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Early Underground

Last Update: May 19, 2020

Make sure not to activate this mod while playing an old save game, as it will irreversibly change parameters of that save that cannot be undone. Likewise, if you start a new game with this mod and then turn it off, the save will not behave correctly.

I really like the concept of exploring the Martian underground and mining asteroids, but don't really like how it was implemented in the game - I can't see the point of building underground when, by the time you can actually do so, expanding the colony on the surface is easier and more beneficial. This mod aims to change the underground from a late-game mechanic to an early-game mechanic, by making the underground a better early option due to less resource requirements and the absence of disasters.

To achieve that, here is what it does:

• Underground buildings do not require any exotic minerals for construction or maintenance.
  
• Underground domes tech will always be third in the Recon and Expansion tech tree. The Low-G Engineering tech unlocks the Medium Underground Dome.
  
• Surface domes have higher consumption of resources, which improve as the planet gets terraformed. Temperature affects energy consumption; Atmosphere affects oxygen consumption; Water affects, well, water consumption; and Vegetation affects maintenance rate.
  
• The technologies in the Recon and Expansion tree cost the same as the regular tech tree (added to base game - hooray!) and is rearranged to allow better underground progression and earlier asteroid exploration.
  
• Exotic minerals are required for the construction and maintenance of more advanced buildings on the surface of Mars. All Wonders require exotic minerals for construction as well.
  
• The Recon Centre is a little cheaper to build and requires less resources for maintenance to allow for use in earlier stages. However it is also a little less efficient.
  
• Fungal Farms can be built underground, while Farms and MOXIES cannot. (added to base game - hooray!)
  
• Fungal Farms and (added to base game - hooray!) Hydroponic Farms are more evenly balanced compared to Farms and Ranches to make underground food production more feasible.

The mod also adds a new Game Rule:

Panic! Game Rule:
- Colonists take extra sanity damage from disasters


Big shoutout to the folks from the Modding Discord who helped with some of the code for this mod!