Starport: Galactic Empires
Starport: Galactic Empires is a free space-oriented, massively multiplayer online role-playing game, and uses a third-person 2D overhead view similar to that used in Asteroids. The game uses semi-realistic physics for both space and atmospheric travel, affecting both the movement of ships and player-fired weaponry. Starport has a simple backstory which automatically leads to a number of systems being combat protected but other than this every server has a different starmap, with sometimes over one thousand stars being placed in accordance with a number of templates.
Overview
Starport: Galactic Empires features a responsive trade system, colonisation, invasion, multiple-person Corporations and Player versus Player or Player versus NPC combat. Server shards conform to either Rebang (the game will end after two weeks) or Permanent (the game will not end) modes, with a wide variety of other parameters individually set for each universe. The overall goal in Starport: Galactic Empires is the acquisition of colonies and experience, through a number of means, in order to earn medals (in Rebang universes) or a long-term empire (in Permanent universes).
In order to PReVENT ACTIVE players from gaining a large advantage over players who are less active, WarP Fuel was implemented. Every player starts with an equal amount of fuel. Travelling between systems and other activities (such as landing on planets) uses a certain amount of Warp Fuel. When a player's Warp Fuel runs out, the player will have to gain more, either by waiting for it to automatically regenerate or by buying it. A played can increase Warp Fuel through the use of in-game items, to a maximum of 500 units per day.
Although Starport is free-to-play, players can donate in order to gain Admiral's Tokens. These tokens can then be used to purchase special items (including Warp Fuel). This system was praised as introducing a "bit of a leg up for the player, but not an “I win” button" to the game."
Critical reaction
Starport has been criticised for having poor graphics. On October 5 2006 a new patch (Patch 1.317) updated the GUI and subsequent patches reduced the brightness of ships. Subsequent updates also changed planetary graphics. On November 7 2006 music was added to the game in patch 1.327. The game has also been criticised for failing to find a solution for non-consensual PvP, with specific emphasis being placed upon the persistent nature of characters and the hourly fee charged to remain in safety.
When reviewed and listed on December 5 2005 by Tucows, Starport: Galactic Empires was awarded a rating of five cows, out of a maximum of five.
See also
- SubSpace
- EVE Online
External links
cs:Starport: Galactic Empires