buildings into the colony system. This machine is also capable of erecting walls, and performing various other peripheral tasks.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting units.
Tasks:
- Builds RTunnels (Resource Tunnels)
- Builds Walls
- Flattens Terrain - Builds Roads
- So far that's it.
Upgrades:
- None so far
</span>
• Cargo Transport Vehicle
Developed lastly, since it was the most simple vehicle designed for the colony, the Cargo Transport Vehicle is quite simple. It consists of a small fuel-cell run engine, wheels, a receiver and computer, and a cargo hold. It's programs are also very simple, and it is by far the cheapest unit to produce.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting units.
Tasks:
- Carries materials between structures
Upgrades:
- None so far
• Repair Vehicle
With the need to recycle as much as possible a neccesity, one way to reduce material usage is to repair units rather than scrap them and build new ones. Maintaining structures also becomes more and more important as they age and take wear from our new planets elements. Based on technology from the Repair Depot, our team has come up with a vehicle which is basically a mobile repair unit. Using a series of robotic arms, it is capable of repairing units, though not as efficiently as the Depot, and repairing structures.
Research Needed:
- Remote Repair Services
Tasks:
- Repairs Units
- Repairs Structures
Upgrades:
- None so far
Structures • Agricultural Structure [Agristruct]
Aptly named, this structure is where all agricultural activities take place. Unlike the block, this building takes a different shape for utility purposes, looking more like a '+' to facilitate it's different tasks. The majority of these sections house plant crops in high C02 atmospheres, which is channeled waste from the rest of the colony. One of these sections, however, hold livestock such as rabbits, goats and chickens which where stored as embryos and raised through special means on the planet. Various crops are grown, each one of them hand selected for nutritional diversity, stability for growth in harsh a environment, and their recycling capabilities. The center of the Agristruct operates as a collection and distribution center, collecting humidity, fresh air and other vitals to be transmitted throughout the colony.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting Structures.
Tasks:
- Creates Food
- Creates Air
- Creates Water
Upgrades:
- Suspended Hydroponic Gardening (Improves food production)
- Artificial Water Cycle ? (Improves water?)
- Condensation Receptacles - improves water output
• Apartment Block
A livable habitat for humans was designed based on a new construction method developed on Earth as the population became too much for the planet to handle. These 'Block' style buildings get their name from their cubic shape, allowing them to be placed close together without any oddities that may consume more space than necessary. Though on a new planet, space is abundant, there still comes a need for simplicity, and that is what the block offers. This building is three levels tall, two floors having livable apartments for families up to 4 colonists large, and the bottom floor consists of services such as laundry, a news bulletin, a cafeteria etc...
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting Structures.
Tasks:
- Houses Residents (Increase Morale)
Upgrades:
- None so far
• Colony Control Center [C.C.C]
The center of the colony, this building is where all important political, social and building decisions are made. It houses the colonies top experts, as well as a council that brings what the citizens want to attention. This is also where each vehicle is monitored and controlled if needed. The building is quite durable, as it is needed to help run the colony, and has limited support in case of emergency situations. [Needs Work]
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting Structures.
Tasks:
- Needed for the colony to operate.
Upgrades:
- None so far
• Research Laboratory
Realizing that an independent space for conducting research was needed, the Research Laboratory was designed. This structure is fairly sturdy and has adequate space for performing experiments and laboratory studies to help further the colonies research and technology. The need for such isolation of experiments is in case something is to go wrong, and to keep unauthorized personnel from entering.
Research Needed:
- None, This unit is one of the initial starting Structures.
Tasks:
- Conducts Basic-Level Research
Upgrades:
- None so far
Well, that's all I have so far. I'll continue to add things in my freetime.
