Making the BGA more interesting

[Mdusty]

I'd like to see Giants take a page from the Anno series, and make the electricity from the BGA actually required to run the factories before they can produce any products. If the BGA doesn't get enough input to run, the factories lose electiricity and have to shut down production until the BGA is running again. Utilities levied on businesses for electricity are paid to the owner(s) of the BGA(s) as a line item from each business owner in multiplayer, or split between multiple BGAs depending on the ratio of power output. The BGA could play a much bigger role than it currently does.

[dan1109]

Well, there is a thing called the electric grid. You can sell or buy electricity from the grid. The BGA sells electricity to the grid. Your productions buy electricity from the grid, in the form of productions costs. If you own one but not the other, you still are allowed to interact with the electric grid accordingly.

[Mdusty]

Yes, but it doesn't directly impact production like I am suggesting. Just trying to suggest a way to make the BGA more interesting. If "the grid" suddenly shut down and stopped all production (lighting in buildings and streets ceases too) because the BGA ran out of input, that would get folks' attention.

[Noraf]

Well, the problem as I see it, is that this would force the bga down players 'throut'.
And I for one wouldn't like that one bit, and it might kill the joy of the game for me.

[Eische]

One compromise could be to remove the generic running cost for each production line and instead add electricity as a needed input to each line.
This way you could use the BGA to distribute electricity to your productions or just buy it from the grid.

[Mdusty]

One compromise could be to remove the generic running cost for each production line and instead add electricity as a needed input to each line.
This way you could use the BGA to distribute electricity to your productions or just buy it from the grid.

This is more in line with my thinking. If you don't want to buy the BGA, you still have to "purchase" electricity as an (small) input for your production lines. But if you do buy the BGA, you will be required to keep it running to feed the factories with electricity, and for your efforts, the production lines (from other players in multiplayer or the unpurchased factories in the standalone game) will pay you for the electricity. And if the BGA runs out of input, the lights go out and the factories stop until it is replenished.