Story:
The universe. A big place, to say the least. And it is now your oyster. Being the unquestioned leader of a planet that has just discovered space flight, your future looks bright. But then you meet the neighbours. All are more power full than you (some much more than others) and all with their own agendas. You can choose your own path, but beware of the consequences.

Gameplay:
This is a space strategy game. What's new? In other games, everyone starts off on an even footing (MOO2, ST:BOTF, etc). In this game, you start off at the bottom of the ladder- you have to overtake the other races (who are advancing as well at the same time) by any means.

Examples:
Take-over by trade: find a race that needs lots of resources (race A), then offer your resources for rock-bottom prices. After they accept your offer, make a trade pact with whatever race that they used to trade with (race B), allowing them to only trade with you and severe repercussions if they back out. Then cut all trade with race A. All their functions will shut down. They try to get resources off race B, resuming their old contract, but they cannot because of their new treaty. It would take too long to negotiate a new treaty, no food = mass starvation, so they surrender to you without you having to fire a shot (rebellion may be a problem later, however). Transport destruction: there are many different tech trees to go along, for transport, there are wormholes (natural jump points), hyperspace (enter hyperspace anywhere- more expensive, slower speed/development time), jump points (can only enter/exit hyperspace at certain points) etc. Jump points can be destroyed. If you want to take over a race that uses jump points, lay mines on all the jump points and blow them all up at the same time except the one that exits near to your territory. Threaten to destroy that last one if they do not surrender. They can only rebuild one at a time if they want it to have enough defence to fend off one of your attacks, and researching a new tech tree would take far too long, hence they have little choice if they wish to trade, expand, fight or do anything.

There are many races who are much more powerful- the 'Elder races' they believe they have advanced as far as they can and seek to manipulate the younger races. e.g. An Elder race may attack a particularly war-torn sector. The races inside must ally together or die. If they ally, the Elder race feigns defeat and leaves, the sector now at peace. If a race gets quite powerful and starts destroying all of its neighbours, one Elder race may help, another may hinder, directly or indirectly (anything from actual fighting, loan of ships, new research, better trade, etc) although the elder races have agreed not to fight each other directly in case it were to destroy the universe (They ARE that powerful).

The aim of the game is to get ahead of other races (more discover space flight after you- it is a constantly changing universe) and eventually become an Elder race, trying to imprint your own image on the universe. NB conquering everyone else is not really an option- likely the Elder races would stop you first, hence the economic methods of takeover. However, to become an Elder race, you must destroy the one you wish to replace.

Other stuff:
the universe is a strange place- anything could happen. You may colonise a planet only to discover a race of near-Elder power is hibernating there and may either give a gift for peaceful co-existence or start to destroy you and anyone nearby. It's a big universe- anything could happen.

Strategy Video Game
James Newman
james@cbnewman.freeserve.co.uk

I guess you have the basic idea of what could be turned into a pretty cool Space strategy game. Now it's just the hard part left, making the game :)

Idea Reviewer:
-Vegard Aure-