Devlog 4 : Three Years of Solo Development: Where the Game Is Now

What is the game about?

In very short terms, I draw inspiration from the games that influenced me the most: FTL, RimWorld, Dwarf Fortress, and Sid Meier’s Pirates!

The core idea is this:

You start by generating a galaxy with its own history — civilizations, states, factions, conflicts. Then you choose a scenario (for example, delivering cargo across the galaxy), build a spaceship (either manually from parts or randomly), generate a crew (RimWorld-style), and head into space.

From there:

• You can travel through space

• Land on planets

• Fight ship-to-ship battles

• Trade

• Manage your crew (food, clothes, medical care, salaries — or they might revolt)

Some resources only exist in space, others only on planets. For example, you can’t upgrade a ship while in space — you need planetary infrastructure.

Or… you can ignore objectives entirely and just play it as a sandbox.

That’s the concept. I honestly don’t know exactly what it will become in the end — but I have a direction now.

How it started vs where it ended up

Originally, I just wanted to make a small space flying game in a couple of evenings, using AI-generated art.

Then I thought:

• “What if it’s like FTL, but with physics-based space flight?”

• Then I didn’t like the visuals and redid the graphics

• Some assets I drew myself, some I bought

• Then I saw a cool mechanic somewhere and thought: “I want this in my game”

And so, step by step, the project grew far beyond “just flying and space combat”.

Eventually, a proper game concept emerged, and that’s what I’m building toward now.

What’s already implemented

I’ll try to list everything without forgetting anything

Galaxy & World Generation

• A galaxy is procedurally generated using configurable parameters

• The galaxy consists of sectors connected by major hyperspace routes

• Each sector contains star systems

• Each star has parameters:

  • Mass

  • Luminosity

  • Energy output

  • Star type

• Planets orbit stars, each with their own parameters

• Asteroid belts and other space objects can appear in systems

  Historical Simulation

  After world generation, a historical simulation runs:

  • Hundreds of years are fast-forwarded

  • Civilizations rise and fall

  • Fleets are built and destroyed

  • Factions fight over sectors

  • Settlements are founded and abandoned

  All of this history is stored as data and later affects gameplay.

  Examples:

  • If a battle happened long ago in a system, you might find fleet wreckage

  • If a settlement once existed, you may discover ruins on the planet

  For now, this mostly exists as data — but it will increasingly shape environments and encounters.

  Ship & Crew

  • You create a ship manually from parts or generate one randomly

  • Crew members are procedurally generated (RimWorld-style)

  • Each crew member has strengths, weaknesses, and skills

Scenarios

• Currently only one scenario is playable: Free Play

• More are planned

Space Gameplay

• Full freedom of movement in space

• Sector map with star system travel

• Hyperspace gates allow travel between sectors

• Galaxy map shows which factions control which sectors

• Friendly and hostile factions exist

• Hostile ships can attack

• Ships can be equipped with weapons and shields

• Resources can be mined in asteroid belts

Planetary Gameplay

• You can land on planets

• When landing, a schematic planetary map is shown where you choose a landing zone

• Planet parameters affect surface generation

• Each planet has:

  • Its own atmosphere

  • Its own day/night cycle (not Earth-like)

  • Unique atmospheric color affecting ambient lighting

On the surface:

• Vegetation and animals exist

• Large objects cast shadows depending on the planet’s time of day

• Plants grow and wither