Galactic Dust Overview

Overview of Galactic Dust

"For most of the last millennium, great fleets of star ships waged war across the galaxy. Raiding planets for resources when needed, they left ruin throughout the star clusters.
The final War of Annihilation came about when black hole technology appeared. In a matter of cycles, the massive fleets, and some times entire star systems, winked out of existence leaving humanity scattered like so much dust across the galactic expanse."

From the preface of "The Reconstruction"
by Xenoc of Salarious VI

Overview

This game is a multiplayer network game of space exploration and character development in the far future. It can be an internet, intranet, or standalone game.
Characters build up skills and sign on as crew members of star ships. Ships have basic charters and contracts to fulfill. Different styles and sizes of ships. High level characters may have their own ship. Interactvie NPC that remember you. A personal robotic assistant to provide analysis and suggestions.

(see also Backstory)

Skill based game.
Base characteristics may receive minor modifications or can be enhanced artificially.

Explore, Fight encounters, Trade cargo, Defend sector? (missions)
You and 3 friends; Full compliment: Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, Medic

Back story

"Some planets continued the struggle to rebuild their civilizations towards the level they were before the wars. Others have degraded back to hunter-gatherer societies. A wide range of technology levels can be found throughout the planets that are still habitable."

From the Introduction to "The Reconstruction"
by Xenoc of Salarious VI

The Factions:

GRS: Galactic Reconstruction Service - Rebuild the federation and a peaceful democratic society. (Favor a Democratic way)
COP: Congress of Planets - Rebuild the galactic structure of representative government. (Favor a Bureaucratic way)
FCA : Federal Command Administration - Secure the galaxy through military oversight and a hierarchy control structure. (Favor a Military order)
BOS : Brotherhood of Skoris - Guide the galaxy to enlightenment through strict doctrine and conformance to the will of the supreme Brother. (Favor a Religious Fanatic order)

You work for the GRS: Galactic Reconstruction Service.
Galactic war has ended, but has destroyed much of the infrastructure and isolated many worlds.
Each month you get one mission that you must complete within 30 real time days.
The rest of the time, you are expected to explore planets (inhabited or not).
Planets may have more than one area of interest (AOI) or Site.
Rank Points awarded for missions, and discovering new objects, technology, species, etc.
Experience awarded for combat, AOI/planets explored, etc.
What you do has an impact on your Reputation. This affects how agencies and even merchants react to you.

Many Planets have been left almost totally uninhabited due to radiation and other effects of the war.
Although a few cities may have recovered, most of others and the outlying facilities have been either destroyed of left abandoned and are fair game to whoever can survive exploring them.
Some Planets have Flora and Fauna that are valuable for trade and there are always mining opportunities for rare elements.
Alien bases and similar Sites are recommended only for experienced Crews.

Possible Missions

Initial: Reestablish contact with Altis-III.
Problem: Local creatures have infested the Comm Center and they must be removed first.
Problem: Transmitter element is damaged and needs crystals from Altis-V mining area.
Options: Altis-V has other mining area with rare minerals and crystals, but the abandoned mines are protected by auto-defense systems.
Options: Small Alien base detected on the far side of Altis-V.

Initial: Clear City Sector DK-92 of Phase Rats (kill 100).
Problem: Giant Mother Phase Rat or Hordes of Phase Rats.
Options: Find scattered equipment.

Character Attributes

Brains (INT)
Brawn (STR)
Body (STA)
Common Sense (WIS)
Moves (AGL)
Touch (DEX)
Class (CHR)

Occupation - your current employed position
Profession - your primary training background
Some professions are better suited for certain occupations.
Gene pool: Race/Species/Gender (Simple stats from SpaceGame)
Being Statistics 0-100
PHY: Physical - Combat and Damage. Human 1->30 avg15
MTL: Mental - Learning and Tasks. Human 1->50 avg10
LCK: Luck - If all else fails. Human 1->50 avg15

Reputation

Certain actions in the game affect your 'Rep'.
Failing to complete missions might make you untrustworthy.
Attacking non-aggresive beings might make you evil or chaotic.
Doing people helping missions might make you good.
Doing smuggling missions might lower you lawful standing.

Some agentcies, merchants, and other NPCs may know of your Rep and talk to you accordingly.
You can also have a local rep that could override your global rep.
Constantly selling cheap common goods to the same merchant might evoke a surly remark.
"Not Rat pelts again. Don't you ever kill any thing worthwhile?"

Cool Links