Re: Feature requests
Robots
This isn't a simple tweak, more a complete new sub-system, but hey, you asked for ideas.
Here goes - have a selection of pre-made robots that you can send on planetary exploration missions instead of people. NASA can do this already and I miss R2D2 & C3PO not being there.
Robots don't need oxygen although you'd need a specially hardened robot for a toxic atmosphere.
Perhaps they could have a 'mechanical reliability' readout/bar instead of oxygen. Travelling over rough terrain depletes the bar. Once it reaches 0 the robot fails and can only be retrieved by humans. Robots have a mechanical durability rating (like a suit oxygen rating), some being more adept at handling broken terrain than others.
Robots are inherently less versatile than people and might perhaps only move orthogonally.
Robots types should each have limitations. You'd want to use them to take risks that your landing party would normally be exposed to but on the other hand you don't want them to be as capable as human party.
For example;
Scout 'bot: Can investigate only, can't collect any goodies, can't attack creatures. Great at getting an idea of what's out there and where it is.
Biology 'bot: Will stun creatures and gather science data from them using all manner of probes and samplers. Ignores anything other than the native lifeforms. Doesn't show goodies.
Science 'bot: Will hunt out any goodies and collect them. Creatures are effectively invisible to them or perhaps just show as a generic, all purpose 'lifeform' icon.
Military 'bot: will automatically shoot anything that moves (including bunnies). Send them in to clear out the creepy crawlies. Will blaze away happily until they run out of ammunition.
When a robot is exploring the surface the map could show up as grayscale or infra-red like to drop the visual feedback down a notch and to give you a sense of immersion of sitting in your landing shuttle and looking at the feed sent from your 'bot.
Every now and then the link will go on the fritz (planetary or atmospheric interference) and the screen shows white noise for a turn.
Or maybe something big and nasty just ate your 'bot.
Cheers,
PLugger
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