Lots of real-time strategy games are coming out this year. For those who love the genre, Stardust Exile is one of those that you need to keep an eye out for, especially now that it's on Steam Early Access.
The game is set in space but it's not the first game to do so. However, it is in the Milky Way galaxy and if developer Apseren is to be believed, the game contains the currently known stars, exoplanets, and their real characteristics. The remaining stars and planets are going to be procedurally generated based on currently known data. That should amount to more than 200 billion star systems, which is the present estimated number of stars in the galaxy.
The game though gives players the ability to change the name of the planets and stars that they find. They can also come up with their own spaceship designs through the in-game procedural spaceship generator. With this, they can design their fleet to be different from other players. By the way, changing the visuals of the spaceships won't alter the stats. The reason for this is to avoid players using ships they don't like mainly due to superior stats.
Not much has been revealed yet in terms of mechanics but the game is going to have a single-player mode and an MMORTS mode. In MMORTS, players compete with each other to end their exile and retake the Sol star system.
Early Access
The developer hopes to have the game in early access for six months. However, the duration may change depending on the feedback given by the players.
During early access, there’s going to be an online multiplayer server where players can compete, cooperate, and of course, try and retake the Sol system. The ship procedural design tool is also available during early access.
What to Expect in the Future
For the full version, players can look forward to an online RTS where players can now compete for control of star systems as well as try to obtain and hold control of the Sol system. One feature is a player-driven market where they can trade resources and offer a more market-driven playstyle.
Features included in the full version can also come from players through the feedback system.
If you're willing to wait for the full release, you can wishlist Stardust Exile on Steam.
