Nox Imperii II, my second attempt at an Escape Velocity-inspired game ten years after the first: carry annoying tourists across the galaxy, fight barbarians, ransom captives, betray humanity, get rich or die trying

[u/Kinniken]

I first tried making this game ten years ago, as a fork of Naev. This is my second attempt, as a browser game made from scratch. A mostly open-world space game with a strong exploration focus, in an Art Nouveau steampunkish universe, inspired by Escape Velocity and classic science-fiction novels.

Carry annoying passengers, use local tragedies to make a killing on sales, turn to piracy or even ransom captives, take part in missions that will shape the galaxy, go beyond civilized space looking for natives you can barter with, betray humanity if you feel like it - whatever makes you money or inspires you.

The game is playable, but rough around the edges, and the storylines in particular are very much a work in progress.

It's 100% free, no accounts, no ads, playable in any desktop/laptop browser, but requires a keyboard. Play straight on https://www.noximperii.com/play or visit https://www.noximperii.com for more details.

Two notes:

• my original attempt was handmade, this one uses AI extensively (Claude Code) to help with coding and assets. No image or music generators
• the somewhat cramped UI in the video is due to shooting it with a small window size, it's not like that in game

What I'd love to know:

• What you think of the graphic design. Does the mix between fairly “classic” spaceships and more art nouveau UIs, landscapes and portraits work?
• What did you try, and did it work?
• Where did you get stuck or bored?

[u/Lord_Insane]

The AI seems to have some problems handling gravity wells, saw what looked like them repeatedly crashing into a planet.
Definitely something that's understandable as not in yet given the evidently more intricate setting, but the Flags section of the Universe tab could use some form of short description of the factions, like the Standings in Nox Imperii I.
While there's nothing wrong with a browser game, I do hope a downloadable release isn't completely out of the cards!

[u/Kinniken → u/Lord_Insane]

Hi, thanks for the feedback. You had played Nox I ? I had thought of putting back the short descriptions but wanted to see if factions were understandable without it. Looks like that's a no.

Gravity was an experiment. I'm wondering wether to keep it, if yes indeed I would need to adjust the ai handling of it. Ultimately though it does not have much impact outside of allowing ships to orbit around worlds which looks nice.

A desktop release would be doable if there was demand for it.

Since you seem to have played Nox 1 I'd love some more detailed feedback on what you like or not in this one in comparison, thanks.

[u/Lord_Insane → u/Kinniken]

I have indeed played Nox I, though it was quite a while ago.
Obviously, my understanding of the factions is biased by what I remember from Nox I, but right now it feels like how understandable the factions are depends a bit too much on the faction - the Crown is self-evident, it is the central authority of the decaying feudal-ish monarchy that is the Terran Empire, the Margiorre Oligarchy is a plutocracy, but the individual duchies of the Empire are vaguer, and the Red Banners could be pretty much anything somewhat militaristic (organised pirates? Rebels? Rebels turned organised pirates? Hostile outside polity that simply don't have the Roidhunate's ability to rival the Empire?).
I'll try to get together something more detailed once I've played more, though I've never felt good at that sort of thing.

[u/Kinniken → u/Lord_Insane]

That would be immensely helpful. Even/especially if a bit rough, "first impressions" kind of thing. It's not easy getting feedback these days!

For the factions you are probably right I should bring that back it's probably too ambitious to expect the player to guess without help, especially since there are quite a few and they don't fall so neatly on an archetype like "space pirates". But for the Imperial ones there's a pattern really:

- Imperial Domain / the central authority : as you said, essentially a decaying feudal monarchy. Mostly based on pre-revolutionary France (nobles throwing parties while the people starve, haughty officers swearing like d'Artagnan) kind of thing

- The four duchies are all also pre-revolutionary in their own ways: Acrux is loosely based on New England before the independence war, Taurus on early 20th Imperial Russia, Acturus on the last decades of Qing China, Albireo on a theocratic India.

- Your mysterious "Red Banners" are basically the pirate faction within Acturus. Just for variety's sake the pirates differ from area to area, with a different selection of ships, custom lines etcs, but no big gameplay impact. Maybe I should juste add "(pirates)" in the name.

All of that would become a lot clearer with full storylines but having the basics be more obvious from the beginning would probably help. Right now you mostly get the info from world descriptions and random lines from people in bars.

[u/Jay_Nicolas]

This seems really cool and I want to play more - but I CANNOT handle that high pitched whine/beep/tinnitus test coming form the engines - PLEASE change or let me select my own engine sounds.

Other than that - I only got a few minutes but it seems cool! I Like the character art style too - and I did not expect a character customizer.

[u/Kinniken → u/Jay_Nicolas]

Hi, thanks for the feedback! You are right about the engine, I just reverted to the previous sound which is not as jarring. Let me know what you think. I'm working on a new sound bank in a future update btw.

Yeah I'm quite happy with that character creator. Originally it was intended only to make unique mission portraits but I felt it was a nice starting touch.

Looking forward to your feedbacks! I'm planning some significant changes but nothing set in stone right now I'm testing new things.

[u/Jay_Nicolas → u/Kinniken]

ok the sound is better, I'll give you that - but it's still not something I want to listen to. It's jarring, offensive, and piercing. I'd much rather hear a low rumble - something like this:
https://www.soundsnap.com/sound_design_engine_revving_up_and_down_4_low_pitch_long

[u/Kinniken → u/Jay_Nicolas]

If that's the most obvious irritant in your first hour in game I'll see if I can change it fast before releasing bigger stuff

[u/SpeakerHour9832]

Where?, please

[u/Kinniken → u/SpeakerHour9832]

Where can you play? www.noximperii.com, on a computer (not a mobile)