Inherit the Stars artwork

Working on the idea for this title led to some preliminary artwork. I thought I'd share these ideas now that I've been bold enough to announce this game on the blog.

Preliminary box cover concept art

Some of the Race-Related Game Pieces 

Representing from L-R: Homeworlds, Colonies, Starfleets, Battlefleets, StarLegions (armies), Starbases (stations). At the very bottom are pieces representing the Homeworld, Colonies and ships belonging to the dangerous Nanomachines which will be autonomous forces without a human player and which will operate according to a set of strict rules.

 Game Map Board

This is the entire game map made up of twelve 10"x16" sections (for ease of packaging, setting up and for use with smaller scenarios) making a 4' x 3'-6" total map size. The entire galaxy is represented as seen from the galactic north and looking "down". The galaxy is broken into regions, sub-regions, with galactic geography, and jump routes. The image is a high resolution Hubble Space telescope image of a very distant galaxy similar to what scientists think ours looks like (although we can't know for sure since we are embedded within it).

On the map corners are the Costs Charts for buying a building things such as Starfleets, etc. The circles represent sub-regions as part of larger regions (represented as colored lines around groups of sub-regions). the Sub-regions are where the game pieces move to and from. They use the lines that connect them (Jump Routes) to move from one to another. Each sub-region is controlled/shared by different players and there are three types of sub-regions that determine how many and what type of habitable worlds are potentially available for colonization. The larger Regions are used for random events and for "historical"scenarios delineating where various political entities exist or once existed.

Player Race Records Mat

Each player selects a race to play (based upon personal appeal) and then uses one of these charts to keep track of the game as it plays. Each race is different and plays the game a bit differently. Some races have higher levels of Wisdom (which determines how many cards they can draw and play from the deck each turn), Xenophobia (ability to get along with alien species), Domination (how well captured enemy populations behave under enemy occupation), Influence or "Power"(the ability to project influence to neighboring sub-regions). the Influence (power) category includes such things as overall military ability, propaganda effectiveness and cultural appeal and is used to lure nieghboring alien colonies into becoming joined to your civilization (as well as helping to calm occupied colonies and prevent Revots). The Tech Level determines the things the player can do. It helps determine how many spaces a Fleet or StarLegion can move in a turn, how powerful they are in combat, the overall Influence (Power)  level, Victory Points (for some players), effects on Race Relations and how effective exploration of a sub-region is in looking for colonizable worlds.  There are places for showing what the relations are with each other race in the game are: None, Peace, Neutral or War. What sort of worlds are favored for habitability, Courage level (used in combat determination) and Ingenuity which is used in determining advancing to higher Tech Levels and shown as well. Higher ingenuity helps a player gain higher technology levels. Also, listed under the Homeworld name and the biology of the race, is the means for that race to win the game. For example, advancing Trade with other players is the fastest and most direct means for a Human victory.

 Sample Game in Progress

In this example of early game-play there are four players. The human player is in the upper center in Olive Green. The humans have successfully colonized three regions and one of their Starfleets has discovered some Ancient Knowledge which will boost the Human Tech Level points. However, the Humans are finding themselves surrounded in at least two sides by alien races also looking for colonizable worlds in their direction.

To the Human's left, they have made contact with a race called the Vargr (in Red). As a race, the Vargr are a naturally aggressive species, so this first contact might not end well for the Humans. In fact a Vargr Battlefleet is on it's way to that region to enforce it's claim to to any worlds there. A "Contested Space" marker has been placed there, and will remain there as long as both races share the same space and no war has been averted. If war is averted, the marker is removed and unless one of the races prefers different World types to settle on, one of the players will have to evacuate the region entirely. The Humans are natural traders, so they may be able to prevent a war and at least establish a "Neutral" relationship with the Vargr. Perhaps one where trade between the races will lower tensions between the two. However, Humans have a moderately high Xenophobic Rating with can easily lead them into conflict with races that are physiologically different from them (truly "alien"). It is fortunate that the Vargr resemble earthy apes, so the Xenophobia rating will likely be reduced and peace will result.

 To the Humans right, the Ursa race (in Green)  is expanding their direction quickly. The Ursa are moderately aggressive and very territorial and win the game by having more colonies, so the chance of war between these two is high - unless the Humans can also establish trade with them.

Toward the galactic core another race called the Hurc (in Blue) is expanding and they have no immediate neighbors except, perhaps the Humans. The Hurc are intelligent "octopus-like" lifeforms and therefore truly alien to the Humans, Vargr and the Ursa, so depending on the Xenophobia ratings of each, things can get hairy.

Fortunately, races can attempt to adjust their various ratings (except for Ingenuity, Favored Worlds and Courage  - which always remain the same). These races can attempt to modify their innate tendencies toward aggression and cultural dominance.

A Closer Look at the Section of  the Game in Progress

 If the humans play their cards right they could eventually set up trade hubs with their neighbors which will allow Cultural Centers to then be established which would lower the chances of war and give victory to the Human player. But random events can occur to spoil the best of plans and the Humans have no control over the natural desire of their neighbors to play nice.

Near the Galactic Core and to the immediate right of the Hurc, a Supernova has exploded which contaminates all the immediately surrounding and connected sub-regions until the radiation effects die down. If the explosion had happened closer to the Hurc one of their colonies would have been extinguished. Supernova are extremely rare events but very deadly. Only a Tech Level 5 civilization can reduce the effects of a Supernova.

More artwork coming soon!

Comments and suggestions are welcome!!!