New Type of Trade Hub for Colonies

[Greydog]

I’m really liking the advent of colonies. It really simplifies the ability to collect all the best a system has to offer. I do have one suggestion though.

Right now the trade hubs that allow colonies to work are roads, Airports and wharf’s. What is missing is a single building trade hub that is not an airport for use in intra-planetary trade in harsh environments. Roads are fine but sometimes running one all around a zone or two to collect those sparse high Q resources can be a pain. I don’t always want more than one airport on a planet and wharf’s only work on planets with water.

I’d like to suggest the addition of another type of building for use as a trade hub, lets call it a “Transport Station”

It’s that last point “wharfs only work on planets with water” that is the real issue. The Transport Station would have the same effect as the wharf, minus the fish, but would connect with either airports or other stations. While the idea is to give another “wharf like” option in harsh environs, it could also be used on habitable as well.

Personnel would consist of a minimum of one Office Worker and Two professional. Nothing would be produced, the professional jobs are simulating warehouse handlers, Office is a dispatcher. Professional jobs would also give the building other purpose.

We could make having transport production somewhere in the system or on planet a requirement like an SUV is, except it would be a key requirement.

[Xantheose]

Not a bad idea, but how the ressources would be shipped if there is no road or ships?

[Deantwo]

We discussed it on discord. And it isn't a bad idea. It is sort of fluf though, not really adding anything new to the game.

As you said, it basically just need to function like the current Wharf does, except it would not be required to be on a coastline. It should probably require electionics in its construction, so it doesn't completely takeover the Wharf's job.

Call it a "Helicopter Pad" maybe? But I guess that would make the assumption that an atmosphere is required.
Could also rename the current Airport Terminal to "Spaceport" and then implement this new building type as an "Airport". It would be hell to get used to the new name, but I have never really liked that our Airport Terminal dual as a spaceport.

[Xantheose]

That makes sense.

Actually the airport are closer to spaceports than airports, designed to have vertical landing and intended to allow space trade.

[Neils Iyssada]

So if I understand it well, the root problem is to keep only one airport on the planet, so you don't have a 50% chance to land on the wrong one.

Here's another idea : make a button in the airport IU you have to uncheck for it to be only a simple "airport", which won't appear on the nav list and won't be used by ship pilots.

Or like Dean said, add another simple "airport" and rename the actual building as a "spaceport".

[Greydog]

Not a bad idea, but how the ressources would be shipped if there is no road or ships?

 Transport Planes, Helicopter, Spacecraft ... all simulated of course.

The station would still need to be connected by road or proximity, to the buildings it services just like a wharf

Making it a lesser airport is basically the idea. If that can be done with a tick box just as easily, that's fine as well. The secondary reason behind using transports is to give a reason to make them. Which is also the reason I suggested having a transport craft present as a requirement, beyond just having a unique requirement attached to the build.

[Deantwo]

Another alternative idea: Train stations.
But I guess constructing railways would be the same as roads. Unless the railways are just not shown.

Here's another idea : make a button in the airport IU you have to uncheck for it to be only a simple "airport", which won't appear on the nav list and won't be used by ship pilots.

This could work too.

[Pegboard]

my 2 cents is that if a new building is implemented for this it should be able to equip transporter pads, and serve dual-function as an extra transporter pad building that isn't an airport

[Greydog]

my 2 cents is that if a new building is implemented for this it should be able to equip transporter pads, and serve dual-function as an extra transporter pad building that isn't an airport

I'll second that. I have advocated for a Transporter Booth that can be set anywhere.

[Xantheose]

A freight teleporter station, which require io tubes to build.

The advantage of that is to not overtake the wharf, since it require a more advanced material. Also, it can't trade with other planets due to the limited range of teleport pads.