Sol Trader

Release Date: 2016-06-06

Developer: Chris Parsons

Genres: Indie, RPG, Simulation

Price: 14.99

Just UpdatedSol Trader 1.4 available as a free update is the best Sol Trader experience yet featuring UI improvements history that runs in-game and a new ship!New ship: the PumaThe Puma is a sleek fast ship which you can fit with up to three separate guns. What it lacks in cargo space it makes up for with an impressive internal capacity for ship components meaning its a great ship to use to scavenge for the parts of destroyed ships. No wonder so many seem to find their way into the hands of pirates...UI improvements: NotificationsWeve said goodbye to popups interrupting you when youve achieved a mission or when someone is ready to meet you. The list of pinned characters at the top of the status bar now doubles as a notification list so when characters have messages for you can easily access them.The tutorial now appears as notifications too making it more unobtrusive and events that you learn about individual characters are sent to you via notifications as well.This UI change gives us a more streamlined game with fewer interruptions and a better way to manage information.History now runs in-gameA critical under-the-hood change means that rather than pausing history on game start the history generation now _keeps running_ as the game progresses.This change has had considerable implications to how the game plays: non-player characters are now able to go through marriage divorce make and lose friends change jobs and more all while you are playing the game. When life changes happen to your closest friends and family theyll tell you about whats going on allowing you to react and change your plans to suit.One large ramification is that in-game years now only have four months which represent the four seasons. In-game time now passes much faster and people will more visibly move through the stages of life: the world will feel more dynamic within one play through.About the GameA solo indie title from Chris Parsons Sol Trader is a genre-busting space simulation where its not about what you know - its who you know. In Sol Trader you trade not only goods but ships components minerals favours contacts and information too.Single-player combination of top down 2D spaceflight and strategic manipulation of your network of contactsRun missions using your family and friends connections to government or businessNo ship given to you at game start: you must take a loan and hire a ship or borrow one from a wealthy relativeFly between planets interacting with the various characters you come across in cities and in spaceResearch information on other characters through chatting to friends and relativesCustomise your ship with better guns engines hyperdrives and passenger cabinsTrade goods for profitProcedural generation of a whole society of thousands of random charactersStart every new game from your characters birthChoose your parents and all your major life choices as you grow up Your choices determine your personality and your friends relatives and enemiesFull modding support: change all the organisations events weapons planets ships conversations and tutorial system.200 years of charactersEach new game is already two centuries old. Thousands of random characters are born live and die as the game is generated creating totally unique societies each time. When starting a new game you do so from your characters birth choosing your parents and all your major life choices as you grow up. Your choices determine your personality your friends relatives business contacts and your enemies.There is no set story. The game generates thousands of characters events and interactions to set the scene: as a player you are born into this world and form relationships in it before the game starts. Youll then be able to create your own legend within this world: explore the known (and unknown) solar system trade goods run missions leverage your contacts and avenge members of your family as you see fit.This game features a complex procedural history generator inspired by the adventure and legends mode in Dwarf Fortress. Each new game is already two centuries old with a living history full of characters that are born live and die before you even exist. When you create a character in this world you face the same choices as all the computer-controlled citizens did. The decisions you make in your characters early life set your starting skills and attributes and your family connections and business contacts.The game universe stretches to the far reaches of our current solar system. In certain regions travel is very unsafe: pirates are known to hang out near the major gates. Youll be able to purchase a variety of ships and be able to own more than one at once. Ships can be fitted with a variety of equipment including better guns hyperdrives and engines depending on what their hulls are designed to take. You will inevitably take damage and your ship can be repaired by mechanics that you will meet on your journey. Making friends with a good mechanic will make all the difference when you return half-alive from the Callisto water run...Its not what you know...You land at Londons space port and immediately head to the market to see if an old contact of yours Caleb Churley will still give you a good deal on your cargo. Whilst offloading your titanium delivery you discover through chatting to Caleb that he needs a parcel taking to Vikon on Venus. Its a bit of a distance but you know theyre short of water at the moment so you buy all you can fit into your small ship. Calebs grateful for the parcel delivery so you get a good price on the cargo.You drop by the bar on the way out and discover that Rachel Holden was seen in Vikon recently. Youve been meaning to try and track her down as youve been asked by the local crime syndicate to keep them up to date with her whereabouts. This little trip is turning into the perfect excuse to handle some unfinished business.You debate whether to take passengers to Vikon. Your ship isnt fitted with passenger cabins yet but its worth seeing who wants to go. In a local hotel you find three people keen to go: almost too keen. Theyre willing to pay way over the odds for transport which means youre likely to have someone on your tail once you leave Earths safe zone. Its a risk but you could really do with the money... plus one of the passengers is the son of Charles Heckler someone youd love to get to know...