Ustur CEO — The hidden enemy: Star Atlas Roadmap Scan #08
The Ustur CEO’s memories of his time in the COP Headquarters after the COPA agreement signature.
“Letting others win the non-relevant battles is the ultimate form of deception.” Saying attributed to an ancient human professor who supposedly worked as a bird watcher.
The old ustur pace was slightly quicker as he walked back to the protected ATMTA room after the special meeting of the Council of Peace.
A new type of thought crossed his mind. He wondered if this sensation or ‘feeling’ he just had would be akin to what was described in his MUD biology studies as ‘anxiety’. He dismissed the thought and kept walking, now at a slower pace, while his employees, catching up with their CEO, started theorizing about what just happened.
They were celebrating when they entered ATMTA’s room. Good sense had prevailed, and all factions (even the Jorvik!) had agreed that the tensions had risen too high and too quickly.
Hence, everyone decided to partake in the celebrations of the Council of Peace Assembly, allowing the DACs across the universe, from every faction, to participate in friendly competition while exploring how they could further enhance the lives of the citizens throughout the galaxy.
The CEO didn’t emit a single sound until they reached his office door. He then proceeded to thank each one of them for all they had done that day and asked politely not to be disturbed for the next couple of hours.
After a movement of his hands, the doors locked behind him, the room went dark, and the most accurate hologram ever created of the galaxy appeared before the ustur, who started to examine it with an intense focus.
Another wave and many different databases appeared on the room’s walls. From the fluctuations of electronic component prices to the movements of fleets across the galaxy, the ustur proceeded to analyze every piece of information at his disposal. His mind seemed to move as fast as the starlight outside his window.
As he sat, he started to give life to the hologram of the galaxy, filling it with different colors and representations like an inspired artist would fill a canvas of old.
Rarely, he would go back to some point, after plotting two or more databases together, and rework a part of the map, changing his views on the state of affairs in that particular zone.
After a few hours of this exercise, the ustur finally looked satisfied and then closed his hand, which caused the giant hologram to shrink into an ustur size. The ustur then snapped his fingers (an interesting human gesture that he particularly liked), and another map of the same size appeared side by side with his new construction.
He then proceeded to do the activity that gave joy to his existence, seeking patterns. As time passed, the old CEO started to see what he believed was a hidden truth.
Something was very wrong with the course of affairs in the galaxy.
The faction zones’ growing population, especially the DACs, demanded more territory. Every planet of the so-called low-risk zone was already explored at maximum capacity, but the people craved more territory, goods, and especially ships.
The ship production of every manufacturer in the galaxy had exploded in the latest year, as the factions called the people and DACs to “secure their home world systems.”
Intergalactic trade had also declined in the last few months. It was a curious phenomenon because production was still going at full throttle, as if the faction’s DACs and citizens had been deliberately saving resources, stocking them up for something.
A list of unpleasant memories started to pass through his ustur circuits, memories of a past that only he and a handful of others lived through a hundred years ago. Memories that he promised himself he would never relive.
Something occurred to the ustur, and he cleared the galaxy hologram of every filter except those of the agents he had sent across the cosmos to gather the information he so much needed to make his decisions. Then a pattern really did become clear.
Should one look into the last couple of months, the number of agents that reported every week was systematically and painfully diminishing as if someone was picking them one by one.
He stopped to watch a part of the high-risk zone, where he sent two young agents to investigate the Jorvik. Although they were incredibly successful at first, it had been more than two weeks since they reported anything. The ustur knew that the odds were that he would never hear from them again.
Fortunately, usturs know how to harness their emotions better than any other race in the cosmos. Still, the CEO felt the blow of this particular duo of missing agents. Wenn and Yago were his brother’s children in every way but biologically, adopting them during his most dangerous service for ATMTA, resulting in his death.
He let his logical mind take over and sent those concerns away. There would be a time to think about this, but not now. Instead, he began to see, once more, data and numbers, not people and faces, on the hologram screen.
A new pattern was born. The ustur could now see that a “fog of war” had been subtly growing under his very gaze, and relevant blind spots could now be perceived in the galaxy hologram.
The ustur’s powerful mind started racing as he reviewed various agents’ reports, faction communications, and logs of trade operations along with the growing areas of uncertainty.
By doing so, another pattern emerged before the old ustur’s trained eyes. He saw that just before the factions decided to call for their DACs to help them secure their safe zones, he started to lose sight of small fragments of the galaxy through minor incidents.
When viewed in isolation, they were nearly invisible. A trade treaty that was canceled by the counterpart of ATMTA; a planet that decided to revoke mining rights; a diplomat that chose to retire, and many other minor events that, after nearly six months of accumulation, produced sizable black points in the vast galactical hologram of the CEO of ATMTA Inc.
“It can’t be a coincidence.” The ustur spoke for the first time in the last couple of hours. Never had such a chain of events happened randomly during his long life, which led him to a single, cold conclusion.
Someone was trying to pull the three great galactic empires into another war.
Jolts of energy pervaded the ustur’s body. He jumped out of his chair and went to the computer console, starting to add every premise he had used in his reasoning, every spec of data that he’d considered, and, for one of the few times in his life, he was terrified of being right. The A.I. calculated that the odds of this set of events being orchestrated by an individual or institution was 97.5%.
The ustur raised his head, and as he did, he saw one of the room’s windows showing the void of space. Someone was plotting the death of billions, if not trillions, of life forms.
Perhaps not out there, but even in the very building he was now. One of the many smiling faces that agreed to the Council of Peace Assembly might be the one pulling the strings in the shadows.
Another concern crossed the ustur’s mind. Why would someone who wants to conduct the galaxy into war agree to an event like COPA, which will enhance the bond of the different races and factions?
It didn’t make sense… unless… something like COPA was their objective all along?!
Suddenly everything made sense. Whoever was behind this might be looking for an opportunity like COPA. A place where representatives of every relevant faction and DAC would be in attendance. Should anything happen, the repercussions would trigger grief, anger, and maybe even war!
Although this was only a possibility, the ustur was not allowed to ignore it. He realized that he needed all eyes and ears on COPA to watch and listen for clues. Once again, the ustur had to fight to control his mind. There was no time to lose, especially now that many lives were likely at stake. Questions started to rise, and the CEO ordered them by relevance while thinking through the best course of action.
1. How can I learn if there is something planned for COPA?
2. How can I act to prevent the worst-case scenario?
3. Who is behind this?
The ustur felt relieved to narrow down his course of action to those three points. Every ustur felt at ease knowing precisely their objectives, so their mind could focus on creating the most efficient path to a successful outcome, and the CEO was already working on that.
He swore on the creator’s name that he would not let the virus of hatred and war plague the galaxy again. The old ustur would use the whole might of ATMTA, which he built for the last one hundred years, to do so, even if he had to depose the Council of Peace he helped to create.
There was much to be done, and the ustur knew that he couldn’t trust many people. Even inside ATMTA, there might be spies. So he needed to tread lightly and wisely, developing a method that would make the hidden enemy show its face.
The ustur couldn’t help but smile, feeling the thrill of a real challenge for the first time in a hundred years. His opponent had a good head start, but the ustur didn’t make much of it. “It is what it is.” He said to himself alone in the room.
Nevertheless, it was now the time for the ustur to make his move, and once more, he turned to the hologram, enlarging it until it covered the entire room, so he could start deploying his pieces on the game board.
Weekly Project Report
Project: Showroom Alpha
Concept Art: DONE /// Art: BUILDING /// UX/UI: BUILDING /// Game Design: DONE /// Blockchain: BUILDING /// Game Play: BUILDING
Updates: Environment art is close to complete, All geo is in place. Content lock and polish are the focus. /// Art side UI is integrated and now working with engineers to implement all logic and support for all visuals. /// Delivery of plugins, data tools, and documentation in progress./// UI works to support all screens and UI features to work correctly and show everything in needed states. Working with getting more clarity on how a player should get the game build — investigations.
Upcoming activities: Prepare the map to Content Complete from Environment Standpoint. /// Splash screen delivery and wallet-related tasks. /// Continued work with plugins, data tools, and documentation. /// UI development to support all windows, fixing critical bugs, and player game build delivery.
Project: Galactic Marketplace
Blockchain: BUILDING /// UX/UI: BUILDING /// FRONT END: BUILDING
Updates: Support the front-end team throughout the final implementation of the new marketplace. /// Bookmarks tab finished, filter sidebar on-going.
Upcoming activities: Support to front-end team, ongoing design reviews. /// Update tables to use real-time mock data, update buy/sell workflow (add new models).
Project: System Polishing
Bug fixes: Added more precision to ATLAS on R4 markets.
New Features: Added Ogrika Tursic.
Upcoming features: Bugfix: (on mobile) Star Atlas logo overlaps navigation. /// Enhanced security protocols. /// Enhanced account switching with Phantom. /// Bugfix: Ships can’t be withdrawn from Faction Fleet if a rent account is missing. /// Bugfix: Some mobile platforms can’t accept the terms of service.
Known issues: AR experience for some rebirth posters not working. /// (on mobile) Phantom wallet scrolling is not smooth. /// Solana clock is out of sync (slow slots)
Project: SCREAM v1.0
Game Design: PROTOTYPING /// Blockchain: PROTOTYPING/// UX DESIGN: PROTOTYPING UI: PROTOTYPING /// Economy Design: R&D /// WEB: PROTOTYPING
Updates: Continuing to define explicit requirements for core gameplay mechanics and game systems design. /// Continuing to build one program with locked-in game mechanics (hangar program). Continuing cargo program. Starting ship movement and star system programs. /// Continuing low fidelity wireframes based on updated requirements. Continuing Information Architecture map. /// Continuing building SCREAM screens. Focusing on hangar screens. /// Continuing to assess economic implications of gameplay mechanics and SCREAM requirements. /// Adding gameplay depth to WebGL Proof of Concept. Adding depth to starbase upgrading.
Upcoming activities: Continue to define explicit requirements for core gameplay mechanics and incorporate feedback from SCREAM stakeholders. Validate gameplay loops playability with WebGL Proof of Concept. Assess the feasibility of game mechanics with blockchain program proof of concepts. Validate economic viability from the internal Game Economics team. Guide UX/UI design based on game mechanics. /// Test and refine prototypes across all SCREAM teams and stakeholders. Build, peer review, and test programs on testnet, then audit. /// Review wireframes with Project Stakeholders. Continue to iterate until wireframes are approved. Hand over wireframes to the UI team. /// Continue to build out UI screens and elements. /// Continue to analyze the economic impacts of SCREAM to validate the viability of gameplay loops and key requirements. /// Validate gameplay loops and key SCREAM concepts with Proof of Concept.
Project: DAO
UX/UI: BUILDING /// Front End: BUILDING /// Blockchain: BUILDING /// Economics: EXPLORATION
Updates: More refinements to high-def designs. /// Onboarded additional team resources for web3/UX. Prioritizing task planning and scheduling for project completion. /// Audit scoping complete. /// Continuing to determine launch parameters for locker and governor. ATLAS staking: stake ATLAS and harvest pending rewards.
Upcoming activities: Design lock. ///Continue converting designs. /// Audit related tasks. /// Calculate rewards schedule and Finish ATLAS staking.
ABOUT STAR ATLAS
Star Atlas is a next-gen gaming metaverse emerging from the confluence of state-of-the-art blockchain, real-time graphics, multiplayer video games, and decentralized financial technologies.
Using Unreal Engine 5’s Nanite, real-time graphics technology allows for cinematic quality video game visuals. In addition, blockchain technology using the Solana protocol establishes a largely serverless and secured gameplay experience. Non-fungible tokens obtained and traded within Star Atlas create an economy that replicates tangible world assets and ownership. To learn more, visit StarAtlas.com, join a faction at Play.StarAtlas.com and send your spaceships on a deep space mission by enrolling them in a Faction Fleet.
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Disclaimer
The updates in this report are provided for informational purposes only about the Star Atlas game and metaverse, for which ATMTA, Inc. is the lead developer. Except for statements of historical fact, the statements included herein are forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of ATMTA, Inc.’s management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to ATMTA, Inc.’s management. Although ATMTA, Inc.’s management believes these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. ATMTA, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties and include, without limitation, statements about ATMTA, Inc.’s business prospects, future developments, industry and market trends and conditions, strategies, objectives, and goals. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. No financial, tax, or legal advice is given or implied.
