Pressure Dome?

[Schmoog]

It counts as recycling tanks. I can't really think of a gameplay or 'fluff' reason for it. Any insights?

[Petek]

A pressure dome prevents a base from sinking (drowning) when sea levels rise.

Petek

[CEO Aaron]

While there's no explicit fluff, it's pretty easy to imagine that any systems that allow a base to be submerged would require pretty extensive air recycling systems, so why not build the other systems while you're at it? Really, I think the free recycling tanks is just a booby prize to make sea pods/bases a bit less lame in the early game.

[GooglyBoogly]

It also counts as another building, so if you are playing as an alien race you'll get an additional 0.5 energy/turn out of it.

[CEO Aaron]

So you can build a pressure dome AND a recycling tanks? Learn something new every day.

[GooglyBoogly]

I know you can do it if you get the recycling tanks first, but don't think you can get the tanks after you have the dome.

[CEO Aaron]

I had assumed that the dome would replace the tanks automatically. (I don't flood my planet).

[Schmoog]

While there's no explicit fluff, it's pretty easy to imagine that any systems that allow a base to be submerged would require pretty extensive air recycling systems, so why not build the other systems while you're at it? Really, I think the free recycling tanks is just a booby prize to make sea pods/bases a bit less lame in the early game.

I doubt the bases are actually submerged though: sure, the idea of a pressure dome suggests that they are submerged, but on the other hand, a) they look more like raft-cities than underwater cities and b) I doubt a hovercraft(foil) would be able to enter an underwater city. I suppose it's just a case of simplicity over realism. I see where you're coming from re: making sea bases not suck earlygame though.

[dgh64]

I doubt a hovercraft(foil) would be able to enter an underwater city.

Not to mention helicopters, needle jets, gravships... And remember, ships with "deep pressure hull" still look like they're on the surface. Speaking of subs, how exactly does a submarine foil work? I think it's definitely the simplicity over realism thing.

Maybe the pressure "dome" is actually just an air-filled chamber under the city enabling it to float, which doubles as a recycling tank?