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, and 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 prevelant 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 surroundsound 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. The 68K version will be cut down but a PPC version will be able to include a virtual cockpit and other features impossible to achieve on 68K processors.

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

Screenshots

System Requirements

The requirement for Explorer are under review but it is becoming increasingly likely that a PPC version will be produced before a 68K version to allow many of the more complex features (especially within the 3D engine) to be implemented. My personal preference is strongly PPC given the current news from Phase 5 (and lack of news from Gateway). Other requirements will be: CD drive (4x minimum, although 2x will work but will result in slower loading) HD drive required to save custom setups, games, stats and user defines ships, races, goods and maps. Min 8Mb memory free, GFX card recommended but not necessary. The game will be 100% system friendly and will multitask.

Explorer Mailing List

How to Join

Sorry. List is now full. This notice will be removed when the Mail List numbers has gone down and details on joining will be put back on.

Downloads

Sadly there will not be a demo of Explorer till probably 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