LoanStar Dev Log 0

 

LoanStar is a resource management game at its core, set in a space-faring future. Human society has been spread across the galaxy for generations, so long gone are the days where space travel is reserved only for high budget exploration or important military missions. Now, most space travel is mundane and blue-collar, and opportunities abound for eking out a living on the edges of the galaxy.

 

The goal of LoanStar is to survive - command a ship, buy low, sell high, and keep ahead of the predatory lenders. You win by paying off your loans and gaining true freedom.

 

  • Choose from 3 different ships, each with different financing terms and capabilities.

  • Buy and sell to make a profit. Different planets have different economies to take advantage of. Factor in cargo capacity with fuel-costs to maximize profits.

  • Take out loans to leverage additional capital.

  • Face pirates, discover shipwrecks, or run an errand for a well-connected socialite.

 

 

The Interface

 

LoanStar is coming to iOS as a mobile game, so the interface will be familiar. The intent is for the game to appear as a dashboard that a cargo ship captain might use to manage their inventory, plan their flights, and track their loans. Picture text, menus, and spreadsheets as the primary interface. There will be artwork and icons for ships and items.

 

 

The Idea
 

The idea for LoanStar evolved slowly. Initially, I had a desire to make a strategy game that you could play while doing other things - something that is deep enough to be re-playable, but also doesn't require your total attention at all times. This implies that graphically, the game shouldn't be a full-screen experience. If it looks like work, so your boss doesn't know you're playing a game on the side, even better.

 

There was some inspiration from the old-school game "Drug Wars". This was a fairly popular DOS game that was ported to the TI-83 graphing calculator. When I was in high school, Drug Wars was shared around (via link cable), and played in class while avoiding the teacher’s notice. I remember Drug Wars fondly because it was a game that you could play in class, it had a sense of humor, and it was re-playable because of some chance events - all things that I hope to bring to Loan Star.

LoanStar's game mechanics have evolved to add depth, choice, and re-playability - and they will continue to evolve once play testing begins.

 

A page from my notebook, where I started putting the idea to paper:

 

 

State of Development

 

Development is underway for LoanStar for iOS. Currently, it is in a fairly early stage, preparing for initial play testing.

  • About 80% of the screens have been created.

  • About 50% of the game data has been created (Items, planets, ship stats, etc.).

  • Game balancing is about 25% complete.

  • Programming is about 50% complete.

 

 

Upcoming Updates

 

  • A roadmap of the development process, with accurate status.

  • Previews of artwork/icons.

  • Previews of the "minimum viable product" that will undergo play testing.