Welcome to Space Exploration Game!You're a Captain of a human-crewed vessel, who is going to participate in a tour across the galaxy. You will follow the steps of brave explorer Hale Einessen, who did the same thing, alone, 20 years ago, and gained fame across Human-controlled space.
You will encounter strange new worlds, hostile and friendly aliens alike, lifeforms never encountered before, and even more, bizzarre things!
Of course, you wouldn't be able to participate in the race if not your funders; each of them has their own goal that you must fulfill during the course of the race if you want to be called victorious.
CHARACTER INFO: Name is bare minimum.
FUNDING: Who funds you and your ship in the race.
1. The Government: Politicians behind the huge human republic that govern over huge amount of space.
Effect: Unfortunately, the Government doesn't feel like being generous to you, and only gives you 300 Credits.
Ships: All ships are available to the player.
Goal: Just finish the tour as the first player, and they will be happy.
2. Alpha Centauri Science Academy: Foundation that promotes scientific exploration fo space before anything else.
Effect: Whilst their funding is meager, only 250 Credits, you will be accompanied by a Specialist of your choosing (except Tactical Officer).
Ships: Knight-class Frigate is unavailable to the player.
Goal: Finish the tour AND amass at least 3000 units of Bio-data.
3. CredCorp: The largest space corporation, interested only in MORE CREDITS.
Effect: CredCorp is generous to those who work for them, and give them whooping 600 Credits.
Ships: Player starts with Tower-class Merchant Barque unless he agrees to give 300 Credits back to CredCorp.
Goal: Finish the tour AND amass at least 7500 credits, ouch!
4. The Spacefleet: Tough guys in tough ships. People are still wondering why they participate in the race in the first place.
Effect: The Spacefleet not only gives you 300 Credits, but outfits your vessel with one tier higher laser weapon! Ain't they cool, eh?
Ships: Tower-class Merchant Barque and Bishop-class Research Vessel are unavailable to the player.
Goal: Finish the tour AND destroy at least 12 ships during it to prove the strength of the Spacefleet.
SHIP: Look at appropriate section. You are free to name your ship.
TOKEN: Choose which color will represent you on the board.
PLAYER SHIPS:
HP: Amount of Combat HP the ship have.
Fuel Tanks: How much Fuel the ship has. Under normal cirumstances, Plasma Engines consume 1 Fuel per move.
Cargo Bays: How much Resources your ship can carry. Each un-installed Module/Weapon takes up 50 units of Cargo space.
Databanks: How much Bio-data is stored on your ship.
Engines: How many tiles you can traverse per turn.
Weapon: How much damage you will deal during combat.
Specialist's Quarters: How many specialists you can have on your ship. Said Specialists will also be listed here.
Modules: List of Modules installed on your ship.
Not written below:
Pulse Thrusters are on board of every ship. These allow for 1 tile movement when Plasma Engines are without fuel.
===
Squire-class Scout Ship:
HP: 6/6
Fuel Tanks: 25/25
Cargo Bays: 0/350
Databanks: 0
Engines: Plasma Mk3 (1d6+2)
Weapon: Rapid-Fire Laser Gun (1d4+1)
Specialist's Quarters: 0/1 occupied
Modules:
-
-
===
Tower-class Merchant Barque:
HP: 9/9
Fuel Tanks: 20/20
Cargo Bays: 0/900
Databanks: 0
Engines: Plasma Mk1 (1d6)
Weapon: Economical Laser Cannon (1d4)
Specialist's Quarters: 0/2 occupied
Modules:
-
-
===
Bishop-class Research Vessel:
HP: 8/8
Fuel Tanks: 20/20
Cargo Bays: 0/400
Databanks: 0
Engines: Plasma Mk2 (1d6+1)
Weapon: Ruby Laser Cannon (1d6-1)
Specialist's Quarters: 0/3 occupied
Modules:
-
-
-
===
Knight-class Frigate:
HP: 12/12
Fuel Tanks: 15/15
Cargo Bays: 0/300
Databanks: 0
Engines: Plasma Mk2 (1d6+1)
Weapon: Dual Laser Cannons (2d4)
Specialist's Quarters: 0/2 occupied
Modules:
-
-
-
===
HOW TURN HAPPENS:
Player declares which type of engines he uses: Plasma Engines or Pulse Thrusters
Plasma Engines call for a dice roll to determine how many tiles forward the player moves. These consume 1 Fuel.
Pulse Thrusters allow for a single-tile movement, but doesn't consume any fuel at all.
If there's a Human/Brvxese Starbase in the range of Player's ship, the Player can call for docking at said Starbase instead of normal dice roll.
After moving his token, Player can 'search' the tile for an event.
Events come in various kinds and flavors; from planetary surveys to ship encounters, with lots of things in-between. If necessary, Combat occurs.
When all Events and Combats are concluded, the Turn formally ends.
ALL OF THE ABOVE IS TO BE PUT IN SPOILERS. Players are also asked to not peek into others' spoilers.
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
1. Resources into Spare Parts:
If the Player's ship is crippled and need to spend Turns on repair, Player can speed up the process by turning Resources into spare parts.
The cost of Resources is calculated by this formula: 2T x 100R, where T is Turns needed for repairs and R are Resources.
The Technician's special effect is taken into account before calculation of needed resources.
Player can use this Action right after the end of the Combat, and thus will be able to continue the Race in the very next turn.
2. Activation of Modules:
Before declaring the 'moving' part of his turn, the Player can Activate a Module.
Currently only the Brvxese Invisiblity Device is a module that can be activated/deactivated.
3. Intercepting Enemy Vessels:
Instead of 'moving' his ship, Player can Intercept Enemy Vessels. Player's ship will move only when other Player's ship will be in range of Interceptor's Pulse Thrusters.
This will also force the Combat between the two players.
The unfortunate victim's chance to evade other Player's Interception is active Brvxese Invisiblity Device during the time of interception.
4. Starbase Business:
If the ship is docked at a Human/Brvxese Starbase, he/she can perform various actions there before 'moving' phase of his/her turn.
These actions are Refilling Fuel Tanks, selling Resources/Modules for Credits, hire Specialists or buy modules/weapon, and few other things.
During Combat, both ships roll for Damage. The rolls continue until HP of one ship reaches 0 or below.
In case when both ships get HP below 0, the Player with the lowest HP under 0 loses.
In the extremely rare case, when both ships get HP below 0 and both ships will have the same amount of 'negative' HP, another damage roll is performed.
What happens next depends on type of combat:
NPC:
Defeats against NPC are scripted and follow their own rules written in events.
PvP:
The defeated player loses 3 turns for repairs.
The victor can take as much Resources as he wants, as well as non-installed Modules and Weapons that he/she will find on enemy's ship, if he has free space in his/her Cargo Bays.
Thanks to the 'Humanitarian Third-Party Treatment During Human vs Human Hostility Incidents' law of 2418CE, the victor can take enemy's Specialist(s) as well, as long as he pays them half of normal hiring price and has vacant quarters to accomodate for them.
DIPLOMAT: 200 Credits
Diplomat deals with various kinds of negotiations.
Special effect: When attacked by Pirates/Buzquians, roll a 1d6. If you roll 6, your Diplomat successfully convinces the enemies to withdraw. Grants bonuses during certain events.
GEOLOGIST: 300 Credits
Geologist is helpful during gathering of resources from mineral-rich planets.
Special effect: None, grants bonuses during certain events.
TACTICAL OFFICER: 400 Credits
Tactical officer is someone skilled in operating weapons.
Special effect: +1 to damage in Combat. Grants bonuses during certain events.
TECHNICIAN: 300 Credits
Technician is good at repairs and handling alien equipment.
Special effect: Lowers amount of Turns needed for Repairs by 1. Grants bonuses during certain events.
XENOBIOLOGIST: 300 Credits
Xenobiologist is helpful during research on alien fauna, flora, and other lifeforms.
Special effect: None, grants bonuses during certain events.
MODULES:
Additional Fuel Tanks: +10 Fuel Tanks.
Cost: 350 Credits
Brvxese Invisibility Device: Can be switched on/off at beginning of the turn. Allows player to evade Fight events. Consumes 1 Fuel per turn. This Device deactivates automatically if Fuel < 2.
Cost: 700 Credits // Can be bought only at Brvxese Starbase
Cargo Management Drones: Whenever you get Resources, you get additional 5.
Cost: 250 Credits
Electron Matrix Shielding: Absorbs 1 damage during Combat.
Cost: 450 Credits
Honeycomb Cargo Bay: +250 to Cargo Bays.
Cost: 250 Credits
Pulse Thrusters Improvements: Ship can move up to 2 tiles using Pulse Thrusters.
Cost: 350 Credits
Nanobot Repair System: Restores 1HP after each exchange of fire.
Cost: 500 Credits
Plasma Enriching Chamber: +1 to Plasma Engine rolls.
Cost: 700 Credits
Special Titanium Alloying: +3 HP.
Cost: 400 Credits
WEAPONS: (buy/sell price)
Economical Laser Cannon (1d4): 100/50 Credits
Ruby Laser Cannon (1d6-1): 150/60 Credits
Rapid-Fire Laser Gun (1d4+1): 250/140 Credits
Ultraviolet Laser Cannon (1d6): 300/150 Credits
Dual Laser Cannon (2d4): 450/225 Credits
Dual Ultraviolet Laser Cannon (1d6+2): 600/350 Credits
Quadruple Ultarviolet Laser Cannon (1d6+4): 1000/650 Credits
STARPOLICE PATROL AREA:
This area is under jurisdiction of Starpolice. It's vast sensor nets continuously scan this region of space for any type of hostility. Spacepolice was able to maintain peace for almost sixty years amongst Human colonies as well as in Sol and Alpha Centauri system as well.
Game effects:
-Players that end on the same tile cannot fight against each other in Starpolice Patrol area.
-Resources, Modules, un-installed weapons and Bio-Data can be sold for credits, with 1:5 resources-credits ratio, and 1:2 bio-data:credits ratio.
-Starbases refill fuel for free.
-Weapons and Modules can be bought at Starbases for a price.
-Specialists can be hired at Starbases.
-Fight events are re-rolled (offscreen, so you will never notice anyways).
THE NEBULA:
Vast region of space filled with gases of various composition, with various phenomena occuring in it, electric discharges being the most common ones. Unfortunately, it was proven long ago that these gases can cause malfunctions in various ship systems.
Game effects:
-Every time you move onto a Nebula tile, roll a dice:
--If you roll 1, eletrical discharges damage your computer and you lose up to 50 Bio-data.
--If you roll 6, nebulae phenomena cause failure of your on-board systems and you lose 2 turns for repairs.
THE BRVXESE TRADE DOMINION:
The Brvx are friendly, toad-like lifeforms, who engage in trading relationships with races of several different galactic arms, including races that Humans haven't even met. The Brvx are known for being greedy; ships that wish to traverse through their space must pay a fee, either in resources, biological data, or few weeks of intensive labour of the ship's crew.
Game effects:
-When you enter and stop in Brvx space, you must pay sum of 600 Credits. You can convert Resources and Bio-data in 1:5 and 1:2 ratios, respectively. If you cannot pay, you lose 3 turns, working with your crew for local Brvx agencies. If you have Diplomat on board, this fee is halved.
-Docking at Brvx Starbase requires a fee of 200 Credits, 100 Bio-data or 40 Resources.
-Brvx Starbase sells fuel in exchange for resources/credits, in 1:2 fuel-resources or 1:10 fuel-credits ratio.
-Modules and Weapons can be bought at Brvx Starbase for a price.
GALACTIC CORE AREA:
An area dominated by strong gravitational pull of Sagitarrius A* singularity and heavy radiation areas. Journey through this area is extremely tedious and difficult. Without special equipment, ships can be forced to traverse GCA for weeks, if not months. Some captains often decide to disable Plasma Engines in favor of the weak Ion Pulse Thrusters which doesn't consume fuel at all.
Game effects:
-Moving from GCA tiles costs 2 fuel, instead of 1, for plasma-based engines.
-Due to heavy background radiation, Brvxese Invisibility Device and Electron Matrix Shielding don't work.
THE MALUSIAN HEGEMONY REGION:
Malusians could be summarized as barbaric, space-faring raptors. Fortunately, instead of being aggressive expansionists, they are very isolationist. They are trigger-happy and known to open fire on any ship that stumbles into their part of space. Without either good armaments or at least Brvxese Invisibility Device, travelling through Malusian space will be highly dangerous.
Game effects:
-Every time you land on a Malusian-controlled tile, roll a dice. If you roll anything else than 6, you enter a fight with Malusian Interceptor. If you roll a 6, the tile is considered as 'normal' board tile. If you have Brvxese Invisilibty Device installed AND activated, this roll doesn't happen.