User:Orrin/Monorail

Sketchy ideas for a Monument Test

The Idea

The basic idea is something like an underslung monorail system. Expect it to use high end materials in large quantities, like treated boards, plated ductile metals for the wire (if possible, would need new forge option), plated sheet metals (same), concrete (with iron bars to make it 'reinforced concrete'), lots of bolts/washers (read: *lots*). There would be only towers of fixed height, and higher towers would cost significantly more (^2 for 1.5 times, ^4 for 2 times? Needs to be balanced in light of climb costs).

More Stuff

To make things a little more architectural, there will be a penalty for a height difference greater than X units (to be worked out). Theory is that the carriage/tower? (Would propose carriage - Orrin) has a motor capable of lifting/moving a load over anything less than that, but anything steeper (up *or* down) requires an additional cost, something like small gears/med gears/bars/wire/bolts to enable the carriage to 'grip' the rails. Maybe have the system require maintenance in the form of oil and have it use more on climbs. Would need a 'tank' of oil ontop, would require stainless metal (either 'stainless' attribute or zinc plated) or treated boards and wax, gears to allow the oil to flow correctly, a gearbox etc etc, possible upgrade path. The carriage would burn petroleum as a fuel, at a rate to be worked out. Depends if the towers are fixed as per aqueduct (though 2-3x the distance between them, this has to also be viable) or placed and linked, but that would be messy and difficult. As the grid system is easiest, a fuel cost of X per grid run + (Y * (∂ height^2)) would be the kind of cost I'm thinking. Could upgrade the carriage size and the carriage fuel tank, up to artists if they want to do new graphics for each. Would carry 10k,15k,20k,++? weight/bulk (both, not either, so no sneaky white sand runs!), with maybe a penalty for heavier goods? Designed to replace the massive carry foods and aid the carrying required for the guilds (this is a group orientated, slightly less so than aqueducts since it also has the secondary use) and higher-up-the-ladder players. Less time hauling stupid amounts of ore = more time playing around having fun.

Graphics

Steampunk Egyptian. There isn't enough steampunk around. Suggestions/drawings appreciated. The more complete as an idea this is the better.

Scoring

Must be *evil*. Properly evil. This is also designed to be a high-end, useful tool in transporting large quantities of goods around, so a simple X score per db is no good. A method similar to Heptathlon where the same material would give decreasing points, and then layering ontop of that the tower-esque 'top 7 only', which should keep the 'private' lines from being all that competitive. However, that's not quite evil enough for me. Any more evil suggestions appreciated.

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