Unknown universe

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#1

Hi!

I have been peeking a bit here for a year or so and finally registered a few weeks ago, with the first posts of mine the last few days.

As I am a developer and developing on my freetime a 4X sci-fi strategy game in Java I guessed that I maybe could post about it here, especially as I like to advertise a bit about the project.

The game has been in production since january and is currently in a playable state, though is in a rough state that hasn’t got even a tenth of the features I wish to add before a “full” release.


[The game in it’s current state]

Imgur
[A few of the map options]

Imgur
[Spy options]

General features that are already implemented are:

A 4x game that can be considerable epic size.

  • Current maximal width of a map is equal to about 71428 points from one side to the other [or 712 meters], can if needed go up to 202^31 points [or 1.510^7 meters]! Total max size of the map is that value multiplied by itself.

  • Current maximal amount of colonizable stars to interact and claim is 120,000.

  • Each star is unique with it’s own planetary systems (there all planets has their own size, chemical composition and temperature).

  • Current maximal amount of NPC players to compete with during a game is 400.

A 4x game with high quality music and depth.

  • The player can select if to play in either realtime or turn based by his own choice.

  • Many high talent musicians has together created many masterpieces in the game, for example ghostmagnet’s Buckskin.

  • More than 10 different species and government settings to tweak which all affects the game’s strategy and gameplay.

  • Currently 50 researchable technologies (with hopes to expand this to 200).

  • Beat the enemy player through diplomacy, spying or with military might.

And a lot more than that is already implemented, and it’s still just a little part of what will be implemented into the final version! :slight_smile:

#2

Looks really great so far!

More pictures and am excited to see how it develops
Is it going to just be single player or any plans for multiplayer functionality?

#3

Thanks a lot! :slight_smile:

[quote]More pictures and am excited to see how it develops
[/quote]
Ask and you shall recieve,

here’s the title/intro screen: http://i.imgur.com/DbPTa.jpg

I am hoping to change the stars/snow in that picture to a nebulosa and a larger star/planet at the bottom left, though keeping the above look for now. :slight_smile:

[quote]Is it going to just be single player or any plans for multiplayer functionality?
[/quote]
Currently single player and I hope to include hot seat within the next few months.

Multiplayer is to be included, though the extent of said multiplayer I’m still considering. If there’s not a lot of people interested in the game I will just include IP/LAN capability, though if there’s a bit of hype to the game I hope to have something similar to Battle.net and even letting people join in during played games [for example taking over a new spawned civilization, rebelling factions or factions that the creator has opened up for humans]. This I think would be popular as the game’s width and amount of players makes sure that new players can jump in at any time and still be a part of the experience instead of just dead wood.

So I got a lot of ideas for the game’s multiplayer scene in case the game gets popular but will scrap most of them if it’s only me that will be playing the game. :stuck_out_tongue:

#4

Just wanted to show the minimap of a standard game (which means a rather small map. I have played here for 5 hours), my color is blue.

Black are the areas I haven’t discovered yet. :slight_smile:

#5

O_O That’s a HUGE map!

#6

Thanks! The best part is that I can still easily multiply the size of that map with 3 and keep the same star density without any lagg. :slight_smile:

#7

___

#8

Well, space is supposed to be pretty empty. >__>

#9

I don’t understand what you mean? The minimap I showed only show discovered territory.

Here’s the same map centered around my empire though without fog of war, my empire’s border is circled with red (I painted that):

#10

It would take ages to discover/develop each star!

#11

Oooo! This looks very nice. Will definately have a closer look after work…

#12

Oh, by the way, anyone that likes science fiction and wish to have something included in the game - please tell me as I am currently trying to proritise different things to be included and would love input what actually is most important for you as a player!

Point is to have an ever-stretching star cluster to make the game feel like a real science fiction experience, and not a fight amongts a few lone stars. :slight_smile:

As the size of the map is selectable by the player the player can decide if to play a small map skirmish with 10-20 stars that probably can be won within a hour, or play these gigantic maps and have more content to discover even after weeks of gameplay. :slight_smile:

[quote]Oooo! This looks very nice. Will definately have a closer look after work…
[/quote]
Thanks! :slight_smile:

#13

Ok, I came back here last night thinking that there was a link to actually play…
:stuck_out_tongue:

#14

When I earlier did show people this game I did post a direct link to the game.

Though got less replies then, just either “OMG, this is the best game I’ve played and I am hooked all nights”, “This game has no 3D! Wtf! This crap could’ve been played in the 90s but dude, this is the 2000s” and “Why are there no explosions! I want explosions and Star Trek ships!”.

And noticed that I got more constructive feedback if I just posted pictures.

So I could PM you the game if you promise to give me at least one comment about the gameplay which should be improved (not 3D or such, please!). As the game’s in Alpha I am more concerned of feedback than amount of players. :slight_smile:

#15

The only thing I meant with “empty” was that space is mostly empty space, so obviously the maps have to be huge. Not really constructive or anything…
I would also like to test the game, but if you don’t think it’s ready, I’ll wait. =)

#16

Well, if you like to pimp up your graphics, just use some of these: http://www.google.com/search?q=nasa nebula galaxy&tbm=isch - you might have to check the licenses, but afaik the nasa space photos are public domain.

#17

Sent link with general comments.

Not sure of the complete legal requirements of those pictures so I currently prefer to try to generate my own space - though may go in that direction later. :slight_smile:

#18

Damn you, Skarion! I’m trying to do my goddamn homework here, but you keep throwing games at me that I suddenly just feel obliged to try out! You want me to repeat a grade?! ;D

#19

Why do you think I began programming games on my freetime? This generation has everything too easy, so I made a gigantic conspiracy to destroy the grades of everyone by trying to create a game which can’t be finished within weeks of gameplay, ruining all of their chances of getting good grades.

#20

Oh, f*ck.
BTW, how do I move my fleets? I would like to gather a huge fleet on one planet and send them all, but I have no idea how to even move fleets… >_<