Are we going to see some sort of weather or other natural effects (Migrations,forest fire)? Solar flares would be great too, and give players a good reason to dig underground(Where the effects are less or nonexistant). Considering energy is your main resource, you don't want to have the electromagnetical effects upsetting your systems.
It would be fun too if the random effects weren't completely random, but sort of linked. Ie, first a stampede of animals rampages your above ground assests, and then you're enclosed by the forest fire they were running from. Or a supply drop crashing into your base after it was hit by a solar flare
Come to think of that, will we see semi-realistic geology? Ie, will the temperature rise as you go down, forcing you to construct some sort of cooling mechanisms.Also, will we see different planet types/ regions. Artic/iceplanets and such would be fun, and planets without a magnetically would be constantly terrorized by even the weakest solar flare.
Yes. Magpie type aliens which take shiny things and collect them in dens, annoying alien fungus that grows over your lights, alien vegetation which crawls over your equipment and messes with your systems.
Colonization should be a challenge!
You're forgetting the acid rains, solar flares/ storms, and other disasters.
We may need a special 'DF Mode' for our community which makes the game 8 times harder and causes every single hazard to be lethal.
I'm pretty sure most bay12'ers can accomplish killing themselves, though a hard difficulty would be nice.