Game Info Feature List Screenshots System Requirements Mailing List Downloads

Game Information

Explorer2260 is the future. It combines the elements of space simulations which have gone before it, ranging from Elite, Frontier through Privateer and beyond. It adds more strategy, experiences and options set in a universe which changes around the player as the game progresses.

Feature List

• The Dynamic Universe Model:
  Throw out the old methods of the static or linear game engine, the dynamic universe model in Explorer2260 is a completely new concept on the Amiga which removes the predictability from games. Borders change, wars are won and lost, races rise and fall. The only thing you can be sure about is that you can't be sure about anything anymore.

• StarNET:
  'To a million worlds on a hundred thousand systems, One Network'.
  This is the Internet of the future; a galaxy spanning web of computers talking to each other across the depths of space. Everything that happens in the universe will appear on the news channels; you can apply for jobs, or even advertise to employ someone else. Places to sell, buy or just look at lurk in it's corners.

• Hyperspace:
  This is not the 'hit the jump button, flash, you are at your destination' hyperspace prevalent in many games of the genre. Here you enter hyperspace through wormholes called jumppoints created by your ship engines, or special jump vortex generators call Jumpgates. Hyperspace is a new dimension where you can travel the massive distances between stars, but here even battles can be fought. Beware though; hyperspace is a dangerous place with punishing energy drains, gravity wells almost as strong as black holes, vicious hyperspace storms which can destroy ships in a blink of the eye and something else is out there......

• Stations:
  Space stations and docking ports will be much more complex than in other space games. There will be no animation sequence as the ship is brought into dock: the ships will actually be moved around inside the station. The player will have a large selection of actions available via a 3D representation of the station giving access to shops, accommodation, security services, StarNET links and many other options..... Stations will expand or deteriorate depending upon their popularity and location, some are military outposts some are corporate holdings.

• Fleets:
  If there is a major failing in many games it is that ships are uncoordinated and often travel alone (especially in Frontier and it's fellows). Explorer2260 has a special clause in it's ship intelligence routines which will allow ships to form into coordinated fleets allowing large attack forces, or convoys and escorts or pirate bands.

• Music:
  The music in explorer will utilise surround sound mixing techniques to produce high quality music unheard of in many games without direct CD-audio playback. Thanks to the routines developed by Jarno Paananen I will be using s3m and xm modules extensively throughout the game. The sound effects will be played using the AHI device to provide better quality sound than the standard audio.device as well as giving support for soundboards and future enhancement of the Amiga audio.

• The 3D engine:
  Fully texturemapped, lightsourced and shaded the engine will include features such as fog and lense flares and a virtual cockpit. The use of Warp3D will allow all GFX cards with a 3D chip to provide a faster, better looking and more enjoyable game

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• Network Support:
  In addition to single player action it is planned to include TCP multiplayer capabilities into Explorer so many players with internet connections can link up and play against others.

Screenshots

Here is one picture that can be called a screenshot. It is a picture of the station systems that are used in the game when a player is docked on a spacestation or a planet base.

These screenshots below do not necessarily depict exact gameplay and are more for the purpose of illustrating some of the ships and aliens that are in the game.

I thought you might be interested in these several picture below. They are nearly finished renders (lights missing, stars missing and other stuff) of the Gibbs Freedom Space Station that is featured in the spectacular intro animation to the game. This station will of-course also be in the final game for the player to visit. More details on this station can be found in the Collins Encyclopedia Galactica.

While there are still no pictures of the game engine here are a couple more pictures of a Freighter ship that will appear in the game and in the intro animation. Details of this will ship will appear in the Game Encyclopedia soon.

System Requirements

• Amiga computer with PPC board from Phase 5 or G3 card from Escena. WarpOS PPC kernal will be used.
• CD drive (recommended 4x although 2x would still work albeit slower).
• Minimum 8MB Ram.
• Hard Drive (uncertain at this time how much space will be needed).
• GFX Card Recommended. AGA will also be supported.
• Warp3D driver system will be used to provides an independent of hardware standard for 3D on the Amiga.
• Modem (33.6+ recommended) and internet account for network games.

Explorer Mailing List

How to Join

in the body of the message. That's it! This list discusses most aspects of the game, and can sometimes wander off onto unrelated topics, so please be prepared to receive a moderate amount of e-mail. Inclusion on this list does not mean you will automatically become a beta tester.

Downloads

There will be no demo of Explorer to download from this site. Demos will come from our publisher Vulcan Software sometime in the new year. Archives of the Collins Encyclopedia Galactica are freely available for anybody to download to read in a web browser at your leisure from this address. CEG Archives