Starcom Update

I've been hard at work on the new Starcom project (working title "Starcom: Nexus"). This game will not be a Flash game, but a full desktop game available on Windows, MacOS or Linux, with a web playable demo.

My plan is to spend 2-3 months preparing a Kickstarter for late Summer. The goal of the Kickstarter will be to increase the game's visibility and raise enough money to cover 50% of the game development costs (with the expectation that an awesome Starcom game will sell enough additional units to make the project profitable).

What is my vision for the new Starcom game?

I hope to take the best bits of the Flash game-- particularly fast, tactical 2D space combat, and infuse that an exploration-driven story line.

Here is what I want to give you in a finished game:

• Intense combat that mixes fast action with tactical decisions.
• Multiple ship hulls with you choosing how to outfit them (this was a heavily requested feature). In a space RPG, your ship effectively is your character. Want an energy hungry high tech ship with powerful shields and lasers? Build that. Want a heavy dreadnought loaded with missile launchers, armor and HAVOK defesne? Build that. Want a zippy hit-and-run stealth ship? Build that.
• Exploration of a much larger universe to advance both the storyline and your progression. Investigating new and dangerous areas can give you alien artifacts, technological advances from new scientific data, resources to improve your ship and reveal important information (and yes, you'll get a decent map this time).
• Interaction with Alien races. In the original game, your interactions were limited to shooting the faceless aliens. I'd like for you to be able to communicate with different alien races. Many of them will try to blow you up. Some will offer important information. Some may become allies.
• An immersive, epic storyline. From a game design perspective, I want a deep storyline that is gradually revealed through play and exploration, not an "on rails" experience where the story controls the game.

What can you do to help?

Besides contribute to the eventual Kickstarter, spread the word. The success of the game will largely depend on whether or not there is enough demand for this kind of game. What I'm aiming for is the kind of game I've always wanted to play, and if there's enough players out there who want the same kind of experience, it will happen.

Thanks for reading, and now here's a video showing what I've been working on. It demonstrates a lot of elements from the original, but completely re-written in a 3D engine that will support high-res, full screen action as a desktop application on Windows, MacOS and Linux.

Starcom: Nexus from Kevin Lin on Vimeo.