🥀 Terra Incognita [Forum Game]

:seedling: Terra Incognita :seedling:

Prologue

8 years ago…

In the year 2059, Delta, a space program spear-headed by Wilson Dusk launched several hundred probes in the direction of all known exoplanets in a certain radius. Although this was seen as a brash decision, it was considered a necessary one, with humanity outgrowing their home world at an exponential rate. This new project was known as the Interstellar Exploration Program. The main goal of these expeditions would be to find another possible home for humanity.

There was one significant problem with this program, however. Each exoplanet is several light-years away. The trip from Earth would be extremely long, not to mention dangerous, making it near impossible for advanced lifeforms to make the journey. However, this minor setback was not enough to halt the project. Engineers and scientists from around the world joined forces and created the FASTR (Fully Automated Space Terrain Rover).

These were a breakthrough in the space industry, designed to have a rudimentary AI that would allow them to make decisions without human interference. This would be necessary when sending them several light-years from Earth, where conventional forms of communication would take several years to arrive at either end. The only interaction between the rovers and Earth would be occasional information sent back from the exoplanets. Once past the Oort cloud, all contact with the probes would be severed…

6 years ago…

It had been 2 years since the launch, and the Interstellar FASTR Probes had reached the outskirts of the solar system. By using a number of gravitational slingshots and new technology in spacecraft, the probes were able to leave the solar system at blinding speeds. Some were failures, most were extreme successes. In the last few months, communication between the probes and Earth had not yet ceased, but had greatly decreased down to the occasional recording or photo of a nearby planet.

Once the probes had left the solar system, all communication was cut, with the probes harvesting as much solar power as possible before deactivating all systems, leaving only their internal clocks running. The probes will reach their destinations in time, but for now, they travel through the cosmos in silence…

1 year ago…

It had been 7 years since IEP had commenced, and Interstellar FASTR Probe #113 had recently entered the sphere of influence around the Soror System. Completely removed from the rest of society and its sibling probes, the Interstellar FASTR Probe #113 booted up its systems with the little energy reserves it had while it re-adjusted its trajectory to create an orbit around the sun. Once stabilised, the probe opened its solar panels to charge for the rest of the journey.

Everything up until now had been carefully calculated from mission control, but dropping the rovers onto the planet will take extreme caution, and will be entirely up to the machine…

1 week ago…

Reaching its orbit around its destination, planet Cayopa, the FASTR probe had to run some final tests before dropping the rovers onto the planet’s surface. To make sure the mechanisms could unlock when the time was right, adjusting its rotation, quickly scanning the planet for possible locations, etc. The rovers won’t be awakened until right before it is time to drop them. For now, they sit in silence…

1 day ago…

In 24 hours, the FASTR probe will reach the ideal drop point in its orbit. After analysing the scan of Cayopa’s surface, several locations had been carefully considered. The only one deemed fit for landing was a large open desert in the middle of the planet’s largest continent. This site is flat and devoid of water, making it a fitting place to drop the rovers. With all tests completed, the only thing the probe can do now is wait…

Now…

You awaken in a small, dark capsule. You find it hard to move, and decide against trying to. There is a large window in front of you, and outside there is an enormous orange glare with white wisps streaked across it. Looking out, you feel small and insignificant. The gargantuan proportions of the orange body dwarfs you by comparison. Planet Cayopa. You spend what feels like hours soaking in the view. A loud buzzing sound startles you, as the capsule you are in begins to move. The mechanisms around you make loud metallic sounds. Your view of Cayopa begins to move as well. Your capsule grinds to a halt, and you sit there in eerie silence. The planet below, although now at a different angle, is still as majestic as before.

As the planet slowly rotates, you notice a large patch of yellow on a landmass below. You are almost directly above it now, and before long, you hear a metal lock release. Everything seems normal, until you realise that Cayopa is slowly covering your field of view. You feel a deep rumble outside your capsule, and red flames are flickering across your window. Outside, you can see other pods in the distance, speeding through the atmosphere like small comets. At blinding speeds you fly towards the planet, and you rock from side to side as fiery light engulfs your capsule…

Gameplay

Overview

Welcome to planet Cayopa, a wild and untamed world of danger and peril. In this forum game, you play as a rover that must make decisions that can affect the entire outcome of the mission. Sent here to map the planet and send back information, you get three actions per turn. You will encounter obstacles, some familiar, and some unplanned. You will be dropped alongside 5 other rovers, all sent with the same goal – explore and survive.

The FASTR rovers

The rover you play as is the size of small horse, with light tank-like treads, 2 fully manoeuvrable arms, a head that can swivel in any direction, deployable solar panels, a comms system and a small storage compartment. They are light grey in colour, and have lines across their chassis that can vary in colour.

How to make a turn

A die will be rolled for each action, impacting the outcome (1 – Horrific, 10 – Fantastic). Each action must be possible, (can’t jump over rock, fly over canyon).

Eg.

Action 1: Relay information to probe

Action 2: Find shelter

Action 3: Charge solar panels

How to join

To join, you must make a turn like so:

Nickname: -

Line Colour: -

And that’s it. You will be able to make your turn after the first scenario, because now you are sort of just landing on the planet.

Well, that’s just about all there is…

Unlike my last game, this one will continue on, as I have quite a few ideas and twists up my sleeve. I’ve always been more interested in a story-based game, so I hope you enjoy playing!

Current players:

  1. PositiveTower (PSSR, Red)
  2. AgentTine (Agent Tine, Navy Blue)
  3. Askyw (Convalesce, Hot Pink)
  4. BowlDawg (Col. Sanders, White)
  5. Duncan (Grene, Grene)
  6. Evolution4Weak (Crest, Orange)

Waiting List:

  1. Svrangite
  2. Pyroball
  3. polymorph011
  4. Nein99
  5. Neocro-84
  6. jellyfishmon
5 Likes

Nickname:PSSR(Probe of Soviet Socialist Republics)
Line Colour: RED

1 Like

Nickname: Agent Tine
Line Color: Navy blue

1 Like

Nickname: Convalesce
Line Color: Hot Pink

1 Like

Nickname: Col. Sanders

Line Color: White

1 Like

nickname: grene

line color: grene

1 Like

Name: Crest
Color: Orange

1 Like

Well that was quick! Anyone wishing to join now may be put on a waiting list, or maybe I might even make room for you, and everyone one else, make sure to stay posted!

1 Like

can ya put me on the waiting list please.

1 Like

Name: Ratte
Line Color: gray

1 Like

Nickname: Turbulence

Line Colour: Purple

1 Like

Nickname: Odyssey

Line color: Cyan

1 Like

NIckName:EIU (Earth Information Unit)

Line Color: Sky Blue

1 Like

put me on the waiting list would you kindly

1 Like

Chapter 1

Down to the Ground

Phase 1


Analysis: Mission 83.33333333333334% successful. Orbital drop complete. 5 FASTRs made it to surface. 1 FASTR lost signal after reaching ground level. Yet to confirm failure.

Awaiting responses.

PositiveTower

< PSSR (@PositiveTower) >

>Action 1: -

>Action 2: -

>Action 3: -

<Health>: 100%

<Charge>: 100%

<Storage>: 0%

<Situation>: The hatch door releases with a click, and swiftly moves upward. The mechanisms locking you in place also retract. Free to move around, you slowly exit the capsule. The skies are a hazy yellow, yet still clear. The ground beneath you is a browny orange, dusty and dry. You look around, and can see no sign of the other capsules, the horizon flat and dull. The only landmark is a large rocky hill in the distance.

AgentTine

< Agent Tine (@AgentTine) >

>Action 1: -

>Action 2: -

>Action 3: -

<Health>: 100%

<Charge>: 100%

<Storage>: 0%

<Situation>: The pod door unlocks with a hiss, and you emerge, rattled. You look back at the capsule, and it seems to have sustained quite some damage. You however, appear to be fine. You begin to observe your surroundings, and you see a clear yellow sky above rusty dirt plains. It is flat as far as the eye can see, apart from a few large hills.

Askyw

< Convalesce (@Askyw) >

>Action 1: -

>Action 2: -

>Action 3: -

<Health>: 100%

<Charge>: 100%

<Storage>: 0%

<Situation>: A loud clunk is heard as the hatch door unlocks. You make your way out of the pod and notice that it is partially unbalanced. As you touch the dusty ground, you look out onto the incredibly bare plains around you. You see a small rocky arch in the distance, as well as a small rocky hill. Apart from that, the horizon is incredibly barren.

BowlDawg

< Col. Sanders (@BowlDawg) >

>Action 1: -

>Action 2: -

>Action 3: -

<Health>: 100%

<Charge>: 100%

<Storage>: 0%

<Situation>: You hear a metal click, but the pod door doesn’t move. The orbital capsule appears to have suffered an extreme amount of damage. After you push the hatch door open, you look around. To your surprise, you don’t see yellow plains, or white clouds. You don’t see rocky hills or clear skies. You only see a dark, dank tunnel, with the only sunlight coming from the crumbling hole your pod made in the ceiling. It is too dark to see anything else without activating your flashlight. There is no way to the surface from here, and you are unable to contact the FASTR probe for directions.

Duncan

< Grene (@Duncan) >

>Action 1: -

>Action 2: -

>Action 3: -

<Health>: 100%

<Charge>: 100%

<Storage>: 0%

<Situation>: You find yourself in a strange position. The pod is tilted sideways, but the mechanisms locking you in place are still intact. As the hatch door clicks open, you are released and fall to the side of the capsule. After adjusting yourself, you attempt to leave the pod. After some difficulty, you are successful. You observe your surroundings. You see that your pod had rolled into a small depression. A large hill shields you from the harsh sun, and around you there are flat rocky plains.

Evolution4Weak

< Crest (@Evolution4Weak) >

>Action 1: -

>Action 2: -

>Action 3: -

<Health>: 100%

<Charge>: 100%

<Storage>: 0%

<Situation>: With a click and a hiss, your pod’s hatch whirs open. You begin to leave the small capsule, until you begin to realise that it has landed in a shallow patch of water. Having been waterproofed for small bodies of water and potential rain, you have no trouble getting to dry land. Once on the bank of the small waterhole, you look back at the capsule, and it begins filling with water. You begin to look around at the nearby landscape, and there are a few other patches of water, but aside from that, it’s a very dirty and dry area. There is some hilly terrain on the horizon, and you see a strange rocky outcrop in the distance.

Waiting List:

  • Svrangite
  • Pyroball
  • polymorph011
  • Nein99
  • Neocro-84
  • jellyfishmon

2 Likes

Action 1: - Assess the Pod’s condition
Action 2: - Carefully approach the rocky hill
Action 3: - Send current status and data to the FASTR probe

1 Like

Action 1:approach the rocky hill
Action 2:Attempt to conatact FASTR
Action 3:once on the rocky hill ,find anything that stands out

Action 1: Approach the largest hill.
Action 2: Contact the other FASTRs to ensure they are still functioning.
Action 3: Track the sun.

Action 1: Look at the condition of the capsule

Action 2: Try to climb out the way i came in

Action 3: If Action 2 fails, try to make a pile of rocks to try and climb out easier

Action 1: Check Pod
Action 2: Analyze The Water
Action 1: Relay Data To FASTR