Personally, I really enjoy the Eclypse feature, and feel like it was a net improvement to the game. The temporary buffs that drive towards an aggresive/active playstyle in particular I love, for the most part. That said, Eclypsed ruins give me more of a mixed feeling. On one hand, many times I've been able to collect from them the exact Strategic/Luxury Resources I needed to push through a game victory. On the other hand, many times I've been able to collect from them the exact Strategic/Luxury Resources I needed to push through a game victory. Moreover, I feel like they kinda make the really expensive Era IV Extractors a bit obsolete for many, if not most factions and that affects balance in some other ways. So overall, I would say that it is a really strong effect that comes at little cost.

However I have a suggestion that could make the Eclypsed ruins a bit more interesting in gameplay while also balancing them out a bit: Eclypsed Ruins should Burn (ie, inflict 35-50% max HP damage) any units that search in them.  Gameplay wise, this could lead to an interesting decision for players to make: 1) Use units to search Eclypsed Ruins and risk being a bit weaker against aggression from other Empires 2) Attack those who search in ruins at full force with your Eclypse-buffed armies, and maybe search ruins later. Further encouraging aggresive gameplay which was the point of the Eclypse, and making knowing/guessing the duration of the Eclypse even more important.. 

Plus, I think this makes sense in Lore, since Dust concentration can clearly hurt people, and a high concentration of Dust in ruins is supposedly what reactivates them.

Also, Indiana Bones would cut all the Eclypsed Ruins damage.

mamarider wrote:

I like the idea, however it will hurt some factions which rely on the first eclypse as on the breakpoint such as mykara, roving clans, ardent mages... All those factions need that chain of dust pickups to push their good things: mykaran extractors, market shenanigans, pillars/spells. I like the Eclypse addition mostly because it kinda smoothens rough starts some factions can have. May be there can be some kind of progressive system similar to increasing winter harshness. First eclypse could result in 10% damage, second in 20% and so on.

That'd be a good middleground too. Although I'd suggest something like 15% (1st)-> 30% (2nd and 3rd, or just 2nd if there is a summer without Eclypse) -> 45% (4th and later, or 3rd and later if there was a summer without Eclypse) .

I wish there was an eclipse techtree like there was for the winter, that allow you to branch off and upgrade faction specific buffs.

CaptainCobbs wrote:

I wish there was an eclipse techtree like there was for the winter, that allow you to branch off and upgrade faction specific buffs.

Not sure about Eclipse, but I think it could have been interesting for the Sea Vessels to have a tech tree of sorts.