SpaceGen: A rather silly open source pulp scifi world generator

[Zarkonnen]

This isn't quite a game (yet), but an open-source generator for pulp sci-fi settings inspired by How to Host a Dungeon and the Dwarf Fortress world generator. You can view an animated description of the setting's evolution, pause at any time, and export a detailed description of the world as a text file. To try it out, launch the program and keep hitting space to advance, or press R to enter auto-advance mode and come back later. You can move around with the arrow keys and see information about planets by putting the cursor over them.



Download (450 kB jar file).

Example Text Output

GitHub Page (source!)

[Jimmt]

I like the pixellated graphics

[Archibald]

Cute!


Interface:
- full screen mode option, it is hard to use if you have higher resolution on the desktop
- the text file is more fun to read that the simulation, add buttons at the top that will list "civilizations", "planets", "history" and just display there the text.
- the text next to planet is hard to grasp, maybe start each sentence with * or -? And maybe make the titles (like Lifeform and notes:) a different colour and/old bold.
- when there is more than one event per turn only last is displayed. I don't know how it could be improved.
- make important events, like emergence of a new species, flashy. Maybe show a picture of these? Anyway, make sure that this even is always displayed, because I lost track of one civilzation and got confused (until I read the text file).
- there should be an info when you hover your mouse over a certain icon on a planet.
- the icons at the top of the planet (coins, ships, science bulbs) are completely mysterious.
- each civilization should have a flag, it should be displayed over their planets (right now it is a mystery who owns what unless you read all the texts carefully.
- when a planet has a lot of events not all fit on the screen (need some "scroll" feature, or even better, make "details" button next to a planer which will open a page with all the information.

Gameplay:
- there should be more "biological" events. More than one spiece existing at the same time. More lifeforms at once.
- there should be slower development of races. Like, there should exist a primitive race without flight capabilities for many turns. Right now a race suddenly appear and they start with spaceflight, which is a bit weird.
- there should be more "cities" events. These civilizations always build laboratories and military bass immediately after colonization, without any notion of making the houses of the new planet


Overall, as a player I enjoyed it and was glad someone coded it The premise and mood is generally OK, the most desired is the improvement of the interface. I hope you improve it and release next version soon