C O N Q U E S T
---------------
Credits:
(VAX/VMS Ratfor) - original game
Copyright (C)1983-1986 by Jef Poskanzer and Craig Leres
- terminal only game
- ran only on a VAX mainframe or mini system
- required VAX shared memory for client / server interaction
(Unix/C specific port + supporting code) - internet version
Copyright (C)1994-2006 by Jon Trulson
- terminal and gl client game
- runs on most modern hardware
- true client / server protocol over internet connecitons
(Unix/C version graphics and sound update)
Cataboligne
- gl images emulate Star Trek TOS ships and effects
- sound simulates Star Trek TOS show sounds
- ability to customize game images and sounds with config files
- advanced gl client specs (not released)
Features:
Real time strategy space warfare game
Multi player (up to 20 players per server)
Loosely based on Star Trek the original series
4 Races: Federation (humans), Klingons, Romulans, Orions
3 Ship classes: Destroyers, Cruisers, Scouts
Destroyer - middle of the road ship
- great for all tasks
Cruiser - heavy ship, slower max warp, more powerful weapons, carries more troops
- great for bombing & taking planets, slower torps
Scout - lighter ship, faster max warp, weaker weapons, carries less armies
- great for fast trips cross galaxy and harrasing enemy bombers, faster torps
...................scout.....destroyer....cruiser
max warp.........10............9............8
photon warp....14...........12...........10
max armies.......7.............9...........11
engines..........better......even.......lesser
weapons........lesser.......even.......better
Weapons:
Phasers - short range beam weapon, does large damage at close range
Photon Torpedoes - long range weapon, moves faster than ships (based on ship class)
- firing weapons heats them up
Bombing - you must orbit a planet to bomb its armies (population)
- planets can not be bombed below 3 armies
Defenses:
Shield: 100 points of damage absorption, self regenerating
Hull: 100 points of damage absorption, self repairing (ship explodes at 100 points taken)
- hull damage affects max warp speed
Cloak: invisibility (if you stay absolutely still) - rough tracking if you move
Sensors: can locate ships (if not cloaked) and objects - reporting distance, direction and basic info
- you get less information about ships you are at war with
Tractor beam: grab another ship and tow it - less effective when at war
Ship General:
Weapon temp: weapons shut down at 100 units and cool down
Engine temp: engines shut down at 100 units and cool down
Weapon / Engine energy allocation: which ever has the higher amount operates more effeciently
Fuel: 999 units max, used for engines and weapons, self rengenerating
Heading: direction ship is facing, or planetary lock, or orbiting
Warp: speed ship travels at towards given heading, higher warp uses more fuel and heats engines more
Kills: number of ships you destroyed, and portion of armies bombed
- the more kills a ship has in game, the more effeciently it operates
War: set by race (FKRO) - you must be at war for your weapons to hurt a given race
- you can set self war, and it is considered very dastardly
- once damage is done (ship hit or army bombed) to a race you are at war with, the war setting is locked
Armies: army count ship is carrying, they have to be beamed down to take over a planet for your race
- max count based on kills and ship class
Planetary bodies:
Planets - class M or D
- armies - populations of planets are grouped into an army count, the more armies, the more damage done to bombing ships
- damage range - 500 conquest units (you orbit at 300 units)
- self ruled - not one of the four teams - bomb this planet and the armies there will attack you
- class M - army population increases faster, ship refuel and repair happen faster
- class D - slower army growth, refuel and repair not as swift
Moon - (only for Earth on default load) window dressing you can orbit
Sun - does damage (by army count even though no army numbers are reported)
Game elements:
Doomsday machine - (when active) goes around leaving planets it attacks a radioactive wasteland
Negative energy barrier - far beyond galaxy core, damages ships, can be flown through
Play mechanic:
Fly around at warp speeds to explore, attack and conquer the galaxy.
Bomb enemy armies and beam your team down to take planets.
Fight other teams and blow up their ships with photons and phasers to take their planets and home systems.
Take 25 planets to conquer and rule the galaxy!
