There are tons of topics about meteors and searching them all to see if anyone suggested it seems pointless, so in case it was said, sorry for repeating. Now onto the main thing... A simple, yet I think effective way of warning players that something bad is coming. In a few stages: 1. There will be meteors visible on the sky, falling towards the surface, leaving trails of smoke and the like. May add some distant faint booms from meteors breaking sound speed when entering atmosphere. 2. Impact sounds will be heard in the distance / background. Sceen is shaking a little - in non-obstructive, but noticeable way. May also show some actual impacts on the background. Sounds and shaking would be noticeable from below the planet's surface (as long as you're above the perma background wall) to avoid getting topside with completely missing the 1st warning. 3. Actual meteor shower is taking place. Between the beginning of stage 1 and the shower itself it should take around 20-30 seconds, so you have enough time to get underground, build a makeshift shelter or just beam the heck out of the planet. That is all. And I think it would fix the problems, especially for permadeath people. As to getting our bases destroyed by meteors, we'll have to wait for the promised mechanic to fight that or just choose planets without said showers.
0.5. The ability to craft a radar system so I can detect incoming meteors from an even longer distance.
Hm... How about being able to set up a shield system, that puts up a protective shield in a Crescent over a certain area? Basically a semi indestructible barrier that you fuel with some Tier 5 or so tech?
Well, I'm pretty sure that meteors don't hit any part of the screen that isn't in the nearby chunks (though I may be wrong), but if this is true, then you could just beam off planet or run away from your base once the visual clues start to prevent destruction of your base.
To everyone suggesting how to *prevent* meteors from striking, this is a wrong place. Some sort of mechanic for this was promised by the devs as far as I'm aware, so there's little sense in dwelling on it. @Borvis - Yes, they strike in the immediate proximity of player, most probably directly on top of his or her head. @DaFlea - That is not something that would be accessible to just anyone from the very beginning of the game. My suggestion here is just to exist on planets as an early warning despite of your tech level or you bringing that thing with you planetside or not. Many people, especially those playing on permadeath, are complaining about no warning. This is a warning. Long enough to get the hell out of the harm's way.
If the warning signs that the OP suggested were put into place, you'd be stupid not to run away. Unless you wanted to redo your home or something.
I was just adding to the suggestions and systems that could help prevent/stop it... I wasn't criticizing the OP about what they posted. o.,o
Why need a machine when what I described would, you know, happen in real life situation? We don't need technology, we need a simple warning occurring in nature, no matter if you're walking about with a bone & a rock or a Super Heated Rapid Plasma Caster 5000. Tech may come later.
