Escape Velocity Nova
| Escape Velocity Nova | |
|---|---|
 
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| Developer(s) | Ambrosia Software and ATMOS |
| Publisher(s) | Ambrosia Software |
| Designer(s) | Matt Burch |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) | March 18, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Space adventure/role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Escape Velocity Nova (a.k.a. EV Nova or EVN) is a video game by Ambrosia Software, in collaboration with ATMOS. It is the third game in the Escape Velocity series of space trading & combat games.
Nova began as a plug-in for Escape Velocity Override in July 1998. Two years later, ATMOS was brought in to convert the plug-in to a full game which was available for beta-testing on July 15, 2001. It was fully released on March 18, 2002.
Nova takes place around star systems in the Milky Way, many of which have planets or space stations that the player can land on. Each star system is either controlled by a faction and has an evaluation of the player's crimes or contributions to that star system and its faction, or is uninhabited and controlled by no one. The player's ship usually travels between star systems by "hyperjumping" by fixed (and to the user, instantaneous) paths to surrounding systems. The player can also use rare wormholes which transport the player's ship to a fairly random star system, or can use a "hypergate" system to move between certain systems after the Sigma Shipyard mission string has been completed.
In space, which in the game is limited to two dimensions, the player controls their spaceship to land on planets, jump into another star system, or engage in combat and board ships. The player can also communicate with other ships, obtaining information about supply and demand of commodities on different planets, and can also get missions in this way.
On inhabited planets, the player can refuel their ship, find and accept missions, trade commodities, buy ships or ship upgrades, and hire escorts. Each planet, "spaceport bar," and ship or ship upgrade has associated images and descriptions.
The player starts as a freelance space pilot in a shuttlecraft, out to make a penny in the vast and unforgiving galaxy. There are many ways to play Nova; for example, a starting player seeking funds can become a trader or courier, delivering cargo between worlds; become a pirate or bounty hunter, attacking and disabling ships to steal their money, cargo, or the ships themselves; become involved in one of the main storylines; or even conquer the galaxy by subjugating worlds.
The game has six major storylines that the player can participate in, one for each of the major factions: Federation, Rebellion, Auroran, Polaris, Vell-os, and Pirate.
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Wikipedia