Well-known TTRPG cartographer and concept artist Alex Drummond, whose portfolio includes work for Marvel and Games Workshop, has revealed a secret project years in the making: a 2D sci-fi sandbox computer game called Protospace. The game is now listed on Steam and available for players to add to their wishlists.
Alex Drummond, a professional illustrator whose detailed maps have previously been featured on Geek Native, has worked with industry giants such as AEG and Square Enix. Now, he’s channelling that experience into a personal game development project.
Alex Drummond said on Facebook,
I have been working on a scifi bounty hunting game in secret over the past few years, you can wish list on steam right now.”
Protospace puts players in command of a starship within a procedurally generated galaxy, tasking them with survival and turning a profit. The interface shifts between a lo-fi, top-down tactical starmap and a shipyard view where players can manage their vessel and its upgrades. The developers state that every point of light on the star chart represents a destination and a choice for the player to make.
The game features hand-painted art and boasts over 50 different ship types. Gameplay extends beyond space travel, allowing players to land on alien worlds and deploy smaller craft to aid in their missions.
The core gameplay loop appears to revolve around several key activities in a dynamic, player-influenced universe. Drummond noted the possibilities for players;
Haul valuable cargo between sprawling star systems.
Bounty Hunt wanted outlaws for a fistful of credits.
Mine planets for the raw materials that fuel the economy.
Upgrade over 50 ships from a humble starter to a specialised freighter, a fearsome gunship, or a long-range explorer. The economy is alive and reacts to your trades. The bounties are dangerous and elusive.
In a description of the game’s content, the developers acknowledge that Protospace is set in a “gritty, morally ambiguous sci-fi universe.” Players should expect to encounter mature themes, primarily conveyed through text-based missions. These themes include references to criminal enterprises like smuggling and piracy. While bounty hunting is a core feature, the neutralisation of targets is described in text rather than depicted graphically. The game also mentions the consumption of alcohol in locations like cantinas.
System Requirements
For those interested in seeing if their rig can handle the void, the system requirements have also been published.
Minimum:
- OS: Windows XP or Greater
- Processor: Intel Core iS- 2500 or AMD FX-4350
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660, 2GB or AMD Radeon R9 270, 2GB or Intel Arx A310, 4 GB
- Storage: 4 GB available space
- Additional Notes: Low 1080p @ 30 FPS
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 4 GB or AMD Radeon RX 570, 4 GB or Intel Arc A380, 6 GB
- Storage: 8 GB available space
- Additional Notes: High 1080p @ 60 FPS
