Galaxy: Alpha [Intergalactic Games]

[GrimFinger]

This is the entry for Galaxy: Alpha, a play by mail game from Intergalactic Games.

[GrimFinger]

Known Empires That Once Populated Galaxy: Alpha

Warriors of the Light Eternal
Chimeran Panarchy (CHI)
Tetrad Shadow Warriors (TSW)
Imperial Klingon Empire (#135)
Empire of Screams (#192)
Templar Imperium Galactus (#169)
Guardians of the Ebon twilight (#192)
Demons of the Dark (#210)
Lords of Malnibonne (#213)
Regiments of Night (#227)
Flame of the Ebon Crystal (#298)
Archon Star Concordar (#441)
Kzinti Patriarchy (#495)
Federation Systems Alliance (#505)
Romulan Directorate (#511)
Warriors of the Shining Path (#526)
Death Stalker Imperium (#581)
Guardians of the Inner Circle (#594)
Draconis Combine (#601)
Genestealer Cult (#605)
Exalted Malefic Ascendancy (#650)
Disciples of the Shadow Path (#666)
Deathdroid Star Empire (#678)
Champions of the Blood God (#699)
Imperial Saracen Empire (#703)
Bloodwych Imperium (#705)
Voltron Defense Force (#709)
Kzinti Blood Empire (#729)
Followers of the Life Way (#847)
Order of St. Michael (#771)
Death Knights of Krynn (#792)
Terminator Star Legions (#808)
Followers of the Light Way (#847)
Paladins of Darkness (#862)
Imperium Infinitum (#863)
The Dominion of Perfect Absolution (#890)
Confederation of Star Transgressors (#894)
Knights of the Black Sabbath (#895)
Thorian Empire (#897)
Web of Black Fire (#900)

[GrimFinger]

I've just learned of the existence of this group from some of the Dark
Lords, who feel it would be a good way to allow everyone access to the
playtest news(not everyone has access to AOL,or CI$)(except for the
Star League of course...). The IS playtest is now complete. All but
the player front ends have now been tested and should remain pretty
much the same. Check with your Alliance leaders for the details,or
e-mail me. The front ends are now being programmed,and I hope to have
the proto-types ready in the next two to three months,but IS being one
of the most complex upgrades we have been through over the last 12
years,it may take longer. When we do start,everyone will be in the
same Galaxy(a VERY large Galaxy) and the NulPoint/Subspace system will
be in place to make exploration/discovery quite "interesting"...<g> We
will start out with PBEM,and totally cut Snail mail out of the loop. I
hope to have the release version of the IS rules ready for
transmission in the next month,but to keep from being swamped by
requests you will have to contact your Alliance leaders for copies.
Anyone who does not have access to email will not be able to play the
new game. Sorry if that annoys a few of you,but thats the direction
Doug and I have decided to take the game. More later.

BJ Lockhart, InterGalactic Games

Source: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games...ba9b2180c1

[GrimFinger]

As I mentioned last time,the playtest for IS is now complete,and we
are currently writing the player front end programs. These will deal
with all aspects of Empire activities,as well as turn results through
e-mail data packets. I have decided the Death Globe race type WILL be
in the new game(one of ten player determined races) as there are quite
a few players from the old game that enjoyed playing that empire type.
I know thats going to annoy the Star League and Dark Lords,but thats
life. Galactic transport will involve the use of NulSpace points as
well as SubSpace transfers(as in the old game). But the NP system will
allow the development of rear areas,not to mention that the P.O.D's
will allow for real time intel reports on fleet movements. The fleet
and ground combat systems will remain as they are(for now...) as they
have reached a good balance that relies on fleet/ship design as much
as the number of ships you have to throw into a given system.
StarFighter tech will advance as a part of Battlecraft design(in that
sub research area),and thus will be much the same as StrikeFighter and
Interceptor tech. The NPE generation ;program worked out well for the
playtest,and so will also be used when we open IS. The GTC is now 13
NPE races that survived the War of Shadows(Daemon finally had all of
the segments of the penta-ring(its rumored that the T'sang were
involved) and managed to open the Hell Gate,and free the DarkOne from
its endless enforced slumber(imposed by the Que'lin and Genar at the
close of the Transdimenional War(Intrusion) in the Second Age). But
neither he nor his avatar was able to control it...Thus begins the
battle of the Three who are One,which leads to the current age more
than ten thousand years after the devastation of the War of Shadows).
Any way thats the current story line for those who have missed it.
More will be available from the GDB as the game progresses.
More later.

BJ Lockhart, InterGalactic Games.

Source: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games...a0c70c753e

[GrimFinger]

Galaxy: Alpha featured these cryptic puzzle things, as part of the game. If you were able to solve the puzzles/riddles, then your empire could benefit from certain things that could be gained - things such as alien artifacts and what not. Here's an example of one sector report:

=======================================================================
XCOOR: 39. YCOOR: 1. GALACTIC MAP# 119.
STARNAME: EPSILON PSI 59886D

STAR TYPE: SUB GIANT CRYSTAL MINING FACTOR: .
SYSTEM CLASS: 17: MI MI S S A A A M M G G G G G G G G
RULING EMPIRE: UNIN
SYSTEM STATUS: UNINHABITED
PRELIMINARY SYSTEM REPORT: VHONGOR/4
Multi-Scans of this system have reported strange material profiles
from the indicated planet. Close range scans report the presence of
shattered ruins that match the profile of the Vhongor (see GDB ref).
Scans report the ruins of one of the Vhongors massive mega citadels
which has been utterly destroyed. Extremely ancient records seem to
link the Vhongor with the Guild of assassins. It would appear that
this location fell to the overwhelming forces of the Krulang Krangs
Dark Guard, during the Krangs
covert war against the Guild. Sealed deep within the shattered rubble
of this once mighty fortress has been found a Vhongor phase stasis
vault. It would appear that opening this vault will require the use
of a Vhongor polyphase tricrystal security key,or the solution of the
entry system which translates as "Dark madness blinds distant
minds,while near is far, the truth yet binds. Beneath Times bonds all
pales and cracks, while above the stars stand still and laugh,seek not
within for the outer path."

[Ramblurr]

Neato! Were these reports given to all players, or just those who proved the system?

[GrimFinger]

If I recall correctly, your ships were put into fleets, and you sent a fleet to a given system, which then generated the reports such as I posted above.

You could then gain additional reports, depending on what orders that you issued. Sometimes,trying to solve a puzzle, but botching the attempt, could end up with the star system detonating, obliterating everything - both artifact and your stuff.

You could also ask for a limited number of Galactic Data Base references (GDB ref), each turn, which would provide you more information on things that you encountered, such as race history of race references that you encountered during game play.

I only have a very few portions of various turns' results. At the top of one, I wrote #894 29/June/92. So, I was playing Galaxy: Alpha back in the year 1992, apparently. I didn't play it much. I wish that I had played it more, just to learn more about the history of the in-game races and empires.

[GrimFinger]

If I recall correctly, Galaxy: Alpha turn results were divided into two basic parts. One was the narrative portions, such as Galactic Data Base references, and the other was more of the hard numbers stuff associated with a player's empire that they were playing in the game.

Here is one portion of a turn's results from Galaxy: Alpha, if you want to take a glimpse at it.

[GrimFinger]

And here is an example of the other portion type of the turn results for Galaxy: Alpha. This type encompasses narratives for Galactic Data Base references for the game.

[GrimFinger]

Here is the front cover of the Galaxy: Alpha rulebook.