Buildings
The roster by tier. Tier 0 numbers are the current prototype baseline. Everything after that is a Tentative sketch. Units are covered in units-and-missions.md; costs and rules in resources-and-economy.md.
General rules Decided:
- Every building includes foundation under its footprint and connects to anything adjacent.
- New tiers add new buildings; nothing upgrades in place. Old versions stay buildable and useful.
- Tier 0 buildings are revealed gradually as the player discovers the resources needed to build them.
- Tier 0 is built from Basalite only. Ores must be refined before they can be used in construction.
- Some tech unlocks improve existing buildings instead of adding new ones (blueprints, auto-rebuild, silo filters, smarter patrols).
Tier 0: The Crash / Discovery
All Tier 0 buildings are unpowered and made only of Basalite.
| Building | Cost | Footprint | Unlock | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashed Ship | Starts on map | — | Start | Home of the first Scout Drone, Harvester and Engineering Crew. The one indestructible building, so recovery is always possible. Where the first Evolite sample is studied. The long-term repair objective. Stores about 6 stacks. |
| Depot | 100 Basalite | 3×3 (tentative) | Discover Basalite | Builds and dispatches Harvesters, Engineering Crews (and trucks from Tier 1). About 3 slots. Stores about 6 stacks. |
| Storage Silo | 67 Basalite | 2×2 (tentative) | Discover Basalite | Bulk stacked storage (about 24 stacks); optional filters |
| Foundation | 10 Basalite / tile | 1×1 | Discover Basalite | Connects networks (inventory, later power) |
| Barracks | 100 Basalite | 3×3 (tentative) | First alien sighting | Builds and dispatches Sword Bots. About 3–4 slots. |
| Stone Wall | 3 Basalite / tile | 1×1 | First alien sighting | Passive barrier. Never connects networks. |
Status: Depot, Silo, Foundation and Barracks in Tier 0 are Decided. Stone walls in Tier 0 were proposed and used in every simulation, and the designer never objected Tentative. The numbers are Tentative baselines (see balance-and-simulations.md).
Tier 1: Primitive Industry
Opens when the first Evolite sample is studied at the ship. Mostly Colite-burning or unpowered. Nothing in Tier 1 needs electricity Decided. Order of milestones: Refining → Logistics → Stationary Mining, with Defense as a parallel branch (see technology-and-progression.md).
| Building | Unlock | Build materials (sketch) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primitive Refinery | Free on Tier 1 reveal (“Primitive Refining”) | Basalite only (avoids needing iron to make iron) Decided | Burns Colite; Ferrite → Iron, Cuprite → Copper |
| Outpost / Truck Stop | Logistics research | Basalite + Iron | Receiving end of truck routes; small buffer; one truck at a time |
| Primitive Fabricator | Basic Fabrication research | Basalite + Iron + Copper | Basic components, ammunition |
| Colite Drill | Stationary Mining (an expensive unlock) | Basalite + Iron | Mines Colite. Seed it with a first batch, then it fuels itself from the network (placeholder: burns 1/min, yields 50/min). |
| Primitive Mining Drill | Stationary Mining | Basalite + Iron (+ Copper) | Colite-burning extraction of Basalite, Ferrite, Cuprite, Silicate, Calcified Evolite; 2×2-style footprint logic |
| Basic Gun Turret | Defense research | Basalite + Iron (+ Copper) | Automatic defense; uses ammo |
| Reinforced Wall | Defense research | Basalite + Iron per tile | Stronger barrier |
Notes:
- The quantities once proposed (for example, Refinery 30 Basalite, Outpost 15 Basalite + 10 Iron) were judged too low and set aside. Tier 1 quantities still need to be balanced against the Tier 0 economy.
- Should the Colite Drill and the Mining Drill be one general drill or two? Open
- Colite machinery stays useful after electricity, but only for reserves or quick, simple outposts where speed of setup matters more than efficiency (“send a few stacks of Colite and you’re running”) Decided. Electrical generation should take longer to set up.
- Turrets and military buildings mostly don’t need power Decided. Barracks L1 is like tents and needs no power.
Tier 2: Electrification
Unlocked by restoring the ship’s electrical systems (the first ship repair). Everything here needs power Decided; specific buildings are Tentative.
| Building | Role | Build materials (placeholder) |
|---|---|---|
| Colite Generator | Electrical capacity from Colite | Basalite, Iron, Copper, Wiring |
| Electric Mining Drill | Higher throughput; silenced by cutting power | Iron, Steel Beams, Wiring, Motors |
| Electric Refinery | Faster or more advanced refining | Basalite, Steel Beams, Wiring, Motors |
| Electric Fabricator | Electrical and mechanical components | Steel Beams, Wiring, Mechanical Parts |
| Powered Turret | Stronger defense | Steel Beams, Wiring, Electrical Components |
| Control Switch | Switch connected machinery on or off | Iron, Copper, Wiring |
| Radar Station (tier TBD) | Wide vision, early warning | Steel Beams, Wiring, Electrical Components |
Tier 3: Advanced Industry and Evolite Extraction Tentative
| Building | Role |
|---|---|
| Evolite Drill (Deepcore) | Underground Evolite at 1× anywhere; expanding seismic signature |
| Advanced Refinery | More materials |
| Specialized Fabricators | Microchips, motors, precision parts |
| Communications Hub | Demand-driven logistics (depots request automatically) |
| Automation Controller | Timers, signals, conditions |
| Advanced Barracks | Stronger units, automated deployment |
| Advanced Turrets | Specialized weapons |
Tier 4+: Automation and Expansion Tentative
Underground Scanner (reveals rich Evolite pockets), Solar Array, Battery Bank, Advanced Power Plant (possibly nuclear), Advanced Depot (about 8 slots), Advanced Construction facility (fast build, automatic reconstruction), Sensor Array, Command Center (optional high-tier management), Heavy Defenses (bosses), Train Station / rail, Research Laboratory (the Doctor’s alien-research branch), Missile Silo (mentioned in passing).
Specialized refineries and fabricators will multiply over time. “Refinery” and “Fabricator” are categories, not single buildings.