Some note in advance: I'd prefer base facilities to have as much as possible:
1) original effects, ie eg no multiple buildings all giving a hammer production bonus
2) two effects, eg Clinic 1) +health, and 2) +1 doctor slot, or Virtual World 1) +1 happiness and 2) +2 XP, to create some interesting combinations/synergies. This also helps keep each building original (goal 1) even if one of the effects might occur in several buildings (eg a health bonus).
Many of the buildings currently in Planetfall don't meet these conditions, so ideas for the effects of those are also very welcome.
As for stuff to go into the Planetfall mod, I personally suggest placing in great deals of what existed in SMAC/X and has yet to make it here. Why don't I see facilities like the Children's Creche, Nanohospital, Quantum Converter, and Tachyon Field in the current list? I think most of the ones taken away could be re-added...
Tachyon Field - I guess I'll add it to Temporal Mechanics. Though as you may guess I'd prefer to have it some other effects besides just giving a defense bonus.
Children's Creche - this is more or less in as the Hatchery. That name is inspired from Brave New World, and IMO it kinda fits in the dark & gritty "film noir" sci fi story that SMAC mostly is. Though many people don't seem to like it.
I guess I might rename the building back to Creche, except perhaps for the Hive.
Nanohospital - as far as I'm concerned out unless some different effects than for the Research Hospital can be thought of.
Quantum Converter - out for same reason: already enough ideas for buildings that can increase hammer production
Hab Complex and Habitation Dome: Increased health and happiness each.
I could add an Arcology building to Contained Ecosystems which gives extra health (and preferably some other effect). Not sure where Hab Complex or Habitation Dome could fit though.
Nanohospital: much like the Research Hospital.
Which is exactly the problem.
Paradise Garden: increased happiness, possibly increased wealth.
Skunkworks: units build faster, slightly increased research.
Data core: increased research. Requires a Network Node.
What techs would enable this?
Temple of Planet: low chances of fungal blooms, more experience for native life units.
Haven't added this one yet, as I'm not sure yet what tech should enable it. I guess I'll just add it to some random centauri tech now, and see later.
Energy Grid: increased energy and decreased maintenance.
I was thinking of an Energy Nexus building with Superconductor which decreased distance maintenance. Or just make the effect automatic with having the Superconductor tech.
Graviton Park: Usage of gravity to emulate roller-coaster-style recreation and industry at same time. Or at least some late-game comic relief. Increased happiness and industry.
Sounds like a possibility, but there already are plenty of effects that can be thought of for the Gravitonics tech. Though of course these effects could later be split into two gravitonics-related techs, so it's something to keep in mind.
We've moved
a thread on buildings in the public forum btw.
Okay. So I was wondering about how the Nessus Mining Stations would work, assuming they'd show up in the game at all. I soon came up with a somewhat wild idea: What if we somehow got Nessus to have its own map?
...
(I suppose one question to ask is, can this all be reasonably done?)
No.
Anyway, I was thinking about perhaps the following:
Sky Hydroponics: +1 free specialist, but -1 happiness and perhaps -1 health
Mining Station: some extra minerals but the maximum bonus is limited to the number of Forts/Bunkers/Military Complexes/whatever name in your base radius. These acts as air bases in BtS, so the idea would be that those represent Aerospace Complexes and its infrastructure necessary to transport the minerals to Chiron. The Aerospace Complex and Space Elevator could affect the maximum bonus.
Cloudscoop: provides Helium locally
Solar Power Transmiiter: boosts energy production of solar collectors in the base radius
Re Nessus/Asteroid/whatever Mining Station effects being tied to terrain improvements, advantage is these facilities are then tied more to other parts of the game such as your terraforming strategy and combat tactics (pillage your enemy's air bases!).