[SUGGESTION] Decorative "structures"

So later down the line it's fairly assumable that larger games will take a really long amount of time, and with large 7+ planet systems there may be dead time where attacks on other planets/asteroids are being planned out.

So I suggest that there be useless, but decorative structures that can be built by fabricators that cost a very small amount of metal, just for the sake of prettying up your base.

Small army-base related things like roads, airstrips, maybe even walls that look more like the walls around military bases, a more palisade design rather than what we currently have (which are basically Minecraft pieces.)

Yeah they'd be useless, and I'm sure that the efficiency addicts are preparing to lynch me for even suggesting things that are basically a waste of metal, but it's just an idea I had.
What do you think?

I think it's a really cool idea for a polish item.

You could also make the planets place "decorative structures" on generation. That would be cool - so you see abandoned temples randomly placed in jungles. You could even save "build templates" and randomly place them in the jungles.

I honestly dont think it would be bad if roads actually had a purpose to move units faster. So if you wanna dedicate to an attack you should move units faster in that direction.

Same reason i really want bridges or over.

This is something I've thought about before; since the terrain system uses decals for pretty much everything, it would be interesting if we could pave over land with decals similar to the metal planet or building skirts, that give slightly increased movement speed to land units driving across them. It might help make bases look like actual bases.

What if your base just kind of automatically generated them? If a structure or area hasn't been attacked for a while, the walls will start melding together to make a solid wall rather than a bunch of blocks, and it will start looking better. Power generators will start attaching cables to each other, then to factories, and then to storage structures. Over time, roads and paths would just generate throughout your base, and maybe small units will pick up and deliver containers of metal, or a pipe is build from metal extractors to factories, and then later on to storage containers as well. Radars start connecting to each other and to cables, the deepspace radar connects itself to the orbital launcher, turrets connect themselves to radars and power generators. It would be interesting.

Also, as an optional thing, having power cables and metal pipelines throughout your base could improve your efficiency a bit, meaning that leaving an enemy unharmed for too long would not just allow them to expand their base, economy, production, and military, but it would slowly start making all of their stuff more efficient. Just an idea, but it might add some interesting tactical decisions...

This is literally the most interesting feasible idea I have ever seen on this forum ever and I want it bad

Wow, that's a really cool idea.
Somebody get Uber to do this, like, now.

I don't really see the point. This is a RTS game, not SimCity.

In the case of large/long multiplanet systems, there's going to be tons going on on lots of planets. So we're going to have tons going on without the need to have these decorative structures, let alone the time to admire them.

Like I said (or at least mildly implied) this would be a very late-game thing to focus on.
When there are 5 commanders, each on their own heavily defended planet.
At that point, the most that's going on is the occasional nuke or invasion attempt.

In the case of road-like decals, I think this is a good idea. Something like skirts that are generated when buildings are close together would help make bases look more like, well, bases.

I think a lot of the other stuff is a bit too superfluous though.

If that's all that's going on, then you aren't playing the game correctly.

I think there's more important things for Uber to focus on than decorative structures that do not effect gameplay.

I do agree with brian on this, but if it is automatically generated over time (as my previous post suggests)

I think it would be a cool thing to have in the game.

How about surplus resources go to automatic decorative effects. For completeness, a shortage starts to fade in a dirty/rusty shader etc. That would provide a visual indicator of a player's economy - right now the orbital radar is really the only indicator, and that is only energy.

Might be cool, but a very low priority.

Could be awesome to have this happen to the environment too!

Like having shrubbery regrow overtime, and have volcanic planets bubble and burst.

That would also be a cool way to do it. It would be nice to have a better visual of how the opponent's economy is doing. I'm always annoyed when it seems like my opponent has way more factories than his economy could support...

I think it would be cool if forests grew back, and foliage began covering buildings and such, I will be kind of disappointed when the jungle bases we can make now will no longer be possible in the next patch.

Being automatically generated would be pretty nifty. But not worth Uber's time. :-/

It might be worth uber's time, it just depends on what other things we can get out of it other than just the decorative stuff. Same goes with forest fires, we're pursuing that because it adds the groundwork for a bunch of other things too, so if there is some stuff that can be built off of this, then maybe it is worth their time, who knows?

Im not sure you are really in the position to determine what is, and what is not, worth their time.

That has never and will never be your call to make.

So please don't be that kinda guy, as I enjoy your content and work.