I have been working on a lot of back story, history and game lore this time. I find it’s a lot easier to create game play ideas when you have some back story to work off of.

This marks the 5th implementation of this project. The others didnt’ fail, but rather taught me quite a lot and lead me to here. Every time I get a little closer and I’m starting to get excited. Formerly called “Galaxy Incorporated”, The Periphery will adopt most of the game play ideas I had down previously but with lore changes. I have finally answered the “WHY” question, and got some pretty neat ideas as to the history.

I am still knee deep in the game treatment.. I figured before I had anything really tangible, I’d need a good plan of attack. Thus I have been writing quite a lengthy storyboard of the entire game. I am using a “BDUF” (Big Design Up Front) methodology, but keeping it flexible enough to change. I think it’d be more accurate to describe it as Big Ideas Up Front. Ideas can change, design can’t always change as easily.. heh

I have also changed my mind on the engine to be used. Previously I thought I would be using the Torque engine, but to be honest I don’t much care for it. It’s not the engine for me. The reasons are numerous, but I’ll just leave it at “Feh.”

My second choice of engine was to use the Multiverse engine, which is still a good engine but they couldn’t do a couple things I needed. Too bad really, nice bunch of guys.. (I think they have fixed some of their issues since I first looked at it, but its too late now.. heh )

I have decided to go with the C4 Engine, which impresses me at every level. And its written by one person! Which just appeals to me greatly. I have been playing with the engine and I really like what they are doing in it. I really can’t wait until I get some cutting edge art in there and see how it renders out.

Stay tuned!

111859672.0 – Humanity becomes dominate life form on planet

118068795.0 – Humanity defines it’s dominant religion

121721219.0 – Humanity starts Gregorian calendar

122378655.0 – Humanity has an industrial revolution

122436115.0 – Humanity begins space exploration

122454626.0 – Humanity receives first confirmed signals from the Lagoon Nebula

122464854.0 – Humanity has first contact with advanced alien race

122464854.3 – Humanity dies.

June 9, 2036 at 7:12pm Earth and Humanity is attacked and wiped out by an advanced alien race. Earth is left in ruin, unable to sustain life. Roughly one hundred thousand people were captured and taken as slaves – the exact number is unknown. The rest were left on the planet.. to die. Don’t you just hate Mondays?!

At 122655036.9**, what would have been February 21, 2557 at 7:27am, Humanity is given a new lease on life – I guess Mondays aren’t so bad after all..

Earth was attacked by the Arvidians, a powerful and technologically advanced race of long nosed bi-peds with an even more powerful enemy they refer to simply as “The Enemy”.

The Arvidians and the Enemy had been embroiled in a long and bloody interstellar war that was finally swinging in favor of the Enemy. The Arvidian Empire had far superior technology, but the Enemy had scale and numbers. The Enemy through sheer will and brute force had managed to beat the Arvidians off of the majority of their colonized worlds, destroy or take all of their systems and push them into the last corner of their galaxy. I believe you’re familiar with it – the Milky Way.

When the Arvidians swept through the Orion Arm of the Milky Way on their way “outward” to the tail end of the Perseus Arm, they destroyed everything in their path. Their logic was simple – if they couldn’t have it, then the Enemy wouldn’t either. Their plan was to create a vast expanse of dead space, with lifeless worlds that the Enemy couldn’t use, and wouldn’t want. Thus creating an immense buffer of destruction for protection.

In their interstellar flight, the Arvidians only came across one other “Semi-intelligent species”, Humanity. Keeping with their destroy everything policy, Humanity and Earth were doomed. Humanity was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The majority of Arvidians viewed Humans as beneath consideration – a curious little race to be pitied or scorned. Most Humans were killed outright; those that were taken, were taken as slaves. However a very small portion of them were taken more as pets. Still a slave, but looked upon fondly.

Over the course of the next 500 years the Arvidians opinion of Humans did little to improve, but it was becoming politically incorrect to “own” another intelligent being – even lowly Humans.

Humans were made free – to a limited extent.. The Arvidian Empire in its benevolence gave humans sub par ships built specifically for the humans, with the intent of giving the Enemy something else to worry about.

So, there you have it. We were free. So long as we perform meager tasks and assignments for the Arvidians they leave us mostly alone. Or you could just tell them off and set out on your own.. But with the Arvidians behind you, the Enemy in front of you, you don’t have much of a home.

That new home? A vast dead region of space with nothing but war torn worlds, vast fields of space debris and little prospects called; The Periphery.

** All dates in the game will be in basic julian plus 120M.