I’ve had a few people ask what Dark Encounter will be about. Well all, it’s another Space RTS. I don’t know what I love so much about Space RTS, but once I played Homeworld, i was hooked forever and just cant get enough.

I took some time and put my thoughts of the story and unit abilities that i have in the game so far. Once the EXE is posted, you will be able to see some of what is documented here.

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Story (so far)

This story takes place 1000 years in the future after mankind has started to explore the galaxy in crude spacecraft made of whatever could be found. Scavenging derelict hulls and attaching engines gave them just what was needed to find new areas to thrive.

One of these stories centers around a colony of mineral miners that stumbled upon an aggressive race nicknamed the ‘Ticks’. Their biomechanical craft earned them the reputation and title that mankind wasn’t ready for. Only a handful of colonists have ever seen the Ticks, the dead and the unlucky. Some took arms against the Ticks and started to fight back, these became the Colony Rangers, a new breed of warrior took responsibility for protecting the remote group of explorers.

Their fight is just beginning…

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Units:

Harvesters must be told to mine an asteroid. While a harvester is selected, hold A and right click on an asteroid to get it started. The ship will extract and deliver the raw RU to the closest ore processor.

Processors are stationary ships that act as the remote refineries that convert ore into RU. Harvesters will be looking for these so make sure they are placed strategically near material fields.

RU Shuttles have only one task and that is to ferry RU back to the base from the Processors. To get a Shuttle in transport mode, with a unit selected, hold the A key and right click on a Processor or a Base, it will automatically look for the closest job.

Star Bases are the main part of your fleet. Each Star Base has its own resource storage (RU) and will allow you to build other units. If you need to build other items, select a base and press B.

Workers are small ships that retrieve RU from the base and ferry out to the construction site to complete the work on construction projects. To use a Worker, select one and while pressing A and right click on the Construction site or a Base.

Combat Craft have a variety of forms. There are large Dreadnaughts to small Gun Frigates. Some ships have full automated turret systems where others may relay on the ships targeting system. With a Combat Ship selected, press T and right click on an enemy ship.

Mines are stationary defense weapons that can be placed by a mine layer (not yet implemented) to stop enemy targets. These are mostly magnetic in nature and will react to the proximity of an enemy vessel. The colonies had to adapt these mines to work with the biomechanical material that the Ticks use in their technology.

More to come