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[Sirus]

I've been using Imgur with no complaints.

I'll give that a shot, thanks.
Gonna be doing another update tonight, will be posted no later than tomorrow. Actual gameplay this time, wooooooo!


(Did anyone actually read the updates, or did they just skip to the end? :p )

[monk12]

We have been rather negligent in the feedback department, haven't we

I've been enjoying it thus far, a few good chuckles in there. I demand more! MOAR!

[Sirus]

Part 3: Stuff Happens!

Welcome back! Last time, we met Yuri, and he met Nia. Yuri fixed Nia's ship, the DAISY, and together they took off into space!
(SPAAAAAACE)
Let's continue...

Spoiler: Flying Miss DAISY (click to show/hide)

Scene: The bridge of the DAISY.

: Unh...

: You finally awake?

: What? I...

: You were out cold. Well, we blasted out of the atmosphere pretty fast, so I guess I can't blame you.

: ...

: Hey, check it out. There's your sea of stars for you.



: So this is...space.

: Yup. Ridiculously huge, isn't it? Starting today, this is your turf. The world of the zero-G dogs.

: Zero-G dogs?

: That's what they call people who give up their lives on land for ruthless space, where might makes right. And starting today, you're one of them!

: ...

: So, are you scared yet?



This game gives you many chances to make descisions, though quite a few don't really affect the plot. However, choosing the proper option can give you bonuses! I'll sometimes show the effect of both answers, just for fun.
Choosing "I don't know" gets you...

: I guess I don't really know yet.

: Whatever you say, kid. But you know, space can be a pretty freaky place. The sooner you get that through your head, the better.

: Okay...

That's it? Alright, let's have Yuri admit that he's scared:

: If I said I wasn't scared, I'd be lying.

: Heh heh. That's normal, kid. Space can be a pretty freaky place. You're scared because you're not stupid. Don't let yourself get too relaxed, you got that?

: Okay...

Yuri's Ship Management experience increased by 20!

Hell yeah! That there is a skill increase for Yuri. I'll go into those more once we can actually start building a crew.
Now, back to the game...

: So where to now? You said you wanted to go to Central Elgava, didn't you?

: That's right. Elgava's so big. I heard the planets in Central Elgava are really flourishing, way more than Ropesk could ever dream of.

: So you wanna go there, make a little money and buy your own ship, is that right?

: I would like that.

: Okay, I got ya. But we've got to stop at a spaceport first. Central Elgava is too far to go in a wounded ship. We've got to get ourselves fixed up, nice and pretty. You pick which spaceport we go to. You're the boss, so we'll go wherever you say.

Spoiler: My god, it's full of stars! And more tutorials! (click to show/hide)

Congrats! We're finally in the actual game! This brings danger, profit, excitement! Plus a crapload of tutorial text!


The top screen shows information about the planet/system/area currently selected (the game is a little vague on just what each possible destination represents). Underneath the planet's name, there is a series of icons, which represent what facilities are available there. All of Ropesk's are greyed out because Ropesk is a piece-of-crap world with no redeeming value. We can't even go back there!
The bottom screen is where all of the action is. Each destination is represented by a dot and a name. The chain of smaller dots are a "star lane"; travel is restricted to those lanes. You go wherever you want by using the stylus mouse pointer to plot your course. The nav screen is pseudo-3D; you can move between "layers" with the L and R buttons, or by tapping the buttons on the bottom-center of the screen.
We currently have two choices of destination: Bagut, and Hapsal (next layer down). In the beginning of the game, it's usually not a good idea to fly more than one stop at a time, for reasons I will explain shortly. We will go to Bagut, as there is plot there!



As you can see, Bagut has a slightly smaller population than Ropsek. It does, however, have a star port and a tavern. Let's be off!



After starting your flight, you are treated to this screen. More stuff to keep track of here, but most of it shouldn't worry you.
The most important item is the fuel gauge-like meter on the left side of the upper screen. This is the level of exhaustion of the crew. As it gets higher, your ships are less effective in combat. Reaching a star port, however, empties the meter completely.
You can also see the ship and crew health of each ship underneath the tiredness meter. These can refill in-flight with the proper crew, and are also refilled completely upon docking at a star port.
Most of the buttons on the bottom screen are pretty useless. The most important is the fast-forward button, which makes the traveling go faster. Your ship doesn't actually speed up, but it allows the player to get where he/she's going faster.

I almost make it to Bagut, when...



Two ships move in to attack!
These are Boiky RB class ships, classification "other" (M). These are the Slimes, the Caterpie, the rats-in-the-basement of Infinite Space. Even outnumbered two-to-one, they'll go down easily.
Also, note the "No Escape" flashing at the bottom. This usually implies a plot battle, but later on we might meet random encounters which are inescapable.



Like I said, no problem. Sadly my skills seem a bit rusty, I got hit with two normal attacks because I anticipated a barrage. Like I said in the OP, even the Slimes in this game can kill you if you screw up.
So anyhoo, here's the result of the battle. A tally of the kills, and what I earned. From left to right they are:
Fame Points
Experience
Credits (G)
Crew members earn experience as well, and if there are any level-ups they are noted on the bottom screen. We don't have any crew at the moment, so this will be blank for a little while.

: Damn. Those Ropesk security gnats just never give up, do they?

: The feudal lord of Ropesk, Demid Panfilov, put a ban on space travel. He's basically keeping his people prisoner on their own planet. I guess that's why he can't afford to look the other way when even one of them makes it out into space.

Sorry for the re-iteration of stuff we already know. I'm pretty sure it's the last time.

: Hm. That sounds kinda like the teachings of Adis, if you ask me.

We won't be hearing of that again for a while. Anyway, the rest of the trip goes smoothly, and soon...



: Requesting permission to enter the spaceport.

Controller: This is Spaceport Controller E307. Nationality code received from applicant for entrance.



Controller: Opening frequency code F3. Continue at current speed. Please proceed past the outer marker.



Controller: Clearance of outer marker confirmed. Guide beacon to Slip 155 standing by.

Spoiler: Safely at Bagut (click to show/hide)

: Phew. Well, here we are.

: Wow. I didn't know that spaceports were so big!

: Ha ha! There are plenty of spaceports out there that are a lot bigger than this, and better equipped! Once you arrive in a spaceport, their automatic maintenance system checks out your ship and fixes it for you. So if you ever take on damage, you've got to get your ship to a spaceport, pronto. Spaceports also give your crew a chance to rest up, too.

: That sounds helpful.

: I'll say. Now it's time for me to grab a drink. Later.

: Oh. All right.

*waving cheerfully, Nia walks away toward the orbital elevator*



Here's the menu we see when visiting a planet! Like previously mentioned, Bagut does not have much in the way of facilities. System lets you save and load games, Battle Sim is multiplayer (never tried it, don't care). Elevator is much more exciting than it sounds, as it's actually...



...a space elevator straight out of speculative fiction. Fricking sweet. The only place we can visit here is the tavern, so let's stop by and see the locals.



Each tavern is different, but there are usually a few constants. Each tavern has a bartender, for example, who may offer you jobs and provide information. In fact...

Get Information
Bartender: To get to the only gate that leads to Central Elgava from here, you have to go to the planet Hapsal first. And even after you've gone through the gate, you still won't be in Central Elgava yet. You have to go through the Lutsk Sector first, on the other side of the gate. And then you'll finally be in the Central Elgavan Sector.
Ask About a Job
Bartender: Looking for work, eh? Adkin Transport lays claim to all the jobs around here. So I'm afraid I don't have a single job for you. Sorry.

Nuts. Let's see what the old lady has to say.

Old Woman: Lord Panfilov has devoted his life to building this sector up into something great. And it's all in an effort to turn this Dominion of Ropesk into the ideal nation!

Gah, regime supporter. Ok, let's say "hi" to Nia.

: Come to think of it, you never told me why you wanted to give space travel a try. So you wanna tell me? Or is it a secret?

: I don't mind telling you, but do you promise you won't laugh?

: Cross my heart! Go ahead and bare your soul.

: Okay. Well, you see...I want to figure out what it's all about.


I smell plot device!

: Huh?

: My father left it to me when he died. He was an adventurer.

: But this is...

: ...

: ...

Yes...?

: You gotta be kidding me. An Epitaph?!

(murmuring)

*At Nia's words, a stir runs through the gathering of tavern patrons. Realizing her mistake, Nia hastily lowers her voice and continues*

: Why the Grus would I laugh about this?! This is quite a treasure! "Epitaphs. He who unravels their mysteries will have the power to change the universe."

: Yeah, my father told me that old saying, too. I want to find out for myself if, you know...if it's true.

??: Hey!

*Yuri and Nia suddenly find themselves surrounded by a band of rough-looking characters*


This guy has a custom portrait, so you know he's important.

: I ain't got no idea what that thing is, but if you say it's an "incredible treasure", that's good enough for me. What Torlo Adkin wants, Torlo Adkin gets! Now hand it over.

: (Uh oh! Now what?!)



Now what, indeed? What say you, Bay watchers? Will Yuri attempt to reason with the gang of desperadoes? Or will he stick up for himself and kick ass?

Next time: Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

You may notice that in the pictures showing both screens, the images might be mis-alligned. I play with black bars simulating the gap of the DS's hinge, but apparently the screenshot function edits that out. Sorry about that.

Also, I noticed that Captain Badass' portrait is broken. I will fix it.

[warhammer651]

Tell the bastard to go to hell

[ExKirby]

Tell the bastard to go to grus

Fix'd.

[monk12]

Tell the bastard to go to grus

Fix'd.

+1  That's OUR Millenium Puzzle

[warhammer651]

Tell the bastard to go to grus

Fix'd.

+1  That's OUR Millenium Puzzle

quick, challenge him to a children's card game!

[Sirus]

Tell the bastard to go to grus

Fix'd.

+1  That's OUR Millenium Puzzle

quick, challenge him to a children's card game!

XD

Also: update later tonight! Thank god for four-day weekends!

[monk12]

Tell the bastard to go to grus

Fix'd.

+1  That's OUR Millenium Puzzle

quick, challenge him to a children's card game!

Card Games on Spaceships is CLEARLY the logical evolution from Card Games on Motorcycles.

[Sirus]

Part 4: Yuri becomes a Captain

Welcome back. Last time, Yuri was being threatened by a gang of ruffians! The voices in his head tell him to fight, and so...

Spoiler: A Bar Fight (click to show/hide)

: Go to Grus!

*Realizing he has to make the first move, Yuri starts pummeling the one who appears to be the leader of the gang*

: Aagh! Kachko!

Kachko: Hey!

Fighting noises

: Grr! You son of a --!

More fighting noises

Kachko: Damn. This guy is pretty tough!

: Hey, hold him down, guys! C'mon!

Glass breaks, furniture smashes, and soon...



: Ha ha ha! Get 'em, kiddo! Hang in there!

: C'mon! Just give up and hand over that Epitaph, nice and easy!

: Hnh! Go to Grus!

: Hm. Maybe the kid is a little bit outnumbered. Here, lemme give you a hand with that.

The screen goes white, and an energy blast is heard!



I love the look on their faces

: ...

: N-no way!

: Was that a...maser blaster?!

: Now this time I'm gonna aim for somebody's head!

: N-no way...No friggin' way!

More shots ring out!

: Yikes!

Kachko: Aaaaagh!

The gang flees! Victory to Yuri and Nia!

: Ha ha ha! Buh-bye! See ya later!

: Ow...Are you crazy? You can't go firing off a maser blaster in here!

: What, that? Just your typical night out on the town. Ooh, ouch. They got you pretty good, huh?

: Yeah, well, I was outnumbered. And they had knives, too.

: Okay, that does it. I think I'd better give you a little present now.

: A present?



Screen fades to black, before returning to the tavern.

: That's right! It's one of my old ones, but it fits you perfectly!



: A bodysuit?

: That's right. It's way better at absorbing impact than regular clothes. And I threw in a plasmic blade for you, too.

: A plasmic blade?

Exposition! A plasmic blade emits a pulse that generates plasma that can easily cut through objects. It's not a sword for the average novice adventurer.

: Let's just say I like to go that extra mile for my clients.

: Wow! Thanks!

You got a bodysuit and a plasmic blade! Yuri's Combat skill increased by 5!

Spoiler: A New Friend (click to show/hide)

And so we leave the tavern. While I'm here, check out the music that plays while on a planet!
Now that I think about it, Yuri never got his drink. Let's go back to the tavern...

: You again! I've been waiting for ya!

*As soon as they enter the tavern, Nia and Yuri are once again surrounded by the gang of ruffians*

: What do you want now? You're not getting the Epitaph, so don't even try it.

: Shut yer mouth! If I had that Epitaph, I could be livin' high on the hog for quite some time, wouldn't ya say? Now, hand it over! And I ain't takin' no for an answer this time!

: You just aren't going to go away quietly, are you?



: But I'm warning you. It's not going to go quite the way it did last time.



Kachko: Hey! That thing's--

: A plasmic blade?!

: Well? Come on. Let's do this.

: Yikes! Hey, h-hold on!

Yuri puts the sword away.

: Okay, okay! I give! I won't ever raise a hand against ya again.

: ...

: So...I hear you're heading over to Central Elgava. Lemme give you a little tip.

: Yeah? What's that?

: You're gonna run into a security force hired by Demid Panfilov. He's got 'em stationed all around the void gate that leads to Central Elgava. So unless you do something about 'em, you proll won't be getting anywhere near Central Elgava.

: Something? Like what do you mean?

: Well, I hear when they get off their shifts, they like to get together for drinks at the tavern on Hapsal. And they say that's the best place to have a "chat" with 'em, if you know what I mean.

: That's a good tip. I'll keep it in mind.

: S-so, are we good?

: Yeah, sure. We're good. As long as you don't try to jump me again.

: Ha ha ha! Of course I won't! And now I owe you. Well, see ya later!

*With a friendly wave, Torlo and his gang leave*

: (Well, that was a complete about-face).

Spoiler: Odds and Ends (click to show/hide)

The bartender has some new information.

Bartender: There are always transport ships flying through Ropesk, bringing in lots of luxury items for Lord Panfilov.

: You don't say.

Bartender: I bet those ships carry riches beyond the imagination of us ordinary folk.

: Those ships, do they use the starlanes around here?

Bartender: Huh? Oh, yeah. I think they use the starlanes around Bagut, too.

: Heh heh. Very interesting. Thanks.

: Huh?

You got some starlane information! A new starlane has been added to the Destination screen!

We can also talk to Nia. Perhaps she has some insight on Epitaphs?

: Nia?

: Yeah?

: How far do you think the human race has traveled throughout the universe?

: Huh. That's a good question. Far, far beyond the Small Magellanic Cloud, that's for sure. They say that mankind has spread to galaxies up to ten billion light years away.

Surprise! We're not in the Milky Way galaxy, or some random galaxy that humans happen to have evolved in (a la Star Wars). We're actually in one of the dwarf galaxies that make up the Local Cluster. From now on, I shall abbreviate this galaxy as the SMC.

: And there are plenty of planets we could never reach in our lifetime, not even if we used warp navigation and void gates.

: Wow...

: Ha ha ha! Don't get all freaked out on me, now! Hey, you're a zero-G dog now, aren't ya? If you wanna see how far man can go, why don't you just see for yourself?

: Okay, maybe I will!

There's nothing else to do here, so let's head out!

Spoiler: Piracy for Fun and Profit (click to show/hide)

As you can see, there's a new destination available to us! New starlanes will periodically appear on the navigation screen, depending on who you talk to and where you explore. This one leads to a ? ? ? sector, which is basically empty space that is otherwise important. That's where we're heading!



Upon entering the mystery area, we see a lone ship!

: What's that?

: That's one of those transport ships the bartender was talking about.

: Oh, yeah. Carrying all kinds of luxury goods for Panfilov.

: Private property of the feudal lord, right? So it won't hurt anybody if we just help ourselves to it, will it?

: What do you mean, help ourselves? You mean steal the cargo? That would make us pirates!

: That's right. So what's the harm in taking a little treasure from an evil feudal lord anyway?

: Well...

: C'mon, Yuri! Quit draggin' your feet, or it's gonna get away!

: All right, fine!

Well, that didn't take much convincing. Now, the transport is completely weaponless and has no escorts. Easy pickings, right?



Wrong. It's slower than the DAISY, but not by enough. It flees the battlefield just before we can bring it into weapon range. Nia, understandably, is not pleased.

: See?! I told ya they'd get away if ya didn't step up your game!

: S-sorry. But there'll be more transport ships passing by here later, I'm sure. There always are. Don't worry.

: Tsk. I was really looking forward to belting down some cold ones today.

We head back to Bagut to rest. Along the way, I encounter a Boiky RA class ship. They're a little stronger than the RB class, but identical design, so I took the opportunity to get a decent picture of the ship:



Just before arriving, Nia pops up with some important information...

: That's funny.

: What is?

: There's a really powerful IP communication broadcasting throughout the Ropesk sector.

: Huh?

: Here. It's quicker if I just show you. Look at the monitor.



Oh crap!

??: ...reading this, Yuri? If you're watching this broadcast, I demand that you return to Ropesk immediately.

: Hey!

: Who's the cue ball?

: That's Demid Panfilov! The feudal lord of Ropesk!

: You mean to tell me this whole broadcast is just for you?!

: ...

*On the screen, Demid continues*

: Yuri, because you chose to break the law, an important loved one of yours is now suffering the consequences.

: Loved one?



??: Yuri! Yuri!

: Huh? Kira!

: Kira? You know that girl?

: Yes. She's my...



: She's my little sister!

: What? You've got a sister?

: Yeah. She's the only family I've got. I can't believe this! They've got her, and it's all my fault!

: ...

*Demid's voice continues to boom from the monitor's speakers*

: And so now you can see the situation. If you see this broadcast, Yuri, I'm sure you'll understand what you have to do. I'd hate to see a young man with such a promising future turn into anything as lawless and as desperate as a zero-G dog. Obey the law, return to Ropesk and devote yourself to the betterment of your planet, as is your duty.

: Damn him! How dare he pretend to be a benevolent ruler, when he's holding my syster hostage?!

: So, uh, what are you gonna do? It's up to you, ya know. I can take you back to Ropesk...

: No way! I'm not gonna give in to his dirty tactics! Isn't there some way I can fight him?

: Fight him, eh? Well, we won't get very far against his military might with just this one ship, I promise you that. And I don't fight a battle unless I know I can win it.

She's right. The DAISY is sub-par in pretty much every fashion. The only reason I can one-shot those Boiky ships is because they're even weaker.

: ...

: ...

: Oh, Kira...what am I going to do?

: ...(sighs). Well, as long as you understand what we'd be in for, there might just be a way.

: Really?!

: But you have to be prepared to do anything. Do you understand? Come and talk to me when or if you think you're ready.

Spoiler: Be Prepared (click to show/hide)

Yuri and Nia return to Bagut, before heading on to Hapsal; the only other planet we can visit right now.



Hapsal is a much nicer-looking place than Bagut, for sure. Once again, the only place we can visit is the tavern. Let's go!



Inside, we are greeted by the bartender. If JRPGs have taught me anything, it's that unique sprites = important characters.

: Welcome, welcome! I'm the owner of this establishment. The name's Radimir. Relax, and please enjoy your time here!

We can talk to Radimir and Nia. Let's talk to Radimir first.

Get information

: I heard that someone from Ropesk disobeyed the ban on space travel and went off into I don't know who that person is, but I'll tell you one thing. They've sure got guts! But folks like that usually go to an early grave, if you know what I mean. Ha ha ha!

: (This guy doesn't know when to shut up.)

Ask about a job

: Looking for work, are you? All right. In that case, I'd like you to take this cargo to Bagut. This job pays 300G.

The pay is a pittance, but we need the money. I accept the job.

: Yes? Okay, then. Great. Take this cargo to the tavern on Bagut. Give it to the bartender there.

I decide to do the job before talking to Nia. Technically I could do it any time, but Yuri seems like he needs a little more time in space before going up against a small fleet. The job itself is very boring, so I skip over it.
Back on Hapsal, Yuri goes up to Nia to start planning.

: Nia? You said there was a way to fight Panfilov...

: Yeah. It's kinda a gamble, though. Are you sure you're up for it, kiddo?

You can choose yes or no here. Since the story can't continue until you say yes, I'm just gonna get on with it.

: Okay. Here's what we do. There's a planet named Toropets in this sector. There's a little shipyard there.

: Hold on. You mean, we buy a ship there?

: That's right. If we can get a hold of a destroyer-class ship, we just might be able to pull this one off.

: But wait a minute. I don't have that kind of money!

: Don't worry about that. I've got an idea.

: Okay...(I don't know about this, but right now, Nia is the only one I can trust.)

Toropets is added to the navigation screen. Let's go right now!



Hot damn, look at all of the options on Toropets! I can't wait!

Once we dock at Toropets station, Nia interrupts us.

: Whew. We're here.

: But what do we do now? I still don't have enough money to buy a ship.

: Don't you worry your pretty little head about that, kiddo. You just leave it to Nia! Wait right here.

: All right.

Screen fades to black. Some time later...

: Sorry for the wait. Here you go. 10,000G.



: That ought to be plenty to buy something in the destroyer class.

: Wh-where in the universe did you get all this money?!

: Well, I kinda pawned something. Something of yours, actually.

: Something of mine? What do I have that's worth this kind of money? I -- Wait a minute!

Uh oh

: That's right. I pawned the Epitaph.

: What?! You did what?! How could you?! My father left that to me when he died!

: All right, enough already!

: Huh?

: What's more important, something a dead guy gave you, or your still-alive sister?

: W-well...my sister, of course.

: See? So, first, we go rescue your sister. Then, we'll have plenty of time after that to think about getting your precious Epitaph back. And it's not like it's gone or anything. I just pawned it. When we get the money together, we can get it back.

: I-I guess you're right. I'm sorry, Nia. I was just...I didn't expect that, was all.

: No hard feelings. As long as you get it. Now, let's go get us a ship built. First we go down to the ground and buy a blueprint from the ship design company there. Then we just take that blueprint to a shipyard. And, by the way, as long as you have the blueprint, any shipyard on any planet can build you that exact same ship.

: Okay, thank you, Nia.

Spoiler: How much for the destroyer in the window? (click to show/hide)

Alright, so like Nia said, our first stop will be the Ship Design Co. on the ground, where we can buy blueprints for use at shipyards. Blueprints are something like 1% of the actual cost of the ship, so I buy both of the ones available to me. A single random encounter will cover the price of either.
We then take our blueprints into orbit, where the shipyard can build anything we have a blueprint of. Right now, we can only afford one ship, and since Yuri is a newbie commander we can only keep one ship on the active fleet anyway. The DAISY will go into storage.
Once again, it's decision time! We have two options for us:

The Otlichny class destroyer:

Cost: 6900G

or

The Perekop class destroyer:

Cost: 6200G

The stats are pretty simple. The Otlichny has better weapons, armor, and durability, and is also slightly larger; this usually indicates how much modability a ship has. The Perekop has better speed and mobility. They both have the same number of weapons, crew, and livability. Neither of them have special abilities or fighter capability.
The choice is up to you guys. Our new ship will also need a name (12 character limit, all uppercase). Choose wisely!

What ship will Yuri start his career with? Will he and Nia be able to save Kira? How much interest will the pawnbroker charge when Yuri returns for the Epitaph?
At least one of these questions will be answered next time on Infinite Space! See you then!

[monk12]

We should christen our new Perekop Class Destroyer the OPHELIA

[Aklyon]

You know, those ships looked a lot better when i was looking at them on a DS, here they both look like rusty blocky things.

[monk12]

You know, those ships looked a lot better when i was looking at them on a DS, here they both look like rusty blocky things.

Are you saying you DON'T want to fly a rusty bock? No accounting for taste, I suppose...

[Sirus]

You know, those ships looked a lot better when i was looking at them on a DS, here they both look like rusty blocky things.

It's an emulator issue, I think. Either that or it's just the outcome of magnification.

Of course, now I'm messing around with zoom configurations and I can't get it looking the way it used to 

On the other hand, the early ships really do look kinda crappy. They're the low-tech scraps of a backwater sector, not much room for aesthetics.

[Sirus]

Ok, now I know that the ships looked crappy because you saw them in the ship buying section. Compare the Perekop above with these ones from the in-game database:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)