- Make the Planetary Shields into Ground forces like STOs, but for shields! Yeeaaahhhh!

This is a good idea.

- This man. This guy right here. Or girl... doesn't matter. This right here is why we need Misc. Installations.

I mentioned this in another thread before when Steve added Misc Components. I feel like it could function the same way. You dont exactly...design them. You just construct them. Small, Medium, Large, and/or Planetary Size. And then you name them like you name...Sector Commands or whatever. Quick, easy, and requires only Duranium to construct. RP value out the whazoo. And i guess you could make it so you cant transport them on cargo ships so you dont cause...issues. Edit: I have no idea how tonnage would work with them anyway but if you cant transport them i feel like it would be a bit...irrelevant. You cant exactly transport a planet wide administration supercomputer complex in a cargo ship.

- As a quick aside, I'd like a Planetary Shield Installation. Have it scale to shields with Strength & Regen dictating it's stats. Make it have the same population requirement of a Terraforming Installation and be equivalent to a 25,000 Ton ship-board Shield Generator. Give it a tech line like DSTS, whereby Shield Size tech grants a multiplier, but you need to research that multiplier after you research each shield tech.

 - Not sure how to balance it against Ground Force Invasions, maybe have it so Fighter-Sized Craft w/ Transport Bays and/or Orbital Drops could land them without harm, but for other methods

 - Make the Planetary Shields into Ground forces like STOs, but for shields! Yeeaaahhhh!

I mean if Misc Installations got added you could just name an large misc installations Powerplant or whatever or Planetary Power Grid. No gameplay function. Just all the RP value.

It's a factor already accounted for in the form of a reduced worker pool and identified as Service Industries.

While looks like a neat feature it will require more depth and as already said it would have to add something to the gameplay besides adding to micromanaging planets.

It was already discussed here http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10249.15 where Steve did actually thought about it and came to the same conclusion.

although some players report that there is a lead time while the CON units fortify before they will build anything.

Honestly? This makes thematic sense, since those CON units are mobile construction units optimized for military fortification first, general construction second. It makes sense for a construction vehicle to have to establish itself and construct what I assume would be basic infrastructure before it can actually start to build industrial complexes, and remember that this happens on a planetary scale.

I would not be in favor of it.

On one hand, adding an explicit power requirement which has to be met means adding micromanagement to planets and colonies that doesn't add a lot of meaningful gameplay in exchange. What I mean is that where presently we have the interesting decision of deciding what facilities, etc. to build with planetside industry, adding a power requirement reduces the decision-making because some fraction of industry is forced to go to power production to keep industry running.

On the other hand, if it isn't a mandatory requirement then what does it really add in terms of gameplay? If I want increased factory output, I can just build more factories which, once built, don't cost me any extra minerals to get production from. Reducing the amount of population needed is interesting, but probably better served by a new Automated Factory installation which doesn't need to rely on a complicated power system, it can just be 2x the cost like automines are compared to normal mines.

It is worth noting that we already have this capability, by the way, in the form of CON components for ground units. While there's some lead time involved, this does mean we can convert a relatively underused mineral (vendarite) into population-free industry fairly effectively, although some players report that there is a lead time while the CON units fortify before they will build anything.

I was wondering what people's opinion are on having a power management for planets? So the idea would be using powerplants that can burn sorium and maybe one other mineral to produce electricity.  Maybe adding techs that increase automation by increasing construction cost and power cost, decreased worker count, but increasing the output per facility; i. e adding robots instead of people.  Just a thought.