Galaxy Map
Use turn based tactics at the galaxy map to decide what system to attack next. Each faction advances at the same time you do, so pick your battles carefully.
Space Combat
Real time space combat decides each battle you're in. Complete the given objective to claim the system for yourself.
Reputation
Reputation score for each faction based on your actions determine how much of an ally or enemy you are.
What is it?
Hybrid turn-based strategy and third-person space shooter. You decide where to go next at the galaxy map then battle in real time third-person combat. Each faction will advance at the same time; if they were planning on heading to the same system that you chose, they will show up in the battle, forcing you to engage them as well. After each battle, you will receive a portion of the defenders resources if you won and resources from each system you control. Use these resources to either defend your systems against attackers or buy upgrades to make yourself a more lethal fighter. Expand your control until all enemies have been defeated and you own each system.
Resources and Upgrades
There are seven resources total: three used for offense, two used for defense, one used for fuel, and one as a currency. Offense and defense resources are used to upgrade your ship. There are two separate upgrade windows for offense and defense. Defense and some offense resources are also used to defend your systems from attackers if you choose not to defend them yourself. Fuel is used to get from system to system; the farther away the system is the more fuel it takes. Credits, the currency, are used to buy and sell resources at a shop. Prices at a shop are determined by who owns it and what resources are readily available to that shop.
Reputation
Reputation determines whether you are allies, neutral, or enemies with another faction. Reputation can be gained by performing certain actions during a battle. Attacking a faction will move the reputation in the enemy direction, helping a faction will move the reputation in the ally direction. The game starts with reputation at neutral; the factions will generally ignore you when neutral unless you are in their way. The closer the reputation is to enemy the more likely it is for that faction to attack you. The closer the reputation is to ally the less likely they are to attack you. If you go to a shop that is controlled by a faction, your reputation with that faction will determine the prices: Higher the more of an enemy you are, lower the more of an ally you are. Buying and selling at a shop controlled by a faction will also increase you reputation as an ally with that faction, even if you are an enemy.
Territories
There are eight territories in the galaxy each containing five or six systems. Each territory contains a shop that cannot be taken by simply attacking it. The only way to control the shop is to control each other system in the territory. Owning a shop means that you get cheaper prices at that shop and have a steady income of credits.
Combat
For each encounter, an objective is chosen randomly from a list based on the situation. Based on the situation chosen, there may be one or several objectives that must be completed. Completing all objectives will achieve victory in the encounter and claim the system when you return to the galaxy map. If your ship is destroyed, then you have been defeated and will suffer a penalty to credits when you return to the galaxy map. At any time during the encounter, the player my retreat from the system. This will result in defeat in the encounter but without the penalty to credits or any other resource.
After Action Report
After each encounter, upon returning to the galaxy map, you are provided with a summary of the resources gained that turn. The resources gained are divided into two categories: Gained from the encounter and collected from controlled systems. Gained resources are based on the enemies in the encounter, you get a portion of the resources they spent in the encounter. Collected resources a sum of the resources provided by systems you control.