This devlog offers a glimpse of our new system for generating galaxies, and the new galactic map view that lets you chart your course to the Orbitron Device!
Each game of WarpVector takes place within a single galaxy, which is a 5x5 grid of star systems. Systems come in various types:
- Civilized Systems usually surround yellow stars, and are home to merchant ships and stations. Though they are occasionally attacked by hit and run pirates, they are relatively safe places to stop and refit your ship.
- Frontier Systems usually surround blue stars, and feature asteroids, pirate stations, and large pirate fleets. They are dangerous areas for new captains, but provide an opportunity to capture vessels, seize new weapons systems, and battle-test your crew.
- Anomalous Systems usually surround quasars, and are home to extremely distorted quantum-gravitational fields. The anomalies in these systems must be surveyed with care, or an unwitting captain could trigger a breakdown of the space-time continuum itself!
- Ancient Systems usually surround red giants, and are host to dead worlds that contain the cyclopean tombs of the earliest starfaring civilizations. Extremely powerful artefacts may be found here, though they are guarded by precursor defense fleets, some of the most deadly warships in known galaxy.
- Ancient Anomalous Systems usually surround black holes, and contain high numbers of anomalies as well as a substantial precursor presence. They are extremely dangerous locations, although they can be highly rewarding to a well-outfitted fleet.
As you travel further from your starting region of the galaxy, Civilized systems become rare, and more dangerous systems like the Ancient and Anomalous types become common. There are also extremely rare systems to encounter that offer unique challenges and rewards, making every run a new experience.
When your warp core is fully charged, you can open up the galactic map view and select a system to jump to. Initially, you don't have warpspace coordinates for any other system, but as you explore you will eventually discover coordinates for more and more distant (and dangerous!) stars.
We are currently overhauling the boarding and shipboard combat system, so stay tuned for another devlog next week. 🚀