Construction above sea level

SeraphOmega

Has anybody else expanded a base anywhere above the surface? I managed to get two hab-domes and an observatory set up with a nice view of the Aurora in the safe shallows. The waves clip through any structures that intersect with the surface, but you can work around that by using a ladder-tube as your entrance instead of a proper hab-dome. Might be a good idea to build a mostly or almost entirely above-sea base in serious hazard zones! Has anybody else tried this/have thoughts?

DaveyNY

I always add an Above the Waterline addition to my base.
Using Platforms to set up Solar Panels and Exterior Growing Beds.
I luv to try and make it look something like the submarine base from the movie Deep Blue Sea.

starkaos

Yes. It all depends on scaffolding and reinforcement if you want a base more than about 3 stories above sea level. Here is a guide that I created for creating Skybases. The X-Corridor is better than the L-Corridor since it gives a more stable footing. I found that using the I-Corridor is too easy to slip off the top of the corridor, but that could have changed since I wrote the game almost a year ago.

It is possible to build a base above the Aurora, but the amount of resources required to do it makes it only feasible in Creative mode. You would need to build a ladder-tube that goes to your desired height, then an extremely long corridor to where you want your entrance. Most bases above the surface seem to use the islands with part of the base underwater for the Moon Pool, but scaffolding is not a necessity with most of these bases. Of course, there is a problem with plants clipping the base and scaffolding can help create an island base with a great view.

With the Precursor Gun, it certainly makes it more appealing to add a base right by it. Speaking of the Precursor Gun, I have to try and see if we can incorporate the Precursor Moon Pool as a dock for the Cyclops for my base.

starkaos

Just tested my Base in the Precursor Moon Pool theory and you have to originally build outside the base outside the Precursor Gun for it to work. The base will be floating with no struts coming out of the Corridors, Multipurpose Rooms, and Foundations. It will be extremely limited to what you can build due to the pool being at about 2 Multipurpose Rooms wide. Of course, the Precursor Moon Pool could be used as a Cyclops Docking Bay with only a portion of the base in the Moon Pool.

Appalaxis

Do you think/hope that the devs will look into implementing some above surface structures in the future? Building a base on solid ground does not sit well with me using underwater designed structures... call me old fashioned

I know the designs are not found on the planet as it is 95% water, but we did travel on a space ship when we got shot down.

starkaos

There needs to be far more land to support new structures. Also, there would need to be a way to get rid of the plants since Floater Island makes it difficult to build on most of its area. If the devs give us wooden huts, then lots of people would ask what is the point of an extremely limited habitat. Of course, it is possible that Alterra only has one design in their databanks. Most planets that they work on are probably inhospitable. So a completely sealed habitat with an airlock is all that they need. The Aurora is a ship that was on a job to build a phasegate by the Alterra Corporation so having one design is more profitable than having hundreds.

Then there is the problem that we are stuck with the Lifepod Fabricator and not the Aurora Fabricator so even if the Aurora had hundreds of designs for structures, they wouldn't be stored on a Lifepod. After all, we have to scan a Multipurpose Room from the Degasi crew's abandoned buildings which seems like a necessity for survival. So unless we can get to the Aurora's main computer systems which is likely destroyed or permanently inaccessible with the available equipment, then we are stuck with the current structures.

Appalaxis

We got data logs from the Aurora main computer if im not mistaken.. I'm sure we can fabricate some device using a microchip, copper wire and lithium to "hack" the computer? We have the resources, why not put them to more use.

True, the Aurora was not designated to another planet and yes having one type of habitat that would work well on all kinds of environments is beneficial. It does however make sense to have a contingency plan for when things go awry