<strong>1) Shelter</strong><br/>I'm having something a bit hybrid in mind.<br/>Near landing points are common dormitories, entirely transparent, with no maintenance whatsoever, and many, many innmates in cramped spaces. And of course, absolutely no privacy at all.<br/>By going over one's quotas, one can acquire a personal shelter. It's dropped wherever, with the innmate having no choice in the matter, it's very barebones, and it's entirely transparent. Even more than the commons since it's not as grimy most of the time.<br/>So, for economy, convinience, or privacy reasons, some might prefer igloos. They can have a bit of comfort to them and feel like a refuge, but equipment is harder to acquire individually, than bundled with a shelter. Plus, they're easily destroyed.<br/>Finally, I imagine the top dogs could have made themselves a rather comfortable home, underground, in mine veins that aren't exploited. Warmer than an igloo, connected with the grid, and quite possibly very private, but limited in amount, and often in even worse spots than the shelter drops.<br/><br/>Alternatively, about the cave idea, a possibility is that, in the vein of the last of my humble little ideas, all caves under a certain altitude or proximity are already taken by powerful established forces, and that rising above a certain height makes the suit malfunction resulting in death.<br/><br/><strong>2) The suits.</strong><br/>I liked the original simplicity of transparent suits that were just really easy to keep warm, but nanotech, or other ways of advancement do offer some interesting possibilities. Perhaps with the possibility, for going over a personal quota, to buy some upgrades, like more solid feet and hand covers, or the ability to obfuscate part of it (I see it as something costly and temporary. Like a suscription for the price of something like a third of a shelter each month. Simply to give the choice of a partial, illusory privacy, and make it unwise to pick.). Plus, a part of the suit could show how long it's been since one has arrived, or even personal informations and crimes. And of course, there's also the possibility of hacking, though it seems only a handful amongst the millions of innmates could have the equipment, let alone the skill, to perform such a feat.<br/>And then, with all technology also comes natural malfunctions.<br/><br/><strong>3) Mining equipment</strong><br/>The hard, classic tools seem indeed like they fit much more the theme and atmosphere of the game. If robotic equipment does all the mining, the innmates don't have much to do, besides maybe ferry the ores. Even with more technological equipment, I still figure it'd be something personal, potentially hazardous, and demanding some amount of effort. Perhaps like a mining blowtorch/laser that can only be recharged with a handcrank, and can't be targetted even remotely towards a suit?<br/><br/><strong>4) Fuel</strong><br/>I'm figuring there are many various futuristic power sources. I'm figuring they are all potentially quite dangerous in the hands of criminals, and thus kept far, far away from the innmates. I'm also figuring wind turbines are easy to break in this cold, harsh environnment, and that they're basically held by duct tape. So that seems like a good plan. Geothermal plants seem like a secondary backup plan too, much more limited in scope, but more reliable.<br/><br/><strong>5) Facilities</strong><br/>Regarding the storage, I'm figuring there's an identification system at the entrance, tied to the suit or something internal, to basically tell who brought what, in order to manage personal quotas. Probably the most secure place on the planet since in there is what the Empire actually wants. Of course, who actually played the part in bringing the ores someone got identified with is a secondary concern. Like the drop points for equipments that are different from these warehouses, and here as well, a secondary concern.<br/><br/>I'm figuring besides some extremely basic commons, nothing would be actually planned though. So places like a café would be mostly an innmate initiative, perhaps using materials or entire shelters from the recently departed.<br/><br/>As for the private shelters, I'm figuring they could be pretty barebones initially, with simply some heating tied to an unreliable wind turbine, some walls, a door and a roof. But that they could be upgraded with things like a lock recognizing one's personal suit, secondary power reserves, a personal kitchen, some crude bed, a softer floor, or a computer, with no online access of course, except if one pays for data sent by the empire, with things like e-books, propaganda, and practical guides.<br/><br/><strong>6) Political organisation</strong><br/>I do imagine it pretty unstable, yes. After all, everybody has indeed a potential weapon indeed. Loyalties can be fickle... I figure some places might be more civilized or organized than others, forming a spectrum ranging from complete chaos, to strong individualism, to organized mafia control.<br/>If we go with what I suggested in point 5, an interesting aspect is also that, no matter how high or low, someone who wants to check in has to do so personally, even with goods that aren't personal. So, has to go through a pre-planned point of passage, potentially exposed.<br/><br/><strong>7) Native creatures</strong><br/>Let's see what there could be... Big fuzzy beasts that'd generate extra heat through a chemical reaction underbelly to drink from melted ice. Large swarms of creatures floating with the wind before crashing hard, with a particularly solid sort of mix between a beak and a horn. Giant dangerous powerful insects with a sawblade-like appendage.<br/>I don't think the creatures will be as strong a focus as the politics, interpersonal relationships, distant attempts at imperial dealings and so on, so I'm not sure I'm all that inspired regarding native creatures.<br/><br/><br/>So, there are my two cents, hope there were a few accidental suggestions that got lost in all that!