While working on ecodamage mechanics, I found something interesting...

[Yitzi]

We all know that there are three effects to the number of fungal pops you've already had:
1. Each pop gives you an extra "clean mineral".
2. It affects global warming (sea levels rising).
3. It affects how severe the worm attacks that come with the fungal pop are.

Now, it's been fairly well established that each time you build one of the four "magic facilities" (tree farm, hybrid forest, centauri preserve, temple of planet) it counts as a pop for #1.  My investigations into the workings of the game strongly suggest that it counts as a pop for #2 and #3 as well, meaning that it makes global warming worse and increases the severity of future worm attacks.  So:
1. Can anyone confirm this in terms of actual gameplay?
2. If this is true, should it be marked as a clear bug (i.e. a patch should change it without giving people the opportunity to decide they prefer the old way)?

[Green1]

I do know that some of the global warming stuff is a bit too extreme at time as far as sea levels rising. But, that is an alphax.txt modification to fix. There was a big discussion/ranting about it on an atrocity thread.

Choices are always good. If there is a way to give them a choice in game, your patch will have more acceptance. BUT- like our wild discussion at the "unofficial" expac thread, you would be looking at UI work to add the ability to alter this option in game under the "rules" menu.

[Yitzi]

Modifying it in-game is out of the question.  It would have to be an alphax.txt mod to change it.  The question is whether even that is necessary; after all, nobody's complaining that scient's patch makes it impossible to mind control Angel bases after they'll discovered PSA.  Real bugs don't need an option to keep them in; the only question is whether this is a real bug.

[Yitzi]

Well, it seems that it does not have a major effect on global warming, but it does affect worm attacks.  So building ecological facilities actually makes worms start attacking sooner...is there anyone who doesn't think that's a bug?

[Lord Avalon]

Hmmm ... maybe Planet life doesn't like terran trees?

[Yitzi]

Hmmm ... maybe Planet life doesn't like terran trees?

Then why would it reduce the chance of fungal pops in the first place?

It's literally the same rules for determining the number of clean minerals and (I think) the intensity of worm attacks when the pops do occur.  I know that worms start appearing once clean minerals (discounting atrocities) reaches 23 whether that's due to pops or facilities, I think it also affects the intensity.

[Lord Avalon]

I guess I was going for the rationalization that trees are better than industry, but still alien to Planet, rather than a game mechanics explanation.

[Yitzi]

Yeah, but it just doesn't fit, especially when you consider that Centauri Preserves also do the same thing.

[Yitzi]

Another interesting thing I found...you know how ecodamage has a step "Multiply by 5 on Thinker and Transcend, by 3 on lower difficulty levels"?  Well, it doesn't mention it, but on Citizen it multiplies by only 2.

For computer players, the formula is 3 on difficulty Librarian or lower, 2 on Thinker, and 1 on Transcend.

[Paramatter]

Well, it seems that it does not have a major effect on global warming, but it does affect worm attacks.  So building ecological facilities actually makes worms start attacking sooner...is there anyone who doesn't think that's a bug?

Maybe this issue is already settled by now, but I think this could be intentional if it's something along the lines of the ecological facilities allow Planet/the ecosystem to grow heartier, or perhaps the knowledge that such facilities can be built makes Planet less sympathetic towards bases causing heavy ecodamage.

[Yitzi]

Well, it seems that it does not have a major effect on global warming, but it does affect worm attacks.  So building ecological facilities actually makes worms start attacking sooner...is there anyone who doesn't think that's a bug?

Maybe this issue is already settled by now, but I think this could be intentional if it's something along the lines of the ecological facilities allow Planet/the ecosystem to grow heartier, or perhaps the knowledge that such facilities can be built makes Planet less sympathetic towards bases causing heavy ecodamage.

That would cause more fungal pops, not less fungal pops with more worms.

[Yitzi]

Another interesting thing I found: While the space elevator doubles mineral production when building satellites, the extra minerals do not count for ecodamage.