The derail, it's reproducing...
Anyway, are we going to keep the current system of workshops, or make our own. If so, I can help with inspiration. I'd go for a mostly powerbased economy, where power is being produced by nuclear reactors or solar pannels or other things.(If needed, these can be simulated by using windmills for mechanical power, then having a battery unit(which is going to be used by almost all buildings) which can be charged by milling at a Quern(Is this possible?)).
-Nuclear reactor: Uses fuel rods(Uranium+ smelter). Charges batteries(Empty batteries in, powered batteries out) Occasionally produces a metal that evaporates instantly and causes radiation sickness. The reactor also outputs depleted fuelrods, which can be reenriched to reuse them(or reenriched several times to create weapons grade uranium). You can't reenrich uranium forever though. In the end you would get depleted uranium which can be used in alloys or something
I'll add more later.
Also, Mars is mainly a low temperature desert, with no vegetation and no cave species. However, for gameplay values, I suggest going with a semi terraformed Mars, where trees can already survive, but humans can not. (Ie, mostly conifers). Adding Mars species might be fun too.
Solar flares should definitevely be added most optimally as editable weather(though I think that might be hardcoded). In that case maybe better as a sieging enemy or an animal* that gives of a slowly killing and painfull syndrome. (The enemy can be called Aurora or something, to give the impression that it's actually a phenomenon rather than a creature.) Should have building destroyes, and best would be if it had a limited lifetime in one way or another. Should do extra damage to robotic creatures, and if possible none against radiation proved robots/ armored targets
*This might be the best option. A flying creature giving of a gas(does that spread around) effect in a large radius.
Civs could be:
- Our civ, bay 12 colonists
- Bay12 loyalists: A friendly civ that doesn't expand in worldgen. Exists solely to trade with us. Intended to simulate resupplies. (Caravans should be kept small and irregular)
- Terraforming bots: Neutral civ. Might trade, might not trade
- Earth forces: Hostile
- Aliens: Most probably hostile.