Sector Unknown News

“The universe is a corpse.

Nothing lives in all the known expanse of space save for the imagination and stubborn superstition of man as he continues to push forward through the folds of darkness. Buoyant in our search for something other than ourselves, the fear becomes more palpable that we will not find a peer, an enforcing and all-powerful entity, a check against our spreading.

With each infertile husk, forbidding giant, decaying rock, or hellacious furnace that we add to our collection, the verdict becomes stronger: we are alone.

Across the millennia, it has been said that man is something that shall be overcome. But this is a falsehood. For our species remains uncontested. And with nothing to resist us, humanity shall instead continue to relentlessly institute his own battle standards across a desolate and uncaring starscape.”



[h2]The Setting[/h2]

As humanity expanded into the cosmos, the narrative of "Sector Unknown" unfolded in a clandestine sector comprising three primary star systems—Xiphos (XPH-6430), Svion (SVN-8912), and Fivo (FIV-6789)—along with several minor ones. These systems were home to the planets Maku, Nabi, Sjo, Eremtera, and Helfyr (more devlogs to come on each of these planets).

For decades, Star Frontier, a colossal trading entity reminiscent of the historical East India Company, attempted to ruthlessly exploit these planets. Operating with impunity due to the sector's erasure from all official star maps, Star Frontier unrelentingly expanded into the sector, unhindered by governmental oversight.

However, after years of over-extension, failing outposts, logistical nightmares, rampant corruption, piracy, and crippling financial losses, a fierce power struggle erupted within Star Frontier's boardrooms, light-years away. This conflict precipitated a sudden and hasty withdrawal from the sector, leaving workers, executives, and soldiers stranded on harsh, unforgiving planets, struggling to survive in a rapidly deteriorating and lawless environment.



[h2]The Return[/h2]

In the aftermath of their retreat, Star Frontier remains divided. Despite continued internal bickering within Star Frontier, several paramilitary factions still operate independently within the sector. Notably, feared "sensitive operations units" have ramped up their activities, capturing former dissidents and criminals and transporting them to Hell’s Gate, a black site prison orbiting perilously close to a blazing star.

Under the command of General Benjamin Alonzo, a hard-line retired general secretly sanctioned by a group of militant stakeholders within Star Frontier boardrooms, these operations aim to prepare the sector for a possible military reoccupation. Alonzo's brutal methods and the looming threat of a military invasion—including the whispered rumors of bioweapons aimed at exterminating the planetary populations—are intended to reset the sector for a more tightly controlled second attempt at colonization.



[h2]Your Story Begins[/h2]

Amidst this backdrop, you awaken aboard a prison transport en route to Hell’s Gate. The reason for your incarceration is yours to define. In your cell, you wake up to find Chalk, a cannibalistic cellmate who chillingly "suggests" using a homemade shiv to cut off unessential parts of your body to sustain yourselves during the long journey ahead.

This marks your first challenge and where your story begins...

In Sector Unknown, your character and companions will have their own skills and attributes.

Attributes are commonly used to determine your combat skills, but can occasionally be used to outside of combat as well. Combat stats are derived from your attributes and determine your success in combat. And finally skills are used primarily outside of combat in dialogue, through world interactions, and more. The only skills that can be used in combat is Piloting, which determines your skill in space encounters, and Luck which provide re-rolls on failed critical hits and evasions.



[h3]Attributes[/h3]

Below are your attributes.

Strength - Health and Melee Damage
Coordination - Hit Chance and Armor Penetration
Vision - Initiative and Ranged Damage
Speed - Action Points and Evasion
Aggression - Critical Chance and Critical Damage
Intelligence - XP Gain, Attribute and Skill Points per level

With each new level, your Intelligence attribute determines how many attribute points you will be awarded that can be assigned to attributes.

This is as follows:

Intelligence 1, 2 = 1 Point
Intelligence 3, 4 = 2 Points
Intelligence 5, 6 = 3 Points
Intelligence 7, 8 = 4 Points
Intelligence 9, 10 = 5 Points

As well, attributes have an increased cost of adding, meaning if an attribute like Strength for example is 1, it will only cost one point.

Here is the scale for that:

Attribute 2 = next increase costs 1 point
Attribute 4 = next increase costs 2 points
Attribute 6 = next increase costs 3 points
Attribute 8 = next increase costs 4 points
Attribute 9 = next increase costs 5 points

As well, a character's origin and traits also offer bonuses to one of the above attributes (more on that in another post).



[h3]Combat Stats[/h3]

As mentioned, combat stats are derived from your attributes.

Health - Strength
Initiative - Vision
Action Points - Speed
Evasion - Speed
Hit Chance - Coordination
Critical Chance - Aggression
Critical Damage - Aggression
Armor Penetration - Coordination
Melee Damage (Base) - Strength
Ranged Damage (Base) - Vision

As attribute points are increased, the connected combat stat also increases. As well, a character's origin and starting trait also offers bonuses in each of the above combat stats.



[h3]Skills[/h3]

And finally we have skills. As mentioned, these are used primarily outside of combat. These are as follows:

Intimidation - Ability to intimidate people into doing what you want.
Persuasion - Ability to persuade people into doing what you want.
Perception - Ability to notice hints in dialogue or hidden objects in the world.
Larceny - Ability to engage in larcenous and illegal acts.
Luck - Ability to affect combat and non-combat situations in your favor.
Engineering - Knowledge of engineering and mechanics.
Science - Knowledge of scientific and abstract concepts.
Computers - Knowledge of computers and hacking techniques.
Biology - knowledge of biology and medicine.
Finances - Knowledge of finances.
Piloting - knowledge of spacecraft maneuvering and combat.

In Sector Unknown, I have taken a note from some of my favorite RPGs, offering many instances where you or your companions skills can affect situations, avoid combat, and provide more interesting story beats and replayability.

Skill points per level are also determined by your Intelligence (as well as your origin and trait).

The simple formula for Intelligence is for each point of that attribute, you gain a corresponding extra point to assign to your skills.



Closing

That's it for now. Hope this paints a better picture of the skills, combat stats, and attributes in Sector Unknown. These may be tweaked and adjusted closer to EA launch and perhaps even after, but this is the current system in place.

More updates to come!

In my last devlog, I discussed non-combat support personnel that you could recruit for your cause. This devlog will focus on combat companions/party members. These are allies you can recruit to join you on missions if you choose, or you can opt to go it alone. There might be some people that want to murder hobo everyone in the game, including potential companions. Yes, there's even room for serial killers in Sector Unknown.



Companions in your party contribute their skills to relevant checks. For instance, if your Computers skill is 20 and you have a companion with a Computers skill of 30, their higher skill will be used instead. This allows for more in-depth party customization and planning. I am currently experimenting with the system to ensure it functions well, and so far, it seems promising.



Party members also bring their own dialogue and stories, some more detailed than others. Additionally, not all party members are guaranteed to be recruitable. Some may be hidden well and may not be recruitable unless you choose the right dialogue options or meet a particular skill level (more on skills in a future update). Companions can come from the most unlikely places. For example, you might encounter a hostile Star Frontier guard whom you'd typically consider a threat, but there could be an opportunity to recruit them later in the story.



I'm also considering whether to implement a reputation system for each companion, similar to the dynamics in the old Baldur's Gate games, where companions could leave if you pissed them off. It wouldn't be difficult to implement and might add an interesting layer to the game. I'm open to any thoughts on this.



More updates to come!

In your adventures across various planets, you'll have the opportunity to recruit a diverse range of characters into your organization. While not all of these characters are suited for combat, they will each bring unique skills and contributions that are vital toward your success.

[h2]Non-Combat Support Personnel[/h2]

Among the characters you might encounter are individuals like Chef Gustav, a culinary genius whose exceptional cooking skills can boost morale and sustain your operation during challenging times. Then there's N-689, a financial AI programmed to optimize your organization's credit acquisitions, ensuring you have the funds necessary for operations and expansions.



Cleveland, the skilled metallurgist, is invaluable for constructing and maintaining anything metal-related within your base. His expertise can significantly enhance your infrastructure and defensive capabilities. Othello, the passionate mineralogist, has an eye for gemstones and can help in identifying and utilizing natural resources to fund and further your cause.

These characters, among many others you might encounter, can be recruited into your organization to provide essential services. Each one brings unique bonuses, abilities, and unlocks, aiding in your broader strategy against the formidable Star Frontier.



[h2]Integration[/h2]

Once recruited, these individuals will return to your base to support your mission, each contributing to your total War Score (details to be discussed in a subsequent post). Their varied skills and specialties not only bolster your operational capabilities but also enhance your strategic position in the ongoing conflict.

Given the broad array of characters available, it's possible that not all can be recruited in a single playthrough. This variability ensures a dynamic approach to team building, where every character you manage to recruit, regardless of their combat abilities, plays a vital role in the overarching success of your rebellion, thereby enriching the strategy and depth of your campaign.

In Sector Unknown you find yourself stranded on the desert planet Maku. From there, once you find a ship of your own, the stars open up to you with six story planets available to explore and bring under your control, either through diplomacy or by force.



From your base, you choose your ship and pilot—combat success hinges on their piloting skills.





Launch into space to investigate your local system, which includes planets ripe for mining. Initially, Maku is the sole story planet, serving as your home base. However, advancing the story unlocks a jump gate to a new system featuring planets like Nabi, a harsh desert world, and Sjo, a shimmering aquatic planet, each with their own settlements.



Each system has their own jump gates, guarded by the oppressive Star Frontier, and must be conquered and claimed for use. The star combat system is still being worked on, so I don't have a lot to show there yet, but you will occasionally be able to interdict both Star Frontier and pilot vessels through combat, pacifying your systems and controlling traffic in and out of each.



Sector Unknown, once removed from star charts by the resource-greedy Star Frontier, is a critical battleground. These planets and stations, once under your control, are crucial in your mission to expel Star Frontier from the sector.

More to come!

[h2]Sector Unknown - Prologue[/h2]

Sector Unknown - Prologue is a free demo version of the full game, coming out soon.
Don't forget to wishlist and follow for release dates and information!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2890980/Sector_Unknown__Prologue/