Metal Planet: Uh....what?

so if there was DS functionality, it would likely be a "control all control points" to activate. Would make for a very contested planet.

Otherwise it would probably just be a massive eco boost or a massive pain in the *** to invade.

very much looking forward to seeing what comes out of the pipe

if metal planet should have death star functionality( destroying a planet with one blast) it should require lots and lots of resources

Well, the metal planets are easy as HELL to turtle. Because of the bridges across the landscape the the death star trenches. I also noticed...I'm not sure if it's true or not. When I loose units, or buildings the parts that explode float away into space....idk if that's normal considering the other planets. Logic would dictate that the planet has the same gravitational pull as a normal planet due to gravity being calculated by mass. BUT maybe the planet doesn't have an atmosphere, making objects fly considerably easier as there isn't drag from air. I'm getting a bit too scientific.

Regardless, when I saw the metal planet in game I immediately thought Cybertron?!?!?!?

Cybertron? I thought DOUBLE DeathStar?! (Two holes, see)

Imagine the ability to 360NOSCOPEHEADSNIPE of TWO planets AT ONCE.


^sarcasm lol

Mind......blown.....

I notice this on all planets. Wreckage flies off into the cold dark void.

I really hope they go all out with the metal planets secret function Shoop da whoop laser is about ok in my book.

The other end sucking smaller asteroids and sending them at ridiculous speeds from the other end towards the target planet... Now we are talking

The metal planet going into collision course with the target planet and drilling through it, transferring all it's resources to you.. That would be absolutely glorious.

I'd say in galactic war if this was a build option as opposed to just being there, would really implement on recourse management. Most likely it would take a few melenia to build and then a few thousand for propulsion systems. Could be well used in galactic warfare. I remember seeing some video of something of the likes of space neers constructing it. Or maybe i was dreaming of it.

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

I like death stars but that would be a rip off and probably not legal. Maybe some Ancient factoryies or defences. Suddenly the entire planet is hostile.

I would still like it to be a giant laser that you could controle. With enough power to carve some canyons in the planet.

Wait, wait, I'm not understanding something - there are people who want to obliterate planets by crushing them with other planets, but DO NOT want to be in control of the f'ing Death Star??? I can't... I don't... ...I'm flabbergasted. And you call yourselves nerds? Get out of my sight! >:-|

...just kidding. I can't see you anyway. Regarding concerns that it would be fundamentally disruptive by becoming the only objective, I can only caution the Death Star Deniers to not be too afraid of this technological terror that may be created. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of innovative balancing.

While my inner child gets automatically swoll ( :-S ) at the mere thought of reactivating an ancient, slumbering Death Star, I think there may be some interesting and sound arguments for the inclusion of such a feature. First, is it really that much different from being able to completely demolish another planet for as little as the cost of three Halleys? Functionally, are the two not very similar? You could make the same argument that games ought to devolve into a rush to get to the smallest, most easily propelled planet as well, but no one's suggesting that.

Now, if it completely obliterates a target planet, a la Alderaan, that's another story, but I'd still be all for it. In fact, I can see such a feature providing ample opportunity to introduce creative new mechanics. There are loads of ways you could make the activation of a planetary super-laser both challenging and interesting. Maybe...

- Activation is based on the retention of control points; one falls, the laser cannot fire.
- After the laser fires, an EMP (or whatever) from discharge leaves all structures on the surface disabled for a period of time. Or you could say that everything attached to the planet was drained of power. Whatev.
- Before the laser fires, all structures are disabled a time as the planet harvests their energy in preparation.
- Or both, leaving the planet extremely vulnerable before and after a strike. What's a turtle without its shell?
- In addition to control points, activating the laser requires build power to be poured into a gigantic battery. When any point is contested, power cannot be added and begins to seep out of the battery.
- Cooldown can be really long, regardless of how fast you can refill the battery (if there were to be such a thing).
- An invading force (in conjunction with a "battery" mechanic), if successful, could claim the control points and all invested build power for their own, making activation potentially a very risky scenario.
- Maybe metal planets are semi-aware once awakened, and automatically destroy *any* structure with offensive capabilities, meaning no static defenses after activation, or some other trigger.

I'm just saying, there would seem to be a ton of possibilities here. *And*, just to be contentious, I would argue that having the metal planet bonus be ultra-powerful turret or defensive systems would be far more detrimental to gameplay, as then you really would have a turtle's paradise. Why would you want something that would help make yet another planet totally unassailable? That's largely what's wrong with interplanetary play *now*, no?

Almost done, but one last point: as the game is now, a giant, planet-killing, space-based laser might not seem very reasonable, but think about the game to come. Think about a system with 20 planetary bodies, an asteroid belt, and eighteen players. That's a system where losing a planet won't even come close to losing you the game, where planets are hopefully going to get smashed and popped over and over again, rather than a single planetary impact being the flashy but superfluous coup de gras in a match that probably could've been ended already. Know what I'm sayin'? With a match that large, you're going to *want* to see a fiery column of light lance across the solar system to detonate a planet from its core, while killer planets and asteroids rocket wildly towards their doom! I mean, *that's* what we're f'n talking about, amiright?!? Can I get an amen here???

Man... sorry for the novel, but I guess the concept sparked some ideas. And that's the thing, I think the metal planets should be viewed as an opportunity to implement some really interesting and creative gameplay dynamics. Even if all my ideas are crap, I know somebody out there has good ones, so they should also speak up.

Meh, half-measures...
While destroying other planet, Metal Planet should also apply nuke-equivalent damage to its own entire surface, air and orbital layers. So, after this thing is contested and won by one player and he uses it, the contest for owning this thing starts all over again from the scratch. This will keep things fresh throughout the game. And even starting on metal planet won't be terribly OP.

As for receiving end, destruction shouldn't be instant. I imagine large laser beam continuously shooting planet's equator for one "day", then the planet blows up. Kinda gives chance to escape. Maybe even in direction of metal planet to conquer it, since it cleans itself.

I remember some mission in Red Alert 2, where you had to build power plants in a certain area to charge a device you had seized control of and defend it from enemies while you do so. In the end it's effect was... effectual.

So perhaps, and the devs said no work has went into this so their idea will be sharper later when they build these mechanics into the game, but my personal suspicion is that you have to build a whole ton of power onto many multiple control points to turn the ancient technology on. They might be anything beyond that, they might make the planet mobile, they might fire an interplanetary weapon, they might generate limitless energy, they might convert energy to metal at a very capped yet useful rate.

Ruthless! That the planet cleanses itself with every firing is actually a great idea for how to mitigate the advantage of such a weapon, good thought. See, I knew people with better ideas were just hanging around...

I know it could be anything, but when I think about how how large some of the systems are likely to get, it seems really appealing to have access to another kind of planetary superweapon. An economic or defensive advantage just doesn't seem as in keeping with the ethos of the game, which is... Planetary Annihilation, after all. And in smaller systems and battles, the high cost of activating the thing would probably make it self-limiting anyway, so that it would usually only see use in matches of appropriate scale. I dunno', it makes a lot of sense to me, and has the potential to add a hell of a lot more awesome sauce to the game. I would think a balanced implementation could be found. Is it so wrong to dream?

Have the planet consume the control "batteries", as another possible measure. With the alternative feeding measure being to toss a small asteroid into the maw to be devoured...

personally i thought it would be cool if the metal planets made small planets that could be used as platforms for military bases or as astroids

Metal Planets having babies?!

GO ON

I don't usually make over-the-top demands of devs, but here it is: please think of the bigger picture, throw away your creative freedom on the subject of metal planet "abilities" and pull no punches: it's literally the death star, it fires a beam, the target explodes an a hypervisual overkill and practically nothing is left. Balance it with capture points by all means but the death star laser has to be there.

well it would have a lot of tactical uses and would explain the need for a giant metal factory planet. could fit with lore as well instead of making a bunch of metal planets for more land they created giant factories to collect matter to make even more planets.

I think we have a magrathea on our hands here! maybe when you wake up the planet to start production it would start sending units out from within it to try and kill you, harvest your brain and all. Also, when approaching said planet, it should shoot a couple of missiles up to try and intercept and destroy the incoming vessel.


Please, please, PLEASE let someone get that reference!

Also, i think that that is a pretty cool idea actually...

To be honest I think that metal planets should have a "deathstar-like" weapon but could only be used against planets of a small size so that they can be used as a counter to an asteroid.

IMAGINE: The enemy has left the home metal planet and has started a base on its moon with halleys. Your nukes, attempts at taking over and orbital unit attacks have all failed and he is sending his moon to hit your base. However, you, as the asteroid is heading for your commander's base, command the superlaser on the metal planet and aim it at the incoming rain of death... you fire...The asteroid explodes destroying your enemy's base, however the debris continues to fall and severely damages your base, but...your commander survives...