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« on: November 25, 2021, 06:31:55 PM »
In terms of "flattening the curve" on colonies, a great deal of colony value comes from bonuses multiplying bonuses. The biggest multiplier of all is accessibility, since it directly controls the planet's share of the market. Most of the other aspects of planet growth are merely "good". Going from size 3 to size 6 roughly doubles industries and the value of a planet (does it really justify millions going into hazard pay?). Adding +1 to production isn't much on its own, reduced costs have very specific value, and stability already got the nerf bat. What really makes a colony BRRRRR is taking all the bonuses in the left, and multiplying it by accessibility on the right. So maybe that situation isn't working out as well as it should?
Would it make sense for accessibility to be more flat, less dependent on modifiers, or perhaps to tie it more into player driven missions? So that way a player CAN advertise the hell out of their planet, but first they have to deliver 8000 fuel to chicomoztoc. Blowing up a merchant fleet to hurt one planet's accessibility for a few months isn't much. Maybe it could be more meaningful to make an "example" of competitive merchants, and effectively strong arm the market into using your own goods. Stuff like that, stuff that ties into blowing ships up and having a good time while still feeding colony play. I mean, players already do this when they wage all out war and start purging the sector, but that's not really applicable in early or mid game.