Planets: The Exploration of Space
Encyclopedia
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
) door game that can also be played in a regular DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
environment. It was originally created by Seth Robinson of Robinson Technologies
Robinson Technologies
Robinson Technologies is a company founded and run by Seth Robinson in 1989, when he created the BBS door game, Legend of the Red Dragon . He currently operates the company with the help of his wife, Akiko Robinson, in Hiroshima, Japan. Seth's full name is Seth Able Robinson and the character...
. It was the company's second major hit, following Legend of the Red Dragon
Legend of the Red Dragon
Legend of the Red Dragon is a text-based online role-playing video game, released in 1989 by Robinson Technologies. LORD is one of the best known door games. The player's goal is to improve his or her skills in order to defeat the Red Dragon which has been attacking the village...
. The first release came in 1992, which was followed by a new version in 1996. The latest version, 2.02 was released around 2001.
Story and Gameplay
As players accumulate their wealth, they can use it to purchase expansions to their ship, including more cargo bays, fighters drones (what players use to defend themselves), and shield batteries (when shields reach zero during battle, the player loses.) The ultimate goal of the game is to become powerful, taking over planets, buying bigger ships, and defeating NPCs
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
and other players in space combat.
As players grow more powerful, they can attack and take over planets in the game. When they take over a planet, they can do several things, like restricting who can and can not travel to the planet directly (aka, not normally on their flight path), deposit money (like a personal bank), and determine how many fighters the planets has for its defense. Players can lose planets they have taken over in the same way that they took the planet. Planets produce fighter drones and money on their own, adding to the totals they have, making them more desirable to players.
By default, there are 26 planets available in the game, one of which is a planet called "Uniland". Uniland is notable as being the first planet most players take over, since it has only one person on the planet and is easily taken over. Other planets often have "Utopia Planetary Defense" systems installed, giving planets extra defense against being taken over.
A large part of the game is in dealing with other human players. Players can ally themselves by establishing cartels. This lets players share resources better, such as swapping money or fighters by leaving them on planets. Effective cooperation makes it easier to conquer planets and take on other humans. But being allied with others can lead to devastating betrayal.
Benefits of registration
If the SysopSysOp
A sysop is an administrator of a multi-user computer system, such as a bulletin board system or an online service virtual community. It may also be used to refer to administrators of other Internet-based network services....
registers the game, s/he will then have almost unlimited control over the game's appearance and gameplay. Many things about the game have been made customizable, including the ability to edit player files, individual planets, NPCs, and even each space craft that players can buy. This control can end up allowing a sysop making his game different than other BBSes, which can attract players.
Among the player benefits in registation includes being able to buy other ships.
Influences
The game had a huge influence from other space dramas like Star TrekStar Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
and Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
. The game offers players who find neutrality boring two diametrically opposed factions to choose between: the Alliance or the Maraken, similar to that of Star Wars' the Empire and the Rebels. Some of the NPC names are similar to names from both, "Five of Seven" to give an example.
Many other references from the game alludes to the many influences Seth had. For example, one of the many was that at one point in time, Seth Robinson had a crush on Jennie Garth
Jennie Garth
Jennifer Eve "Jennie" Garth is an American actress and director, best known for starring in the prominent role of Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
from Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
and this showed up in Planets: TEOS, as at least one default NPC ship captain's name was Jennie. Other default names included movie references, like Wayne and Garth
Wayne's World
Wayne's World was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series Saturday Night Live. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" on the CBC Television series It's Only Rock & Roll, as the main character first appeared in that show...
.
Metroplis Gameport
In 1998, Seth Robinson sold Planets: The Exploration of Space, along with Legend of the Red Dragon to Metropolis GameportMetropolis Gameport
Metropolis Gameport is the Kansas, USA based company that currently owns the rights to several games, including Legend of the Red Dragon, MajorMUD and Planets: The Exploration of Space, selling the licenses to the games on their website.-External links:**...
. Originally, support for the game was reported to be limited. However, Gameport has contracted Michael Preslar to continue development on the game, along with Legend of the Red Dragon and its sequel.
The latest version of Planets: TEOS is 2.02 and a "demo" version is available from Metropolis Gameport's website.