Stars!2.0 features, download sites, etc... From: bretkrem@teleport.com (Brett Kremer) Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 00:00:00 +0000 What is Stars!? Stars! is a turn-based, multi-player, space strategy conquest game for Microsoft Windows 3.1, Windows NT and Win 95. It's fast paced and simple to play yet capable of carrying out a vast number and subtle variety of strategies. You'll build starships, discover and colonize new planets, research new technologies, manage the essential elements of world economies, defend your empire and (no guarantees here) destroy all your enemies. One or more people can play on a single machine, across a LAN, or by transferring turn files via the internet, email or BBS's. Complex computer players are available for both single and multi-player games. Much of the game is automated to allow you to focus on strategy -- not tedious housekeeping tasks. A tutorial and an extensive help file will get you up to speed in no time. Stars!2.0 Highlights: * 6 interlocking research categories with 26 tech levels each * Up to 16 players in one game * 30 fully configurable unique ship hulls for building custom ships * Extended orders for ship movement that can automate menial tasks * 4 levels of computer players * Customizable races * Race attributes for fine tuning custom races * Configurable battle plans New features in version 2.0: * Stargates * Wormholes * Rail Guns * New scanner technology * 50% more tech items than 1.x * Major race creation improvements * Battle VCR improvements * Renameable fleets * New universe creation options including Public Scores and Unlimited Minerals * New race creation options with mutually exclusive attributes * Mine fields * Mine laying and mine sweeping waypoint tasks * Scanner improvements including enemy fleet paths and an idle fleet filter * Fleets can travel up to warp 10 * Starbases are designed like ships and participate in battles * Mass drivers fling mineral packets between worlds * New battle tactics and targeting options * New area weapons damage ships in multiple squares * Special battle devices jam torpedoes, dissipate shields, etc * Players can steal from each other * Battles leave wreckage * Reports provide spreadsheet like views of your fleets and planets * New waypoint tasks such as Merge with Fleet and Patrol * Many more random events * Customizable winning conditions * More defaults, more control, more automation And much, much more... For more detailed information of all the new features in version 2.0, read the file titled readme20.txt that's included with the Stars! 2.0 zip file or read the "What's New" section of the help file. Where to find Stars!: The current and past unregistered versions can always be found at the official Stars! web and FTP sites: World Wide Web: http://www.webmap.com/stars! FTP: site: beast.webmap.com dir: /stars/v2.0 files: stars!2.zip (full shareware version 2.0) starsfaq.txt (version 2.x FAQ) Stars!2.0 is currently being uploaded to many FTP and Web sites. Check this newsgroup or the Stars! website for lists of alternate sites as they become available: CSUSM: http://www.csusm.edu/cwis/winworld/games.html Two other excellent Stars! sites where you can get info, meet other players and join games: David Scott's Stars! Page http://www.america.net/~dfscott/stars.html Hilton Lange's Stars! Page http://jupiter.cs.up.ac.za/~hilton/stars.htm Up