If you're like me, you were attracted to this game because of its promise of complex warfare between orbital bodies and the opulence of smashing moons into planets (dare I hope cracking bodies into asteroid fields if their difference in size is minor?). These lofty goals are what probably attracted many of us backers and will, no doubt, attract numerous other customers. While I acknowledge that such attributes of the game are astonishing and will be ratcheted down to a greater level of perfection and awe, I would like to plant the seed for an idea that could add to the spectacular (and appropriately effective) phenomena already contained in this game: Planetary Implosion. I can imagine (perhaps not accurately enough) how difficult the programming behind this feat would be, but I imagine that the display which would accompany it could also be incredible. Theoretically, some form of attack (possibly situated at the core of the planet) could cause unpredictable portions of the planet to fall beneath the mantle as the hollow core is rapidly filled under the prompting of gravity. I try to imagine a baseball with about half of its contents within removed and then rolling the surface fabric inside tightly until it could be stitched closed into a tight ball again; a lot of surface area vanishes. While seeing a planet get smashed from the outside is likely the more brutal spectacle, I can only imagine the horror and anxiety that a defender would face (or the sinister hope and expectation the attacker would experience) when a horrible cacophony erupts on the planet in question and visual shuddering all across the planet set in as a "warning." Perhaps dust clouds burst forth from "seams" that are randomly generated and a section of the planet slides within, completely crushing and destroying units so taken. This happens not once, but several times until the appropriate surface area corresponding to payload (and volume annihilated) is swallowed. Imagine the panic you could induce by having the game determine how many swaths of how much are going to disappear in the next minute at a variable rate, location, and collapse time! You'll panic and launch all the air and orbital units you have! You'll keep turning that planet over appraising the damage, looking for what is sliding into oblivion, and praying the payload was small enough that another piece won't go to Hades (hence the cruel variable time of onset per swaths after detonation). How awesome would that be? This could be used to sick effect as a scorched earth tactic or leaving an "empty planet" trapped for your later arriving rivals. Perhaps it is an insurance policy against your unknowing, temporary allies on a shared moon. AND this gives us a different mechanism, a different destructive culmination, and a different form of anxiety in the game. If impractical (for tactical, strategic, play, programming or other) reasons, I'd love to hear a sentence or two why. Obviously, I wouldn't expect it to be implement on release, but it sure would be badass for Uber to make it to that "first," just as they made it to planet-smashing. Just an idea, but a d@mn good one, I think. []
Sounds like a nice mod idea. Little "fringe-ish" for the base game personally. based on my understanding of the engine, this should be doable.
But RTS isn't a horror genre. Horror games depend on limiting the player's weapons and knowledge of their environment. RTS players are fully aware of what options and weapons are available, and can even use them for their own. Crushing a planet is a nice spectacle, but it is not one that inspires fear. It just makes you sad that you lost.
I think it sounds fantastic. Might need some tweaking but I can definitely imagine it as a balanced and justifiable strategy. I also agree that it should be implemented post-release or as a mod. Since it'd probably be a pretty major feature I imagine it might be difficult and expensive to implement. Maybe added as a sort of DLC-ish add-on in the future if money is a problem (or possibly crowd funded, with backer rewards, to avoid a gap between the people able and willing to afford DLC and those who do not).
