After completing most of the game core features, we have now shifted the prototype into its final phase. This is an excerpt from the game design document.
Transgalactic Pioneer - Game Design Document
A simulator of organising and executing expeditions into deep, unknown space.
The Plot / Premise
It is 2125. The humanity (Terran faction) has spread across the solar system, but it has so far been unable to achieve faster than light travel, which made it impossible to reach even the nearest stars. The economy is straining, population overflowing. Then, an unexpected treasure is stumbled upon: an alien space derelict on Pluton. The scientists reverse engineer it, making the travel across distant reaches of space finally possible.
In 2145, the Core Transgalactic Corporation has taken control over interstellar travel. As it turns out, space travel, while profitable, is also extremely dangerous and risky. Only the bravest and most capable individuals are capable of persisting. The CTC offers a one time in life opportunity: in exchange for a loan of $1,000,000, a person or a group of people will be given the smallest spacecraft and a two-way ticket to any remote, so far unexplored part of the galaxy.
On the other end of the wormhole, a refuelling station is located for the enterprenaur to refuel or repair their ship, or sell any loot they found exploring the sector. After the $1,000,000 debt has been repaid, the ship may return to Earth from this point.
The player takes on a role of one such entreprenaur, or captain. Their goal is to earn money and prestige with their discoveries, which in turn allows them to enter more challenging and dangerous sectors.
Chapter #1 video:
The game loop
The main loop is:
- Explore an unknown sector of the galaxy (ranging from 7 stars in the starting level to potentially 15/30/50 in the final levels)
- Survive at least 3 months of game time there in isolation, without any other support except for the one automated fueling/repairing station and extremely rare encounters with other explorers. The wormhole is closed for that period, the player cut off from their home world.
- Earn enough money to repay the debt for the wormhole ticket.
- Once after the wormhole has opened, return to Earth to recover & upgrade crew & ship
- Unlock the new sector (while discarding the previous one) or revisit the previous sector, either for a substantial price.
- Repeat...
One game loop requires in average between 1 - 2 hours of gameplay.
The player starts with the game at the point were they have already taken the $1M loan, and have been transported via the wormhole into a completely new and officially unexplored sector. However, the player may find remains of previous CTC or even illegal exploration attempts and collect any equipment or other loot they might have left behind.
The first sequence of the game loop takes place in a small sector of unexplored solar systems. The only connection with the rest of the civilisation the player has is through the sole fueling station in the starting system. As they explore the rest of the sector, they will occasionally return here to refuel, repair their ship or sell any excess loot.
At the start of the game, the player is given a sufficient quantity of resources to explore the first sector, but they will not have an opportunity to restock (except for refueling and repairing at the fueling station). When those resources run out, the player must either return to Earth using the wormhole at the fueling station (provided they have already earned the equivalent to wormhole ticket price to repay the debt) or the game is over. In earlier sectors, the player will also find some resources left by previous explorers.
Chapter #2 video:
The mission duration is 3 months, during which the player must survive on their own. After that time, the wormhole reopens and the player may return to Earth at their own convenience.
In the second sequence of the loop, the player moves around the CTC base on earth, selling any data or extra loot they have collected while exploring the last sector, recovering and upgrading the crew, purchasing a larger and better ship or upgrading it with better equipment, and purchasing resources required for the exploration of the next sector. The planning is crucial here - similar to historical exploreres of Antarctica etc, the player needs to spend the available funds carefully since running out of any kind of resourece might hinder their progress in the (next) first sequence of the loop.
After that, the player may revisit the same sector again for the cost of one wormhole ticket, or progress to the next sector for a slightly higher price, after which the previous sector becomes permanently unavailable.
Each new sector represents the next "level" of the game. With each consequtive level, more features of the game become available, also more plot points are revealed. This allows the player to get familiar with various game systems in a more gradual way.
Each time the player uses the wormhole (purchases a two way ticket either to the same sector or the next one) the ticket price is increased. In game world explanation for this is that wormhole, starships and other resources required for deep space travel are extremely limited. In order to give everyone a chance, an individual's contribution needs to keep growing, otherwise they must make room for other candidates.
Chapter #3 video:
Latest Version Download
The latest prototype may be downloaded from IndieDB here:
When complete, the game will be available for purchase at our store on itch.io. We invite you to check it out and take a look at our other games or sales!
You can also follow the beta testing on our twitch channel:
