A downloadable game

THIS GAME IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH 

https://orlof.itch.io/ad-astra-2420

THIS PAGE IS LEFT HERE FOR HISTORICAL EVIDENCE :-)

C64 slow paced 2D space game for single player or two player co-op (pilot + gunner)

You are a star ranger deployed for long range reconnaissance mission in Rimward asteroid belt where Megacorp has eight Verge stations for asteroid mining.

Suddenly your Long Range Quantum Communication link flashes and you receive new mission:

STATUS REPORT
=============
ROSCOS TERRORIST CELL HAS CAPTURED RESEARCH STATION 
TO HARNESS CORE DENSITY SINGULARITY AND ASSURE 
UNLIMITED ENERGY SOURCE AND WORLD DOMINATION
+
WARNING!
========
PROJECTIONS INDICATE POSSIBILITY OF RUNAWAY SINGULARITY
RESULTING IN SUPERCLUSTER DESTRUCTION
+
MISSION
=======
TO BUILD A SINGULARITY DIFFUSER YOU MUST ACQUIRE
 - NEUMAN BINDER
 - BABBAGE SIPHON
 - LAPLACE REACTOR
 - FERMI ENTANGLER
+
INTELLIGENCE REPORTS THAT LISTED COMPONENTS 
ARE AVAILABLE IN NEARBY VERGE STATIONS
+
NEGOTIATE WITH SPACE STATIONS AND GET THE PARTS
BEFORE RUNAWAY SINGULARITY DESTROYS SPACETIME

There are no other ships within jump distance to assist - you are on your own!

When game stars, your ship is located in Verge Station 5 and you will get your mission briefing via long range quantum communication link.

Manual is available at https://github.com/orlof/ad_astra/blob/main/readme.md

Beware: The game is difficult

Music in the title screen is ripped from Millenium Demo - made by legendary Terry Flynn (Roy Batty). The permission to do that is given in the demo scroller.

Releases 

2.10 19.1.2023 Added 2 images to elaborate the story
2.02 14.1.2023 Added color coding to dashboard
2.01 14.1.2023 Added Verge stations to map
2.00 13.1.2023 Added gyroscopes. See devblog for other changes
1.01 11.1.2023 Artifact gold price scaled down from 1000 to 500
1.00 8.1.2023 Original release
StatusReleased
Authororlof
Tags2D, Commodore 64, Space
Average sessionAbout a half-hour
LanguagesEnglish
InputsJoystick
MultiplayerLocal multiplayer
Player count1 - 2

Download

This game is currently unavailable

Development log

Comments

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You should get away from XC=Basic which wastes a lot of RAM with unoptized code instead of using external files. I bet the menu can be easily done in assembly by using some structured self coded subroutines instead of wasting a whole block of compiled code just to get some text on screen.

I agree, but it's a delicate balance between working code, time spent and having fun :)  I will replace more and more basic with assembly, but it's probably not going to happen in one big bang.

Absolutely love the whole concept of this game! Thank you :D

Thank you!

not my cup of tea. more of an arcade simpleton , ?/10

I can understand. This is "the opposite" of arcade, more like submarine simulator in space :-)

I see you changed the title screen! That makes the preview version a collectible item now 😄

Many congrats for finishing the game! 🥳

Thanks! I needed a bit more memory and title screen was an obvious target 😄

Looks interesting, definately.

Great! Is this the full game or a preview?

This is the full game