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WHAT ARE THE PLIEADES?
Aside from a great game in development by Galloping Goat, Pleiades is an open star cluster. Also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier 45, it is my favorite viewing object beyond this solar system. It is quite visible to the naked eye in the fall and winter but spectacular through binoculars or a small telescope.
Look south and up into the night sky. Find Orion’s belt and follow the up thru a bright star called Aldebaran and on to a small cluster of stars and you will have Pleiades. They are the shape of a small teacup and shine like blue diamonds.
The accompanying picture (by B. Wait) is used on The Situation card
Learn more at earthsky.org https://earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/pleiades-star-cluster-enjoys-worldwide-renown/
THOUGHTS ON PLAY
As game testing continues, we find many players comment about how they want an objective or a goal. They need something to strive toward. Pleiades is intended to be playful and explorative. The objective is to build and grow your ship and crew... creating a family and home. A young child's life is filled with play. They play with crayons and color; sticks, bugs and dirt. I would play frisbee with friends. We would just toss it back and forth. Do kids still play house? I remember well the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin played. There was little winning or losing. The goal was to have fun.
I am trying to create an environment for play, exploration, and fun. Yet there is a strong desire for goals an objectives. As I continue to develop this game, I struggle with this as I am sympathetic to it. I play a lot of games with objectives and goals. They are fun but I wonder if we need more play and less achievement
PLEIADES PROMOTIONAL VIDEO SCRIPT
"You have carefully finished building your ship and assembling your small crew. The other captains have done the same. Now after much discussion, the fleet is headed to a small, distant, double-star system with one civilized planet that travelers describe as lush. Rumors say the planet is growing wealthy from the abundant mines on a moon orbiting a gas giant in the system. You expect plenty of opportunities to make some money and grow your ship and crew.
But quiet, hushed talk warns of chaos; the populated planet is secure and safe but the system is questionable. You won’t likely be alone as armed pirates and other opportunists have likely heard the rumors of easy money as well. Of course, there are always unexpected surprises and hard choices will need to be made but you are ready for anything.
Upon arrival at the system and just as you exit out of hyperspace, the ships are hit by an intense solar flare. You are far enough out so it causes no problems but a thorough scan of the two stars reveals that the large star is highly active. It is riddled with immense flares, sun spots, and coronal mass ejections. There is nothing of note regarding the small star. The small lush planet is in a close and secure orbit around both stars. The gas giant is far on the outer edge of the system.
As you scan for electronic signals, the lush planet lights up with activity. There are clear indicators of something happening on the lone moon of the gas giant. In the darkness of space twinkle signs of ships and something unexpected. It takes a few minutes but at last you detect a space station.
Where will you go? The Rocky Barren moon, the Lush Terrestrial green planet, or this unexpected Space Station? Every choice brings risk and reward: as you travel between the three, you must always first pass through Interstellar Space, a path rife with hidden threats and possibilities. You can split up or travel the system together. Working together reduces the risks but it takes more time to explore the entire system.
And when you are done here, if you have survived, more adventures await in other far-away systems."
BRIAN
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