Stellar Evolution: Aria

SystemNET is the name of the in-game news feed and research tool that the player can access from their base location within the Sol System (named Eclipse Station). It's a hybrid news feed and internet setup that allows the player to familurize his or her self with the history of the setting, immediate events elsewhere in the war effort, and research locations, races and ships that the characters will be interacting with. As you progress through the game new entries will be added. I find that games with interesting settings are always better when they allow you to go in at your own pace and discover things about what's going on or make connections between objects in their own heads rather than having it force-fed to you in exposition that would be better saved for plot relevant events. Eclipse station will also have the first of several planned 'Consortiums' that act as locations where the player can interact with characters they've met and flesh out personal backgrounds. This is my sci-fi equivilent of a pub or inn, where you get to chat to the locals and dig up dirt on what's going on from a more Human perspective.

RECENT GAME UPDATES:
Last night I ripped out and replaced all of the system graphics to allow for a more smoothly implemented and better looking system set to be used. The new blue set looks both futuristic and reminiscent of more traditional JRPG fair and sparks less of a sombre note. It's a variant on the one I created for the Steel Knights game last year.