As of 2023/11/29, the official open-alpha server is no longer running. However, the source code for the project is available under an MIT license here: Github.com

Big Things Have Small Beginnings.

Somewhere far away in space and time, a race of machines battle each other for control of the stars...

Welcome to Project Helia - an ambitious project to create a new, massively multiplayer, online role playing game! It's rough around the edges now, but with your help it could be great!

  • Hunt, gather, build, and trade in a tough-as-nails science fiction universe. From the very start, you will face great adversity as you learn how to survive. You will need to make friends and use your brain!
  • Over 1200 systems, some of which are only intermittently connected. There's a lot of space out there to exploit and explore! When setting out on an expedition, you will need to be well prepared.
  • Open PVP everywhere - no exceptions. With no starter zones or safe areas, you will need all the help you can get! Remember that it isn't just about having a bigger ship with bigger guns.
  • Minimized differences between PVP and PVE. Unlike other games, hordes of NPCs for you to slay will not be thrown at you. Whether you're hunting a player or an NPC, you will need to have a plan!
  • Break the meta by modifying modules. The modules you loot, craft, or buy are just the beginning! Mod kits can be rolled to adjust stats in the hope of getting something truly special.
  • The universe is at war - which side are you on? Fight for one of the NPC factions or strike out on your own adventure with your friends. It won't be easy, but it will be worth fighting for!

Helia can be played in any Chromium-based browser - no installation required.

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Introduction

Greetings - I hope that your Advent is going well so far! A new version of Project Helia has just been released for you to enjoy, featuring new mechanics, ships, and modules - read on to learn more :)

Cruisers

The stars of this release are undoubtably cruisers, with each of the four great nations getting their own. Cruisers will likely be the largest ships that you'll routinely fly - future battlecruisers and battleships will be significantly more expensive with a diminishing return on investment. These ships are powerful, however they are still susceptible to mobs of skiffs, electronic warfare, and saturation attacks.

Schematics are available for all four of these ships from stations of their respective faction. Note that you will need a Station Assembly Yard to manufacture them (an intermediate sized workshop will be introduced in the future). In addition, cruiser-sized modules have been added - however, in Helia it isn't always the best idea to fit the largest modules that a slot can hold!

Since Helia is in alpha, ships and modules are being added gradually. As the project matures there will be more ships available across more factions. For example, currently only the four great nations have frigates and cruisers - in the next release (0.2.7) pirates and corporations will be getting their own frigates to help close the power gap.

Transient Asteroids

If you've played Helia, then you're likely familiar with transient jumpholes - connections between systems that change every downtime. Transient Asteroids are very similar except they are asteroids instead of jumpholes!

These temporary asteroids can be identified by the warning symbol and "C" at the start of their name. They can contain any ore, and may also have significantly higher yields than normal asteroids. Like their jumphole counterparts they tend to be far from anything else in the system. However, if you see one it might be worth investigating as it could bring a highly valuable, easy to extract, ore somewhere it wouldn't normally be!

Just make sure you have enough fuel to get there and back :)

Salvager NPCs

In Helia, you can salvage loot from wrecks using a salvager. However, previously there were no NPCs that would do this! Given that empowering NPCs to do things players do is a core idea in Helia, I am happy to say that has changed.

These NPCs will roam the universe looking for wrecks to salvage, and will attempt to sell their loot at stations. Unlike traders, they may spend a significant amount of time working on a wreck making them easier to catch! If you're willing to take the standings hit, or if they already hate you anyway, they are essentially "loot pinatas" containing whatever they happened to salvage - just don't forget your own salvager.

Feedback

At the moment, very few people play Helia. This is understandable, given that its a very challenging indie MMO that is in open alpha. With that said, feedback is always appreciated! If you have a question, suggestion, or find a bug, you can report it here or on the official subreddit.

Don't miss your chance to get in on the ground floor of a different kind of MMO! If you'd like to try it out, Helia is currently free to play (and will remain so as long as its in open alpha)! You can start your journey here :)

Helia Version 0.2.5 Has Been Released

Helia Version 0.2.5 Has Been Released

News

Greetings! - I hope you are having a good day :) I just wanted to let you know that Helia 0.2.5 has been released, and that it is a major content update...

Dev Blog: Plans for 0.2.5

Dev Blog: Plans for 0.2.5

News

Electronic warfare, superfreighters, and more are planned for the next major release. Read on to learn about the exciting new features currently under...

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ssd21345
ssd21345

looks quite detailed in mechanics scene and fun but I'm tired of (or/and busy with) PVP in multiple games already, maybe gonna try it down the line

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