The RTSC Guide to Startopia
Part 9Food & Drink

Strangely enough, food comes - and ONLY comes - in one form: the Dine-O-Mat. There are no restraunts or cafes in Startopia. This is a four sided, fully automated vending machine built on both lower decks, and all it does is restore Peep Nourishment. Sprinkle them liberally throughout your Station, and keep an eye on your Overview menu to see how your population's food needs are being met.

Right clicking on a Dine-O-Mat brings up an options menu: by default, they produce cheap (and nasty?) synthetic food by replicating e. Not terribly good for your profit margins, and only the cheaper characters like Salt Hogs will really appreciate it. However, you can set Dine-O-Mats to create more upmarket foods based on Mineral Ores or go for rich, organic food sources based on Food Supplies. Various races prefer different types, and while all versions will nourish your customers, some food stuffs will subtract Mind points on different alien species. However, I've found leaving all three buttons on seems to work fine. Its an avenue of finessing your Station and catering to specific species' needs. Experiment. Have fun!

Drink

Fortunately, there's tons of options when it comes to drinking a Startopian under the table. You get three types of bar, only available on the Entertainment Deck: the Rough Bar is for the less cashed classes and the violent; Recreation Bars are general purpose establishment for most peeps; and the snooty Cocktail Bar for the upper crust and the clergy. These fine establishments help foster good relations, although peeps can literally drink themselves into a stupor and Kasvagorians sometimes kill each other in drunken brawls. Early on in the game you'll have no difficulty attracting patrons; but later on when other delights come online you can find all your fine drinking establishments maddeningly empty. One way to get those Peeps back in and socialising again is to drop the prices on each type of bar.

Gem Slugs get their own specialised Slug Apartments, a cross between a five star Sleeping Berth and a Turkish styled Bar. Here the Slugs get to recline in their own special slime baths (which apparently reek to the other peeps) and help themselves to their own delicacies without any pesky plebs getting in the way.

Drinking has the effect of dramatically increasing a Peep's Fun and relieving boredom, but at the expense of everything else. There's wear and tear on their toiletry, sleep and general health and well being. Regardless of how expensive the venue, the effect of drinking is the same, although different species get drunk at different rates. Interestingly enough, the rate at which sozzled Peeps dry out is the same, regardless of species. Peeps sober up in Lavatrons, Sleeping Berths and other forms of Accommodation.

Socialising is a far better option health, sleep and lavvy wise for all concerned, but only half as interesting. When Peeps are at the bar they're drinking: when they are at a table, they're socialising. Unlike a good binge, the effects of socialising vary according entirely on the venue. Early on, bars are easily filled. But as more lucrative facilities come online, you may need to drop prices to keep the patrons interested. Don't forget, the effect of taking a swig (which Peeps do both at the Bar and at the Table) stacks up on top their activities at the table...