Consolidated thread - Base growth steps

An attempt to consolidate discussion of the big steps encountered when growing a base. What are the problems? What are possible ways to fill gaps in growth?



There seems to be 2 major gaps:
625k to convert from a Startup Combo Unit and Oversight Center to the Mainframe, Basic Generator and their 2 normal rooms.
750k to convert from a Mainframe and 6 Databases to a Supercomputer.

Are there other gaps?

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[ QUOTE ]
750k to convert from a Mainframe and 6 Databases to a Supercomputer.

[/ QUOTE ]
"But isn't there a room that holds more than 6 Databases?"
Yes, but when that room costs 750k, you still have a 750k step in your Control progression, and you may as well just go to the Supercomputer.

Perhaps, then, the solution to this step-up is a room with more than 6 Auxes, but costing less than 750k. Like a 350k room that holds 8 Auxes.

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posted by InfamousBrad in the other thread,[ QUOTE ]
a generator somewhere in size between the Combo Power and Control Unit and the Basic Generator (375k prestige for just a little bit more power is a big jump)

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, it's a LOT more power for 375k. 125 to 1,000. So there's plenty of room to play with a number in between, 300 or 350 may be a good target.

Something to keep an eye on with these gaps is how much a SG really notices them. If a SG is getting 150k per week, is a 4-week or so hurdle off of Startup going to even matter to them 2 months from now? Would it be worth adding a filler item groups will only use briefly if it takes coding time away from adding (just to pick an example) an Auction House Terminal that groups will use forever?

Where I'm going with this is not beating down the gap-filler item. I'm suggesting the item should have a broader use. If that 350 Power Generator was a Startup Item, it then has a follow-up use for later. A SG could have Basic Generator AND the 350 Generator both on the plot at the same time, giving them a step-up between the Basic and Turbine Generators. 2 problems solved with 1 item.
Also convenient if you make that 350 Generator a Startup Item is that you don't need to buy the 150k room for it, you can keep the Oversight Center and just add a Control Room.

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From Snow_Globe in the other thread... (pardon me for not nesting it in a quote, cause it's a lot of text)

Functional base items:
- Increase the Mainframe / Magic Axis to 100 control (+50 control difference) for the same price.

- Corner Terminal / Augury Table increased to 15 control (+3 control difference), change price to 35,000, or leave the price alone.

- Increase the power output of the combo unit to 250-300, keep the price the same, that way a clear upgrade path becomes available (combo unit, purchase control main, buy a few items, replace combo unit/oversight room with energy main + control aux).

- Allow the Mainframe / Magic Axis to attach the Advanced Terminal / Seer Desk or Advanced Corner Terminal / Viewing Portal to allow more flexability to reach the supercomputer.

Rooms:
- 1x1 to 1x8, 2x2 to 2x8, 3x3 to 3x8, 4x4 to 4x8, 5x5 to 5x8, 6x6 to 6x8, 7x7, 7x8, 8x8 rooms with decorative room pricing. *note: Too bad, so sad about the base price adjustments. It should be possible to run a script on the base server to automatically refund the difference in price. The 150k decorative rooms have to be changed. Even if the developers said to everyone you have 3 months to change the rooms to the new ones and after that if you haven't changed to the lower cost rooms, if you ever sell back the room you will be getting the new cost back, you have been warned.

- Make a 1x2 Control room. Charge 50,000 prestige. Allow Mainframe, and one of the Terminal / Clerk Desk, Corner Terminal / Augury Table (bumped to 15 control), Monitor Bank / Scrying Paintings, or Holodisplay / Mystic Advisor. This will give an exta 10 to 25 control over the mainframe's new ability.

- Make a 1x2 Power room. Charge 50,000 prestige. Allow only the Basic Generator in it.

- A 1x2 Medical Room 50k, allow 1 medical main, 1 medical aux.

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I appologize for forgetting who proposed this one in that base cost thread...

Oversight Center 2. 4x4, holds an Energy Main, Control Main and 2 Control Aux. For something like 50k.

That smooths the upgrade from a Startup Generator by saving a lot of cash on buying the 2 Control and Energy rooms, while still keeping the dev's "feeling" of needing to remove the cumbersome oversight room.

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There was another motive to the control aux suggestions (basic attaching to the combo units, expert attaching to basic control mains), beyond the additional control produced: most aux items do not get used, except for decoration purposes.

Put simply: No one will attach anything other than databases, because the prestige/control ratio is greater for them. No one uses the expert control auxes because they build them and find out that they will only attach to the mid-level computer. If they do use the expert control auxes, they use the advanced databases. Again this is about price/control (well that and the mega-monitor is ugly).

Edit:
Oh, and it isn't that I think you are opposed to my ideas, it just seems that you do not think it is an issue, or that any fix would be "to complicated" for the effort involved.

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I would kill for an enhanced Oversight Center and combo unit. For the higher PvE SG, the problem is usually more plot space than anything else, and I'd be willing to pay extra to consolidate my control and energy rooms down to a single smaller space.

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[ QUOTE ]
There was another motive to the control aux suggestions (basic attaching to the combo units, expert attaching to basic control mains), beyond the additional control produced: most aux items do not get used, except for decoration purposes.

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I like things that solve 2 problems at once.

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I like a storage room.

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Fluffy Bunny 1 Person SG
Rabid Bunny 1 Person VG
Both on Pinnacle
Hobbit's Hole 1 Person SG
Spider's Web 1 Person VG
Both on Freedom

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
750k to convert from a Mainframe and 6 Databases to a Supercomputer.

[/ QUOTE ]
"But isn't there a room that holds more than 6 Databases?"
Yes, but when that room costs 750k, you still have a 750k step in your Control progression, and you may as well just go to the Supercomputer.

Perhaps, then, the solution to this step-up is a room with more than 6 Auxes, but costing less than 750k. Like a 350k room that holds 8 Auxes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I recall having an extra step there, to go from the smallest control room to the long skinny one. But I think you just skipped from oversight to the skinny one. In retrospect, that may make more sense. But I think I was eager to get in there.

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