Game Set Up

Star Lists

Description

Each player will receive two star lists1, one showing the co-ordinates of all the stars in the cluster, and the other showing the distances between his home system and all the stars within maximum jump range of it. When a player explores a new solar system, he will be sent a list showing the stars within jump range of that system.

Co-ordinates

The solar systems are designated solely by their co-ordinates which are shown as three two-digit numbers. These numbers will range from 00 to 30, an example being: 28-02-18. If two or more stars have the same co-ordinates, these stars are part of the same solar system. Two stars in the same system are known as a binary system; a system with three stars is known as a trinary system, etc.

Solar Systems

Orbits

Each star has eleven orbits, any of which may be occupied. These orbits are numbered from 1 to 11, No. 1 being closest to the star and No. 11 being the farthest from it. The eleventh orbit is never occupied by a planet or asteroid, but only by another star or stars. If there are two stars or more in a system, each is considered as being in the other's eleventh orbit.

Home System List

Each player receives a description of his home system, which includes the number of planets and/or asteroids in it, their type, and orbit positions.

Planets

Types

Each star has from one to ten planets, or asteroids, in its systems, occupying only orbits 1 through 10. There are three types of planets: Gas giants, terrestrial, and asteroids.

Gas Giants

Gas giants have huge atmospheres; surface colonies are only located on the moons of these planets.

Terrestrials

These planets are too small to retain the huge atmospheres of gas giants, but large enough to have become spherical. Terrestrial in this context does not necessarily mean "earth-like."

Asteroids

An asteroid is so small that it is able to retain its irregular shape. The term "Asteroid," in this game, will refer to an entire asteroid belt, which is also considered a planet.

Habitability

Every planet has a habitability number ranging from 0 to 25. The habitability number indicates the number of people who can live on a planet's surface without being over-crowded or having to import food. For further details, see <<appendix-I>>.

Natural Resources

Each planet has a maximum of 40 natural resource deposits. Each deposit has from 1,000,000 to 99,000,000 units of one of the following resources.

  1. Gold - used for economic exchange
  2. Fuel - used for all production and transportation
  3. Metallics - all metallic substances other than gold
  4. Non-metallics - all non-metallic substances

Time Scale

One turn in the game equals one quarter of a (Galactic standard) year.

Initial Print-out

When a player enters a game, he receives an initial print-out which lists the player's:

  1. Factories; number, level, and types
  2. Population; number and types
  3. Weapons; number and types
  4. Transportation; number, level, and types
  5. Natural resource deposits; number and type
  6. I.D. No.
  7. Home nation's I.D. No.
  8. Home planet location
  9. Home system; number of planets and type
  10. Race No. and name

Initial Turn Sheet

This turn sheet will be enclosed with the initial print-out. It should be filled out and returned before the due date listed on the print-out.

Footnotes

  1. Star lists, rather than maps, are used because the game is played in three dimensions. ↩