I think it would be helpful to set the foreground color on the design errors textbox in the class design window to orange or red, perhaps with a bold typeface to stick out more to the player.
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Add a tab or something that lists all the colonies with the amount of fuel and MSP stockpiled. Similar to empire mining, but for fuel and MPS which are the two strategic resources used to move military fleets.
SJW: Iâve gone a little further than that
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Seeing the amount of cargo holds an installation takes in the Civilian/Flags tab is useful, but it would be more helpful for me if it listed the amount of tons of cargo space instead, so that it lines up with the fleet view cargo capacity. Especially since you can have all different sizes of cargo bay now.
Also, the (P) next to classes with prototype components is great but is it possible for it to say (RP) if all the prototypes in that class are research protos?
Also also, Iâd like to see the âdominant planetary terrainâ in the Environment tab instead of just in the summary, since itâs the stuff in that tab that changes the terrain.
Sorry about the triple suggestion, I just kept thinking of things as I was typing.
SJW: The value in the civilian tab is Standard Cargo Holds.
Dominant terrain added for Environment for v2.8
Regarding (RP), what if only some prototypes in the class are RP?
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Quick Suggestion:
A [LOST] sensor contact should indicate the time elapsed since the contact was lost, so that I can form a response more appropriately.
I find sometimes that juggling multiple fleet attacks I can lose track of when sensor blips are [LOST] that are these guys turning on and off their Active Sensors. Leaving me at the end of engagement 1 wondering how old the [LOST] contact was that I missed during the shorter combat increments.
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Would it be possible to have the option to add a Junior/secondary researcher to take over in the event the primary dies and you miss research.
In my opinion, itâs better to create an Interrupt event when your working scientist retires/dies. In fact, it would be no different from the old system, where unassigned labs served as an indicator of a scientistâs death. But it also preserves the old problems of reassigning research lists.
In this regard, can the game support research with 1 lab and âunassignedâ scientist (Bonus Mod 0x)? And is it possible to implement the âreplace scientistâ function (mostly replace âunassignedâ), which is available if the number of labs in a project is 1?
Two quick suggestions about Ground Units to make them easier to manage (even though the system has already improved):
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Automatic rebuilding of damaged ground units
It would be very helpful to have an option to automatically refill damaged ground units. For example, adding a âRebuild Troopsâ button: when enabled, and if the troops are stationed on a colony with a Ground Unit Complex, the colony would automatically rebuild the original formation.
At the moment, I find the existing systems a bit unintuitive, and they often donât work well for me (this might be due to my own misunderstanding of templates and setup). -
Clearer and more readable ground combat statistics
It would be great to simplify the presentation of ground combat stats by reducing excessive detail and highlighting the most important information in the overall report.
In addition, adding a final summary at the end of each battle would improve readabilityâthis could include total units lost, enemy units destroyed, and standout performers (e.g., the most effective units on your side).
is already in the game. See the Build Replacements checkbox
is also in the game. There are summary events as well as the lower level ones for each increment. Just hide the events you donât want to see and leave the summary events. Summary over the entire battle, even if it lasts for months, is a lot more involved, as I would need to record a lot of extra data.
suggestion 1 is already a thing and implemented.
suggestion 2, for ground combat itself this would be good
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I would suggest allowing us to use civilian freighters for transporting minerals in the same way we currently transport facilities. It seems odd to me that can have a robust civilian lines transporting facilities but minerals, something which almost certainly would be transported by civilians, are not implemented.
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Steve has said in the past this is intentional. He does not want civies to do everything, not wanting everything to be automated in every single way. am sure he can elaborate more on it.
Had an idea to add small crew related bonuses to miscellaneous custom modules. Examples: bonuses to crew morale(bar/lounge), bonus to officers (meeting room?) something small - mainly for role play. 3-5 bonuses that could add extra flavor..
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I just had an idea about Aurora 4Xâthough it might be a bit rough. I had a sort of âinsightâ 
It feels like something is missing: organic life, especially vegetation. What if the game included different forms of organic ecosystems? For example, planets could host various types of organic life, which might even extend to organic-based ships or stations. Vegetable form of intelligence and soldiers.
Additionally, planets could vary in the quality and abundance of their organic life. Worlds rich in vegetation would provide more food and better living conditions, making them more suitable for human colonization. Conversely, planets with little or poor-quality organic life would be harsher and less desirable.
On the Galactic map screen, an option to see the invisible or hidden grid - this would make it easier to line systems up when reorganizing the map.
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To add something like this, the key in game mechanics terms is to add interesting player decisions, that have a meaningful impact without there being a âcorrectâ decision. Any added work on the part of the player to manage the extra mechanics should be outweighed by a positive gameplay impact in terms of those meaningful decisions.
The best way to propose any significant change like the above is to frame how adding food supply, vegetation, etc. would meet the above criteria.
Thanks Steve to have answered so quickly. Maybe this proposal is connected to my view that humanity is too often imagined at the top of the pyramid. If you observe nature, it works in a completely different way. Nature, vegetable reign, mushroom reign, works differently from humans; it operates through cooperation rather than competition. And these form of intelligence are very complex and efficient. Also: why not mushroom form of intelligence!
Organic encounter will also be a really good addon I think, and probably easier to implement. Thanks Steve for sharing this great game!
Right now you are describing a conceptual idea. How would that work in game terms though? Could you give examples of the mechanics you envisage to implement this and the extra meaningful decisions you believe this would add to the player experience?
What would be the impact on colony cost for example and how would that be different than the existing environmental concerns? What distinguishes mushroom aliens in game terms compared to just deciding an alien race within the current mechanics is a form of life based on mushrooms?
I think the key idea is not âfood as a new system,â but giving planets a biological dimension that creates different optimal uses and trade-offs. For instance:
Native biosphere
My idea would be to add a ânative biosphereâ (or organic rating) as a simple planetary attribute (e.g. 0â5), separate from atmosphere and temperature.
The goal is to create new trade-offs in colonization:
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A richer biosphere could reduce the agricultural/life-support burden, making colonies more population-efficient
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However, it could also introduce risks or constraints (disease, incompatibility, or being damaged by terraforming)
So the player choice becomes something like:
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Terraform a dead world into ideal human conditions
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Or use a biologically rich world that is less âperfectâ but more self-sustaining
That way there isnât a single correct answer â it depends on long-term strategy.
In terms of colony cost, I wouldnât replace the current system.
Instead:
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Colony cost = physical survivability (as now)
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Biosphere = how efficient and stable the colony is once established
Minimal implementation: one new stat only
Organic Rating: 0 to 5
Then use it in only two places:
1. Agriculture / life-support modifier
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Organic 0: no change
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Organic 1â2: small reduction in agricultural workforce
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Organic 3â5: larger reduction, but only on worlds with breathable atmosphere or partial habitability
2. Population growth modifier
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Rich organic worlds give a small growth bonus
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Sterile worlds give none
What it changes in gameplay
The biosphere would affect three things:
A. Food / life-support efficiency
A richer biosphere reduces the share of population tied up in agriculture and life support.
So instead of only asking âCan humans survive here?â, the player also asks:
âHow expensive is survival, and how self-sustaining can this colony become?âExample:
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Dead world: normal current values
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Biosphere 3+: colony requires fewer agricultural workers
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Biosphere 5: strong reduction, but only if the biosphere is compatible with human use
This creates a meaningful choice:
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Colonize the dead but mineral-rich world
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Or colonize the biologically rich world that supports a more efficient long-term population base
That matters because Aurora already treats population allocation as economically important. On habitable worlds, part of the population is tied to agriculture/life support, and changing that ratio affects productive labour.
B. Terraforming synergy or conflict
Terraforming could damage or improve the native biosphere.That creates an actual trade-off:
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Terraform aggressively to optimize for human standards
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Or preserve the existing ecosystem because it lowers food/support burden
So the decision is no longer always âreduce colony cost as fast as possible.â
Sometimes the best human atmosphere may destroy a useful native biosphere -
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What would distinguish mushroom aliens from current alien races?
For mushroom/plant-based aliens, the distinction could be that they interact directly with the biosphere rather than just atmosphere â for example:
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Better performance on rich or hostile ecosystems
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Worse performance on sterile worlds
So they would value planets differently from humans in strategic terms.
I agree that if âmushroom aliensâ are just a portrait and lore label, then they do not add anything. To make them mechanically distinct, I would tie them to biosphere interaction rather than only atmosphere preference.
Example distinctions for fungal / plant-based aliens
Fungal species
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Gain bonuses from high-humidity / rich-biosphere worlds
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Can colonize âhostile ecosystemâ worlds more efficiently
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Spread through spores, so they may âseedâ colonies slowly without normal infrastructure scaling
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Vulnerable to dry / sterile environments
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Better at underground or low-light colony development
Plant-based species
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Benefit strongly from worlds with sunlight and rich native organics
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Slower population growth in sterile enclosed habitats
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Potentially lower food burden on living worlds, but worse performance on dead rocks
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More dependent on environmental stability than humans
So the distinction would be:
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Humans care mainly about atmosphere + infrastructure + standard colonization
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Organic/fungal races care much more about the biosphere profile of the planet
That would make them genuinely different in strategic terms.
I understand is a lot of text, sorry for that. Is not much a quick suggestion :). I used IA to summarize the ideas. I hope you get some hint to develop this aspect. I understand is not easy, it needs time and good balance testing. I tried to come up with something that doesnât affect the current colony cost mechanics or change the overall gameplay.
Maybe what boscodigigia is suggesting is more a cosmetic add-on to make the visual appeal of the game⌠more appealing, rather than a specific gameplay mechanic.
Of course Aurora does not need to be appealing, it is not sold and it is already super as it is, however small graphic improvements could be beneficial to the game itself as it expands and more monotonous text is added.
I suggested this way many times, I remember you had considered this last year if I remember correctly but in general you are not very keen in this aspect, at least for now.
I was thinking about very simple and flat things, like in antimatter (see below), you could start adding small icons for traded goods, or adding a view of the Earth, descriptions of living things (animals, plants etc.), maybe some chart.
I have considered having planetary maps and given thought to have to implement them. That part is relatively straightforward. It is what happens next that is the problem
Once I have maps, people will want to see urban centres. Again, I think I can do that.
Terraforming will impact the maps - but again that could be handled.
However, once we get that far, it will be ground units. We have a map so it makes sense to show the ground forces, like Emperor of the Fading Suns. Then I need more in-depth ground combat, including AI updates.
Next, we start thinking about where ships are in relation to the surface. How do we transition between a dot on a tactical map and a planetary surface. Should I show the true size of the planets. If so, can you hide behind them? etc.
So when I start going down that particular rabbit hole and canât see the bottom, I decide not to start digging
BTW part of the âproblemâ is that people absorb information in different ways. Some prefer images, or video and some prefer text and numbers.
I am one of the relatively small group that is numbers/text. I donât learn from videos - they are too slow for the rate at which I consume information. I read very quickly and remember what what i read, plus I can look at a large table of numbers and pick out patterns very quickly.
The downside to that is most people prefer pictures and videos, so it can be difficult for me to effectively convey information to people who absorb information in a different way. I have recognised that the problem exists and I overcome it when I am at work. With Aurora, which is a hobby, I have just built information in the way that I most easily consume it.
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Yes, I can tell it is AI as it is describing modifications to mechanics that donât exist
I think we are at cross-purposes, as most of your post is still conceptual and flavour-based, not mechanical. What you are describing is really just colony cost with different flavour, not new mechanics, or different decisions
âMushroomâ aliens are described as aliens with different environmental tolerances. That already exists in the current species mechanics.
Terraforming already exists to modify different environmental factors.
Having aliens with higher or lower infra requirements, or growth modifiers, pop density modifiers, temperature or gravity or oxygen tolerances, is already in the game.
In summary, you are describing background flavour that is one potential explanation for mechanics that exist now. You could describe those âmushroomâ aliens within a current campaign right now.
An example of a new mechanic might be a âflare starâ - a sun that periodically sends out bursts of radiation that affect the planets in that system (adding a specific amount of radiation to each body, depending on star output and distance). So to colonise the system, you have new decisions to make about a threat that doesnât exist anywhere else in the game. It could interact with existing mechanics- perhaps strong magnetic fields reduce that radiation impact by a percentage based on the field strength, so planets with that characteristic become more attractive in that given set of circumstances. You are adding meaningful decisions, without ârightâ answers, that add to the player experience with no extra micromanagement involved.
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My âgraphicâ suggestion are just to make Aurora ânicerâ looking, these improvements do not need to be necessary useful or improve the readability of the information, of course a chart would improve that aspect.
When it comes to us demanding stuff, Steve, this is your game, we take all what you decide to put in, few icons or the planisphere for now would be great, if in 3 years I will ask you to implement a ship-GPS system to point out where the ship is on the surface, you are authorized to tell me to go to the hell 
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