Convolution

Solar Realms Elite

Copyright 1992-1995 by Amit J Patel

Written by Amit Patel at the Solar Realms BBS, (713) 855-1665 [1:106/900]

This game is an IBM version of Space Empire Elite (S.E.E.), an Atari ST
online game.  Space Empire, S.E.E.'s ancestor, was written by Jon Radoff.
Then S.E.E. was written by Jurgen Van Den Handle, and the newer versions of
S.E.E. were updated and maintained by Carlis Darby and David Pence of
HyperSpace Software. David Pence now supports S.E.E. for the Atari ST
computers.  Carlis Darby worked on an IBM version of S.E.E.  SRE was
originally a clone of S.E.E., written from scratch on the IBM without the
source code to S.E.E., and from there it has evolved differently than
S.E.E. Although S.E.E. is (and probably always will be) superior to SRE, we
wrote SRE to give IBM users a chance to play this game.

SRE is a game in which players build an empire and at the same time build a
military to defend against other empires.  Up to 25 players can build
empires in each Galaxy.  The Galactic Coordinator ("It"), controlled by
computer, is the ruler of the Galaxy.  It offers protection for the empires
to build up without fear of being destroyed by larger empires, and It sells
soldiers, fighters, defense stations, heavy cruisers, carriers, generals, a
command ship, planets, covert agents, lottery tickets, and food to each
empire.  In return, the Galactic Coordinator collects taxes from each
empire; It uses most of the taxes to distribute Galactic funding daily so
that each empire may have spending money outside of its own profits.  Large
empires usually make more money than the funding, but smaller empires make
a significant amount of money from funding.  Empires can attack each other
to capture planets for themselves, or use covert operations to cause
internal disorder in opponent empires.  They can also attack 9 pirate
teams, which are computer-controlled.  There is also great potential in
peaceful relations between empires:  there are 6 treaty types to encourage
either military or peaceful alliances.  Also, empires can trade with each
other if one empire wishes to rid himself of an item that another empire
has.

In addition, SRE allows many different "flavors" to be used.  Instead of
a space game in the tradition of S.E.E., you can set up a post-nuclear-war
game (like BRE), wild-west, medieval, Star Wars, Star Trek, Jurassic Park,
army, Dungeons & Dragons, Dune, or make your own flavor.  There are several
flavors included with the game, and more are available on the Solar Realm.