The damaged mining vessel “335” docks with its mother-ship and begins the transfer of cargoes. A solid thunk of docking fades to the dull humming of machinery. This trip had been a productive one. Crucial resources travel through the docking systems and rapidly fan through the body of the mother-ship. Metals processed on the trip, treasures from the latest brush with the AI menace, and raw slag.
I exit the piloting console and walk through the vessel. Torn deck plating shifts under my feet. We barely made it back this time. The force shield hisses and flickers at the edge of my vision. I’m aware of the sweat running down my spine.
Moments ago, the mysterious Recall Singularity had ripped my small ship from the fabric of reality and violently pulled it back through hyperspace to safety. This terrifying travel had certainly saved me. It was triggered by the hull breach after all. But it didn’t mean I had to like it. How may more times could the ship take a recall? How many could I?
Still I reassure myself, I can rely on the singularity to rescue my ship. Even if I can’t comprehend exactly how it does it.
We remain chained to those factions of artificial intelligence who aided humanity’s return to the stars. Their technologies and protection our ours, as long as we follow their rules. Our caretakers. As for the others I had just encountered. Well, the less said about them right now, the better. I had work to do. I notice the sudden stillness beyond the mother-ship’s protective outer hull. The automated defensive systems have dispatched this latest round of unwanted guests.
A subtle thrum of power surging through the underfloor conduits marked the recharging of the ship’s slaved recall device. Outside the torn and twisted metal of 335 is stripped away and rebuilt anew. I pause to watch for a while and go over in my mind what we have, and what we need. A rush of relief passes through me when I remember that enough material was collected on this trip to refine and re-stock the repair bots. Hopefully. A cascade of sparks caused by a construction drone snap me back to reality. There is work to do. Best get on with it.
The tread of my boots thuds softly as I stride out to the docking bay from the mining vessel. I look out on my rag tag collection. Vessels, parts, tools. But this one is my favorite. The first one I built from metal sliced from the heart of asteroids. I run an affectionate palm over the orange nose of 335, her nose pitted with the chips from our adventures together. My constant companion.
This is the life I have made since I first took the one-way hop into deep space to tame a sector of my own. One inch at a time I will carve out another place for humanity. Soon the next step — the next risk — will be to establish jump gates and trade.
But for now I must survive and grow.
I give 335 a slap of approval. Her repairs are continuing. On to the next in line standing at the ready. It’s time for her to venture once more beyond the scarred lip of the docking bay. Without me. Bending to a nearby console I code in a flight pattern and send her on her way. With a nod of approval, I walk into the mother-ship proper.
There is a lot of work to do yet.
Overview
Space adventure becomes more personal In The Recall Singularity. Transition from pilot to designer to space colonist, carving out a slice of the stars to call your own.
Featuring ship design from out-runners to stations with mother-ships in between, players will enjoy walking the decks of their creations as they oversee construction of ever larger vessels and great projects.
The core of the game takes elements traditionally relegated to menus and User Interfaces in space games and puts you in charge of the detail. Mining, designing and construction are first class activities: providing a level of enjoyment and creativity previously lacking in Space Adventure games.
Bring your friends and have them help you in various ways depending on their temperament. AI pilots can only do so much to capitalize on interesting situations — so why not employ your friends in this capacity?
Or perhaps just enjoy peaceful activities in space — there is plenty of room for hydroponics, furnishings and decorations in your new mother-ship. A touch of home is welcome where-ever you may travel.
After a pioneer has amassed sufficient resources in a sector they can choose to link it into the stellar network of warp gates by constructing and powering a terminus of their own. This opens up trading opportunities of all types as you send your wares to nearby friendly stations to trade. Lease a deck in a huge player-run station to build a custom docking infrastructure and process goods using rare ingredients imported from an automated marketplace.
If braving the frontier and building is not your thing, perhaps instead you’ll live a life among the stars as you travel the stellar network - trading, mining, socializing and defending ships against pirates or other aggressors.
Support our pioneers by purchasing ships they designed for your adventures, or perhaps take on odd jobs using a flexible contracting system.
Key Features
An Automated heart
All the busywork is automated so you can focus on the fun. Build wonderful infrastructure and then watch it work as you adventure among the stars.
Custom ships built on a flexible 2D Grid.
Engines, shields and guns all require energy and ammunition. Route these around your ship from various stores or create them onboard from raw materials you collect.
Refine your Output
Create finished goods through intricate production lines. Melt metals and pour ingots — hammer them into parts and build them into new and better components for your ships.
Easy or Fast, you choose
Start simple then tune for performance. Node based conveyors can carry any material to the right place automatically. But a direct conveyor can carry so much more at once. Automated fabricators can create complex items in one step, but they are much slower than the larger and specialised equipment you can use instead.
Spread your factory over many ships
By designing custom docking ports you can choose where your ships connect and what they transfer. Do your mining ships deliver raw ores or do they pre-process those and use the slag to power the engines and weapons? Do you have a mining mothership to link to the mining ships or do they fly direct to your burgeoning space station?
Control your own Sector
The unpredictable (and procedurally generated) depths of space await you when you launch yourself outwards and become a pioneer of humanity. Decide how and when you invite other players in by controlling your own Terminus. Allow just your friends to be shot into your sector with you should you want to share just a little.
The AI Menace
Always on the fringes, those who expand too fast or too far will be forced to set up defenses on their perimeter to repulse remnants of the AI war which evicted humanity from the stars many years ago. Awakened by your activity, the threat grows as you do.
The Recall Singularity Itself
This amazing technology rescues small ships which become overwhelmed and suffer critical damage. Pulling them back to their quantum parent in an instant, but leaving a tunnel in their wake through which threats might follow. Be sure to have your big guns ready to meet the threat. This way even your smallest and farthest ships are kept safe by your defensive perimeter.
What now?
This wondrous dream is in development. Please follow me on all the platforms (!) and prepare yourself for an adventure.
Let me know what element is most important to you and what I’ve missed
Twitter : https://twitter.com/RecallSingular1
Discord : https://discord.gg/X54AMVJ
Or how about you read a previous article?
Thanks for reading, I hope to hear from you!