A new game based on OOII + TradeWars + Nethack

[Blazewarrior]

So anyway, I had an idea several years ago...gave up on it because my programming ability is feeble at best,
but now I'm learning C++ (ever so slowly) and decided to try making a game... of course, the major inspiration for my game
comes from (obviously) OOII.   I thought, "what if OOII had ships and you could travel into space or to other worlds...."

So now I have about 50 pages or more of design info, and have even made some graphics with Bryce 4 and Photoshop.

If anyone happens to be a programmer willing to help, or just a curious observer, I would be willing to share what I've come up with so far.
I don't care about profit, I just want to play the friggin thing before I get old and it dies with me as a pipe dream.

I'm envisioning features such as magic spells, inter-stellar motherships (and scout ships to travel to and from the planetary surface),
as well as flying / submerged bases, robots to scavenge items in visible range of whatever base they're built in, and plant/ore harvesting.
Plants are either Edible, Medicinal, or Toxic.  Edible plants may be gathered to make rations, medicinal ones make medkits, and toxic ones make poisons or vaccinations.

I also plan to have Laptops (and a whole matrix to explore and hack), and Pylons (remember Land of the Lost?)
I'll maybe get some free webspace and post all the info as I get further along... still tinkering at the moment though.
 

[Blazewarrior]

Just to spark interest, I'll post what I've come up with for the Laptop and its uses, since this is a concept that's not part of OOII.
If I use terms from OOII, please remember that I'll change them rather than step on copyright toes, I just use them to remind myself what certain things do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laptop Expansion Items:  *** NOTE: Laptop & upgrades may only be purchased at a Starport / Starbase.
            Laptop devices will work automatically, if a program or menu function is used
            which requires use of the device / upgrade.  If Laptop is dropped or lost, the
            upgrades and programs remain with it, and may be used by whoever gets it.
   1   -- Floppy Drive (allows Laptop to use Floppy Disks).
   2   -- CD-ROM Drive (allows Laptop to use CD-ROMs).
   3   -- Backup Drive (allows Laptop to store Programs for later use).
   4   -- USB Port (allows Laptop to use Flash Drives).
   5   -- New CPU (upgrades Laptop speed, making hacking faster).
   6   -- Sub-space Modem (allows Laptop to use Programs which act remotely beyond current world).
   7    -- CyberJack (allows Laptop to access DataCore Matrix and hack stuff).
   8   -- Tracking Device (attach to a vehicle to track it via Laptop).
   9   -- Hardware Firewall (reduces chances of BrainJack breaking and player hurt when caught by Sentinel).
   10   -- BrainSafe Unit (when caught by Sentinel, player is safely logged out as it battles a clone of them).
   11   -- LapWarp Device (attach and install Driver to allow teleporting to Terra Complex via Laptop).

Programs: ***Note: CD-ROMs will break after first use, or automatically be copied to Backup Drive if
         Backup Drive is present.  Program may be later copied to a Flash Drive.
         All useable Programs are found originally on CD-ROM or in the DataCore Matrix.
         Each Laptop use drains 10% battery power. Recharge at Complex/Starport/Starbase.
         Some programs are run at any time player chooses, but some (especially hackware)
         require player be at a Terminal, or within the DataCore Matrix itself.
   1   -- AFB Schematics (when used in an AFB, shows the whole AFB map).
   2   -- Tank route schedule (shows locations of all tanks and APCs).
   3   -- Bandit Activity Report (shows locations of Bandit Camps).
   4   -- Terra Complex Corpse Retrieval Schedule (shows locations of all corpses).
   5   -- Archaeological Report (shows locations of all Tombs of Ruins).
   6   -- Alien Tracking Report (shows locations of all Alien Camps).
   7   -- Weather Report (shows 50x50 aerial scan of terrain+weather patterns).
   8   -- Pirate Comm Hackware (allows view of others' personal messages in DataCore at Info Nodes).
   9   -- Unknown (may be any kind of program, or may be a virus 50/50 chance).
   10   -- Remote Base Control Kit (allows remote access of owned base control rooms).
   11   -- Starship Remote Control Kit (allows remote access of owned Mothership control room).
   12   -- LapWarp Driver (allows LapWarp upgrade to function).
   13   -- Hitchhiker's Hackware (allows LapWarp Device to teleport to owned base or mothership).
   14   -- Terra Complex Radiation Monitor (shows 50x50 view of radiation, Nukem, and Rad Worms).
   15   -- Soldier's Report (random story from a Terra Complex soldier). May contain clues about:
            ) Location of a Mushroom Garden.
            ) Location of a Starport, AFB, etc.
            ) Location of a Water Crystal Deposit.
            ) Location of Oracle-type NPCs.
            ) Location of camping players.
            ) Location and Space Sector of Overkill.
            ) Space Sector of a Starbase.
            ) Space Sector of a Planet.
            ) Space Sector of Alien, Ancient, or Hexonite Ships.
   16   -- Hexonite Research Update (clues to location of Lost Hexonite Base and Star-Guard Mecha).
   17   -- Sat-Hack Lite Hackware (allows use of any satellite in current space sector).
   18   -- Sat-Hack Pro Hackware (allows use of any satellite in any space sector).
   19   -- Unusual Activity Report (clues about location of Visionary/Medicine Man/Ancestral Spirit).
   20   -- Galactic Mecha Registry (shows all mecha, their owners, and current space sector).
   21   -- RoboHack 3009 (90% chance to hack Mecha, to eject owner 1%, or activate if unowned).
   22   -- Top Secret Missile Activation Codes (allows remote launch of missile silos, once per silo).
   23   -- GPS TrackHack (allows use of Tracking Devices).
   24   -- Geological Survey Scan Data (shows 50x50 view of subterranean map).
   25   -- Hexonite Research Report (shows storyline info about the Hexonites, and clues
            to locations of Lost Hexonite Base and Hexonite Star-Guard Mecha).
   26   -- Anti-Virus Plus (scans for and removes virus).
   27   -- DataCore Hackware (increases chances of Hack/Bypass/Trojan success).
   28   -- DataCore Tech Manual (allows player to Lock nodes in the DataCore Matrix).
   29   -- Trojan Horse Code (allows player to use Trojan Horses in the DataCore).
   30   -- Worm Code (allows player to use Worms in the DataCore).
   31   -- Base Encryption Software (causes your bases' Control Nodes to be surrounded by Locked Nodes).
   32   -- StarShip Encryption Software (causes your SubSpace Node to be surrounded by Firewall Nodes).

[Blazewarrior]

Floppy Disk Effects: ***NOTE: Floppy Disks break after first use.
   -- 25% Chance to display random junk data (NPC storyline stuff, etc).
   -- 20% Chance to display a Missile Silo Code.
   --  15% Chance to give Laptop a virus.
   -- 5% Chance to malfunction and destroy Floppy Disk Drive.
   -- If all else fails, disk is worn out and useless, and breaks.

Flash Drive Effects: ***NOTE: A Flash Drive may be erased and 1 program copied to it.
   -- 50% Chance of being random junk data.
   -- 20% Chance of being a virus.
   -- 30% Chance of having a random program on it.
   -- If all chance rolls fail, drive is blank.
   -- Erasable / Re-Writable from Laptop menu.

Laptop Computer Virus Effects: (effect randomly chosen when player uses a CD-ROM with a virus on it)
   *** NOTE:  When Laptop has a virus, it will randomly act up when player uses Laptop, until removed.
Caught by Virus Scan (if present) = 90% chance.

-- Randomly delete CD backup from Backup Drive (if present).  = 50% chance.
-- Lock up Laptop so it can't be used again til next login. = 30% chance.
-- Randomly destroy a Laptop upgrade hardware device. =  15% chance.
-- Lock up Laptop for a whole day. = 20% chance.
-- Power Surge fries laptop and electrocutes + kills player. = 1% chance.
-- Virus Fizzles and just displays fake error message = if all other effects fail their % chance roll.
    If this happens, 50% chance the CD-ROM or Floppy Disk will be destroyed.

Laptop Functions Menu:

-- Planetary Comm Channel.
-- Galactic Comm Channel (requires owned or hacked Comm satellite).
-- Private Communications (personal email).
-- Insert Floppy Disk (may contain useful info, or Missile Silo codes).
-- Insert Flash Drive (may contain upgraded Laptop functions, or useful info).
-- Explore Backup Drive Programs (shows programs you have, and allows copy to Flash Drives).
-- Insert CD-ROM (may contain many useful programs, or maybe a virus).
-- Run a Program from Backup Drive.
-- GPS Base Locator (shows direction and distance of nearest owned base).
-- Galactic Recruit Roster (lists all players and their current space sector & planet).
-- Attempt to Hack a Control-Room Terminal (used in a base to enter a control room).
-- Attempt to Hack Base/Mothership Security (used inside ship to drop shields without breaching).
-- Attempt to Hack a Starport Terminal (used inside Starport. Allows use of any satellites in current space sector).
       (If Defense satellite is hacked, may be used to attack other sattelites or even ships from the Laptop!)
   *** Cannot be used with any weather patterns in the area.
-- Signal Scout Ship for rendezvous (summons your Scout Ship to your coordinates).
   *** Cannot be used with any weather patterns in the area.
-- Virus Scan (attempts to remove a virus. Requires anti-virus software).
-- Attempt to Hack a Missile Silo Terminal (requires Missile Silo code. 3 wrong guesses Tele player away).
-- Attempt to activate a Mecha (10% Chance to activate unowned Mecha. Pisses off an owned Mecha,
      causing it to blast player with Gamm-Radix Cannon for 100-500 dmg + 10-50% Radiation).
   *** Activating a Mecha will unlock it, allowing player to access and use it.
-- Spy Satellite Scan (20x20 detailed scan).  ***Cannot be used with any weather patterns in the area.
   Unlike hackware, this will only allow player to use satellites they own.
-- Planetary Weather Scan (uses Weather satellites for a 50x50 scan...shows only terrain and weather effects).
   ***Cannot be used with any weather patterns in the area.  Uses player's owned satellites only.

Hacking Functions: ***NOTE: Hacking is done cyberpunk / lawnmower man style.
         Sentinels are AI anti-hack programs which fry CyberJack +1-500 dmg if you're caught.
-- Examine Cloaked Node -- Attempts to show what type of node it is.
-- Bypass Firewall -- Bypassing firewall is done by guessing open port # 1-4, three times. Incorrect port #'s = fail.
-- Insert Trojan -- Used to bypass Closed Nodes. 20% chance of Sentinels. 75% Chance of failure.
-- Insert Worm -- Will travel the Matrix in a line, in specified direction, until it hits Corrupt, Sentry, or Firewall Node.
-- Code Scanner -- Scans Node, showing info about it. Scanning is done by synchronizing 3 signals at once.
-- Download Data -- Download a Data Node.  10% Chance of random program. Otherwise useless.
-- Move to Node -- Move to another Node.
-- Sabotage Node -- Destroys a Node.  Used when Sentinels are after you.  Successfully sabotaging a node
      turns it into a Corrupt Node.  Sentinels cannot pass Corrupt Nodes.
      A Sentinel in the Node when it is sabotaged is destroyed.
-- Access Control Node -- Guess base password to access Control Nodes.  3 wrong tries calls a Sentinel.
-- Hack Node  -- Hack a Node, like missile silo in OOII, 3 wrong tries calls a Sentinel.
      Successfully hacking or downloading a node turns it into an Empty Node afterwards.
-- Recharge Laptop Battery -- Can only be done while accessing a Terminal.
-- Log out of DataCore -- Must be at an Exit Node.

DataCore Matrix Node Types: (Similar to the old BBS "hacking" type games)
OPN   Open (empty) Node -- Passable.
EXT   Exit Node -- Exits the DataCore Matrix safely, returning to Laptop Menu.
CLS   Closed Node -- Impassable.  May be opened with a Trojan.
LCK   Locked Node -- Impassable.  May be Hacked open.
DTA   Data Node -- Downloadable. 10% chance of random program, otherwise useless data.
COR   Corrupt Node -- Corrupt data.  Impassable.
CTL   Control Node -- # of Node corresponds to a Base #.  Access allows remote use of Base controls.
MTH   Mothership Control Node -- # of Node corresponds to a Mothership #.  Access to hijack Mothership controls.
PWR   Power Node -- # of Node corresponds to a a Base #.  Hack it to lower base shields & power down defenses.
GPS   GPS Node -- # of Node corresponds to a Vehicle #.  Hack it to show location info.
SAT   SatCom Node -- # of Node corresponds to a Satellite #.  Hack it to use/control satellite.
   *** If satellite is not in same space sector, player must bounce signal by guiding it through
   space sectors til it reaches its destination. Signal lost if it travels to a sector it has already passed through.
SUB   SubSpace Node -- # of Node corresponds to a Mothership #.  Hack to access Ship Security System.
   *** If Ship Security System (a node maze w/ sentinels) is escaped,  player can access
   the Mothership's SubSpace Terminal.
INF   Info Node -- One per player.  Contains private player mail.  Hackable w/ Pirate Comm Hackware.
LHX   Locked HX Node -- Control nodes of Mecha.  Hacked by Decryption.  Player is shows a set of numbers,
   and must hit a key when the appropriate numbers scroll by, action-combat style.  Player must hit
   all 3 numbers in proper sequence as they scroll by.  A miss = failure.  Numbers will scroll by
   randomly 3 times.  Player must hit all 3 numbers in proper order within those 3 tries.
OHX   Open HX Node -- Control Nodes of mecha, having been unlocked.
STP   StarPort Node -- Every planet has 1 Starport.  Terminal can be accessed from this node.
FWL   Firewall Node -- Must bypass it or be booted from DataCore and take 20-50 damage.
CRP   Encrypted Data Node -- Must be hacked to Download.  90% Chance of random Program.
   Cloaked Node -- Becomes another passable Node type when entered.
SNT   Sentry Node -- Spawns a Sentinel when entered.  Boots player from DataCore and does 1-500 dmg.
         *** Anytime player is in same Node as a Sentinel, they take 1-500 dmg and CyberJack is broken,
         unless player has a Hardware Firewall upgrade, in which case CyberJack survives..
JNC   Junction Node -- Moves player to a random Open Node when entered.
!S!   Sentinel -- Will wander around, leaving Locked Nodes where it passes. Moves when player moves.
      If it catches player, CyberJack may be destroyed and/or lots of damage to player + laptop disconnect.

***NOTE:  The DataCore Matrix display shows Nodes in a 7x7 radius, with player at center.  Because of the
   nature of sub-space data flow, the Matrix is randomly generated each time it is entered.  Player is
   placed at 100x100 on a 300x300 wrapping grid comprising the Matrix. 
   Control and SubSpace Nodes
   are only present one per Base or Mothership (respectively).  SatCom Nodes only exist if there are at
   least one or more satellites in existence.  Data Nodes and Encrypted Data Nodes are the only ways
   to obtain new programs other than from CDs / Floppy Disks / Flash Drives.
      Sentinels will wander randomly through the Matrix, and if player is caught hacking, the
   sentinels will chase player until blocked by corrupt nodes or player logs out of DataCore.
   Sentinels will attempt to lock empty nodes around them.  They can pass any Nodes except for
   Encrypted Data Nodes and Corrupt Nodes.  Sentinels move when player moves to another node.
   If a Sentinel is in a node when the node becomes Corrupt, the sentinel is destroyed.
      Terminals are found outisde Bases, Motherships, Starports, Starbases, Missile Silos, and
   Complexes.  Terminals can be used with a Laptop to access special functions similar to control room.
   Players can see inventory and roster of a place, list coordinates, space sector, etc., and access the
   Control Room functions of the place.  DataCore Hackware program is required to hack a terminal.
   If accessed without hacking, will simply show the standard structure access menu, normally
   used to enter passcode to enter a base, control room, etc.  All terminals can be hacked.
      Terminals don't show on map, they're part of the structure they're attached to.  Hacking
    requires a Laptop, DataCore Hackware program, a CyberJack, and a Terminal at current location.
   Hacking cannot    be done without being at a terminal, regardless of what I may have written elsewhere.

Since this is ONLY a list for the laptop stuff, there's some stuff that may not make sense.  I'll post more about this game idea if anyone is interested.  I'm calling the game Project Oasis for now.

[Blazewarrior]

As you may have noticed above, there are vehicles and mecha in this game, as follows:

Airplane (must land at the end of turn, before player quits, and can only land at an Airbase)
Dirigible (A zeppelin, doesn't have to land, but has more trouble passing through weather patterns)
Tanks (can be used as a seige engine against bases, other vehicles, and protects camper to an extent)
APC (can't be used as a seige engine, but can haul a lot of stuff and protects camper to an extent)
       ***(also note, players can recruit up to 4 NPCs to join party, if of a friendly faction, and players offline may be knocked out
              in battle and kept in party as a prisoner until captor dies or flees in battle.  If they don't escape that way, they can be
              taken to a scout ship and taken to a mothership, where they are thrown into a brig for up to 3 days.  The owner of the
              mothership can opt to release them to a planet, or into the ship, or jettison them into space.  Also, a captured player
              who has a bounty on their head from one of the several npc factions may be turned in for a reward).
Jetbike (allows travel without attracting enemies, but can't carry party)
Hovercraft (like the jetbike, but carries a whole party.  Can travel over most flat or liquid terrains)
Boat (allows Deep Water travel and passage over toxic water)
Rubber Raft (allows Shallow Water travel and passage over toxic water.  Can be carried in inventory)
Tunneler (allows digging tunnels underground.  Unlike OOII, this game will have only 1 underground level)

Scout Ship (allows travel over any terrain, and to/from space orbit)
Mothership (essentially a mobile base in space.  CANNOT land on planets, but can travel thru space sectors)
Garbage Pod (cargo in a mothership may be jettisoned onto a planet, this is how it gets there.  It cannot move but crashes in a
                   random spot on the planet, and may be entered / looted, or camped in)
Escape Pod (used to escape a damaged mothership, or if mothership has been hijacked)

Horse (allows travel without attracting monsters.  Eats rations instead of using fuel.)
Dragon (flies over any terrain, eats rations. Must land at end of turn b4 player quits.)
Phase Drake (similar to dragon, but very rare, hard to obtain, and has ability to teleport to coordinates once per day)

Terran Mecha (a powerful battle vehicle, can pass most terrains, can submerge in water but cannot fly)
Alien Mecha (more powerful mecha, is found rather than bought, can fly or submerge)
Ancient Mecha (2nd most powerful Mecha, can pass any terrain, can fly, submerge, and enter space orbit.  Can also tunnel underground)
Hexonite Star-Guard (most powerful Mecha, can do all the ancient mecha can, but can also travel space sectors like a mothership)


In the lore of my game, the Hexonite Armada was an "ancient" group of humans formed after the last world war.  They battled an alien race
known as the Grawl, and both were annihilated.  Now, just over a thousand years later, remnants of both the Hexonites and the aliens may be
found, but only the Grawl survived.  They're equivalent to Hydrites, though I'm trying to change things enough to keep it unique.  Since I based
the game idea on OOII mostly (my #1 fav game of all time), and because I'm typing this from printouts I made years ago, some things are still using OOII words and concepts which I *WILL* revamp to keep it original and not step on Dustin's creative toes.

Again, I can tell from what I've typed here that many may be confused because I still haven't elaborated enough.  I'll save that for those who
are truly interested.  I'd love to make this game as a MMOG but I'm so very very noob to C++, and Turbo Basic won't cut the mustard
A DOOR game is about the limit of my programming skill, if indeed I actually have any.

Well, I hope some of you found all this ranting to be interesting at least, and inspiring at best.  I'll show my fingers some mercy now and
leave it right here.  If there's interest, particularly if I can find a programmer who's bored and looking to make a new door game, I do have a ton of info prepared for this game.  At this point, I'm simply ironing out the details to ensure game balance, playability, and "fun factor".

If it becomes a DOOR game, I've got ANSI stuff prepared for that, and if it becomes a net-based MMOG, I am currently (off and on) working on graphics in Bryce and Photoshop.  I'm pretty good at graphics, too bad my coding isn't on par with that.

Feel free to email me with questions or comments.  Or better yet, just reply here, I'm more likely to see it than in my email. 

[Blazewarrior]

Well to all the nay-sayers who think programming is hard....well quit messing with C++!
HA!

Just kidding...but seriously, nearly a month ago, I drank 2 "Death Adder Venom" energy drinks in a row, and about 3 hours later
I somehow knew how to program in VB 2008 express (which is 100% free download now btw).

It was weird, I learned enough over this last 3 and a half weeks that I actually made an editor program for my new game.
The game is going to be called Oasis Project, and the editor is nearly complete!

So far, you can walk around like in OOII, but with a much wider (9x9) view area.  The editor currently shows a stone border for the edges, but I know how to make the map wrap around so it's more of a "spherical" world.  In other words, I'm doing away with map edges in favor of round worlds.

My game features all of the following:
-  20 worlds to explore (just to start with, 50 max total), ranging in size from 50x50 to 200x200.
-  Each planet has it's own gravity, humidity, weather, geological activity, atmosphere type, planet type, etc etc, which all contribute to
   the exploration of that world.  For instance, on a world with "Light" gravity, less fuel is needed by vehicles, and players/npcs/mounts need to
   eat & drink less often.  On a "Heavy" world, the opposite is true.  For "Super Massive" worlds, attempting to land on them can be dangerous,
   as the gravity can bring the ship down and crash it.
-  There are random monster encounters like in OOII and FF2, but also NPC characters of 10 playable and 2 non-playable factions.
-  Players can set a "diplomacy" level so they can interact while offline.  If "Neutral" for instance, they will ignore people investigating them,
   and if "Hostile" they will actively attack anyone investigating their camp.  Other settings include the ability to sell items from inventory while
   offline, and mercenaries & other NPCs may be hired to watch over you.
-  Players can obtain a Mothership, allowing them to explore the vast 5000 sector galaxy, or land on planets via a Scout Ship which comes
    standard with every Mothership.  Also included is a Garbage Pod to eject cargo into space (it will land if a planet is near), as well as an
    Escape Pod for a quick getaway if the Scout Ship is being used, or you have no other choice.
-  Many skills are available to learn, which can help in many ways.
-  Vehicles of many kinds may be obtained, from wild "mount" type animals gained with the Taming skill, to cars & trucks, helicopters &
   airplanes, hot air balloons,  boats & submarines, Tanks & APCs.  Vehicles run on fuel, animals eat edible plants.
-  Mecha may be obtained, which can not only replace a Scout Ship, but can be used in combat with extreme effectiveness.
-  Players may choose the appearance of their mecha and mothership from a list of images.
-  A full-featured editor is ALREADY nearly complete!!!  Woohoo!!!
-  Although I considered making it as a DOOR game, I realized quickly that I can possibly do it as a MMOG without too much trouble.
-  Up to 100 players may be online at once, if I am successful at mastering Server/Multi-Client net code....
-  Each planet has 1 Complex, 1 AFB, and 1 Alien Prison.  The Complex may be claimed, allowing a planet to be OWNED, and defended.
   Alien Prison and AFB each have a 30x30 SubMap, with special terrains.
-  I did most of the graphics in Bryce 4 and Photoshop 5.  The rest are "royalty-free" animated .gifs I found.
-  Combat will be sort of a cross between OOII Action-Combat and Final Fantasy 2.  Imagine having a 5-player/NPC party, and fighting another
   party, taking turns like in FF2, but using action combat....it could work!
-  Each planet has a "World Trade Market" where non-worthless items go to when players sell them to vendors.  At any Starbase, the
   Galactic Trade Market may be accessed, which is a compilation of all the World Trade Markets from all planets.
-  There will be Laptops, with programs which may be stored on them and used over and over, or even copied to a Flash Drive and sold
    to other players, sometimes for a very hefty price if the program or data is worthy.
-  Players using a Laptop may purchase a "Brainjack" which allows them to connect to the virtual world called the DataCore Matrix.
   Within the DataCore, each building, vehicle, ship, mech, etc. has a "node" which represents a collection of their variables.
   A player with a Brainjack and "DataCore Hackware" program may explore the DataCore, and attempt to hack various nodes in various ways.
   Hacking a node can accomplish a tremendous number of things.  For example, you could use a laptop to remotely shut down another
   players' motherships' shields from across the galaxy if you can hack its "Mothership Control Node" or MCN.  Another example would be to
   take control of a base's weaponry and use it to blast players/npcs in the vicinity.  Yet another example would be auto-piloting an enemy's
   Mothership or Mecha to your current sector and ....well...stealing it.  Or perhaps simply triggering the Self-Destruct Device??? 
-  I have been designing this game off and on since the mid 1990s, so it's pretty fleshed-out as far as lore and such goes.
   There will be QUESTS, assigned to players either by a NPC, a "help wanted" board in the Barracks of a Complex or Starbase, or in other ways.
-  The game will use "credits" as its primary currency, but bartering is not out of the question, and harvesting of Ore, Plants, and Animals
    can make one as rich as selling advanced items, if the harvest is good.
-  Map terrains are subject to change.  Everything from nukes, to volcanoes, to certain weather patterns, to using a Complex's "Terraforming
   System"...may ways the world changes, and the environment is active, progressing and evolving over time.  This isn't a silly "cool idea", it's
   pretty straightforward AI, but beware a Black Hole -- they can consume entire worlds!!!
-  Players may hunt down other players & NPCs for bounty rewards.  A bounty is placed on a player or npc when they kill a faction-linked NPC.
   When this happens, the player gains honor among the enemies of that npc, but lose honor among that npc's faction and its allies.
-  Players with a high amount of honor with a faction will find that encountering NPCs of that faction will reward them with new quests and
   potentially very good items/weapons/etc.  Also, once your faction honor is high enough, NPCs of that faction will not refuse to join your party.
-  Players may dig underground, and may build bases underground or underwater.
-  Players may use a shovel to "bury" an item on the surface or underground, thus "hiding" the item except from the best types of scans.
-  There are Satellites and other objects in space, that may be of great benefit, or a horrible thing to avoid at all costs.
-  Players and NPCs can be "knocked out" in combat, and taken into party as a prisoner (if there's a free spot in the party).
   When a player or NPC is captured like this, they will randomly wake up as the captor moves around, and if the captor enters combat,
   the prisoner will attempt to escape based on bravery, and will be successful based on AGIlity and DEXterity.  If they escape, they will
   be aware, and can't be taken by surprise again til they log on again.  Or if still logged on, they have a chance to flee the area.
   Prisoners who don't escape party and are taken onto a Scout Ship are immediately put into the Brig when the ship docks with a
   Mothership.  The prisoner can stay up to 3 hours in real-time, or up to 3 days if not logged in.  Alternately, the Mothership's owner
   can choose to release the prisoner (as a guest in the ship), Jettison them into space, or teleport them to a planet's surface.
   If power goes down to the Brig, or if no guards are equipped, the prisoner can break out and try to hack into the Control Room.
   From the Control Room, they will have full control of the ship!
   Prisoners may also be taken to a Complex, where they're also tossed immediately into the Brig.  The Complex owner can let them sit,
   eject them from the Complex, or teleport them away to a random spot on the planet, within telepod's range.
-  Plants and animals aren't going to be implemented at first in their "complete" form.  For now, plants are either Toxic, Medicinal, or Edible.
   Toxic plants are used to make Vaccinations and Poisons, Edible plants make rations, and Medicinal plants make Medkits.
   When fully implemented, plants will be randomly generated in each part (seed, stem, leaf, root, flower, fruit, etc etc), and an image chosen
   for each plant part from a collection of REAL plant images.  Both plants and animals will be controlled by "virtual DNA" which is a fancy
   way of saying a boolean variable array.  Plants & Animals will propagate according to planet type (only Earthlike and Oceanic planets support
   Animals and Plants), and according to environment (humidity, rainfall, ambient radiation, etc etc).
   This will be easy for me, since I have already done this before (minus the graphics) on a Vic-20 back in the day as an AI experiment.
-  Everything you liked about OOII, TradeWars 2002, LOD, NetHack, VGA Planets, and BRE are all in this game, with shades of Final Fantasy 2.

Anyone interested?  I have the game editor almost complete.  I'd be willing to upload a mostly-functional copy to FileFront.com if there's any interest at all.  It's no Legend of Zelda, but dadgummit it's better than ANSI!!!