Beyond Protocol is a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy
game (MMORTS). In Beyond Protocol, you control an entire civilization
and interact with thousands of players from around the world in a
persistent universe. Players will be able to wage wars in real-time,
form alliances with other players, explore the universe, exploit the
mineral wealth of thousands of planets, launch espionage missions and
gather intelligence and engage in an unlimited number of activities in
an ever evolving online experience.
The galactic senate is a governing body of empires. This body provides
an electoral college voting system. Specifically, each planet that a
player owns in a system provides one vote that player can cast. If
there are 7 planets in the system, those 7 votes are tallied and the
senate is sent 7 votes towards the majority decision. Therefore, if 4
planets vote for A and 3 planets vote for B, then on the galactic
scale, the system will cast all 7 votes for A.
The galactic senate votes on any legislation in the game. The
legislation can only be drafted by those players who have control of an
entire star system. When the draft is made, it is reviewed by Dark Sky
Entertainment, and Dark Sky places an estimated time of "enactment",
and then the voting process begins. In 14 days, all votes are made and
the decision is final. The resulting vote affects the game and the
developers influence the game by the results of the vote.
For example:
Assume a player drafts and has approved by DSE a law that makes space
stations required to be a certain distance away from the planet and DSE
concludes this legislation will be enforced in 21 days from approval.
Once the approval process has occurred by DSE, 14 days will go by which
all players who possess a planet will vote. As the control of a planet
changes, so too the vote may change. At the end of the 14 days, the
countdown is complete and the vote is tallied. Once the votes are
tallied, the law is either passed or shot down. If it passes, DSE will
have 21 days to have the law put into full effect in the game.
The players experience four unique types of game in Beyond Protocol:
- Research/Invention
- Combat/War
- Trade and Commerce
- Diplomacy/Sabotage/Espionage/Intrigue
Game balance is accomplished through resource distribution,
acquisition and management. Resources are minerals, with the key being
their properties. With these minerals, a player has the capability to
invent and design the prototypes for their units and structures. This
research and true invention in the game lead to the other three aspects
of the game and draw each of these player types together into a
cohesive gaming environment.
Combat is a very unique system because the player is using the
technology they’ve developed against another player’s technology. The
technology is measured in effectiveness, with scores providing the
player a view of their strength capability. Therefore, players are not
seeking out the awesome weapon created by the developer. Instead they
are seeking out the discovery of the awesome weapon through the
builders. Because of the combinations that exist in the builders, there
are no two weapon designs alike.
Combat takes place in real-time on planets and in space.
Combat in space can affect the ground units and vice-versa. Individual
units can be managed at multiple levels including unit-level,
group-level, battlegroup-level, or by the tactical AI (artificial
intelligence) interface. The group unit concepts allow players to
develop their own formations and even utilize them with the tactical AI
during battle. These constructs provide the player the ability to
create and learn effective strategies for the particular prototyped
units they have created.
If war is not something that interests the player, then a
player can interact through trade and commerce. A huge trade economy is
created by the need for materials/alloys that are used in units and
structures. Further, the economy flourishes on the fact that there are
unique qualities to every design in the game. This uniqueness, once
“advertised” by the player through the trade interface is quite
valuable.
In addition, because alloys are uniquely constructed by
players, a player can create a demand for material based on the
effectiveness of the material for certain components. Finally, our
trade system allows for the buying and selling of information which can
become quite valuable itself, especially since the idea that a player
has their own technology. This forces a sense of intel gathering BEFORE
an attack to understand the true strength of your opponent, which leads
us to our final style of player.
If you want to be somewhat "subtle" about your play, there is
always the many Diplomacy/Sabotage/Espionage/Intrigue aspects of the game.
The diplomacy levels set up the effectiveness of trade, the vision that
you receive from players, and a number of characteristics on the
sharing of research advancement.
The agent interface in the game allows a player to sneak
around and capture valuable information, commit acts of sabotage, and
create unique intrigues. Especially the political system of the
Galactic Senate becomes a powerful element of the game. This body of
players consists of every player who is a Duke or better. An Emperor,
who owns an entire system, is capable of proposing legislation. This
legislation is drafted by all emperors and the planet owners must vote.
Legislation becomes the mechanism whereby players are capable
of introducing laws into the galaxy. These laws are proposed, reviewed
by Dark Sky Entertainment, then put up for a vote. The voting process
takes two weeks and at the end of the two week interval, the vote is
concluded. Players may change their votes at anytime or gain/lose votes
during that time through aforementioned means.
At the end, the players vote determines the outcome of the
law. For example, a law may be legislated that requires all space
stations to be a certain distance away from a planet. Obviously, it is
a game mechanic that is programmed—but that is the point. The players
control the development.
The game has now reached OPEN BETA Status and gamers can join via the official site and then download a client (700mb).
To experienced RTS gamers, a lot of the interface and game mechanics
will be second nature. To newer players, the game will become easy to
play through tutorials and a streamlined user interface. However, for
all players, there is significant challenge involved in playing the
game as Beyond Protocol is one of the most intense and complex games
ever made. Easy to learn, difficult to master.
Beyond Protocol provides an unlimited number of options and
opportunities to the player. For example, a player can establish a
trading empire where the goal is to sell technologies and minerals on
the market. A player can be a diplomatic player forming alliances and
guilds to gain control and power. A player can devote themselves to
technology and science in an attempt to be the most advanced race in
the game. The player can form a master spy network and gather important
intel on other players and then sell that intel on the market or hire
their services to other players.
There are many ways to interact with other players. There are Global
chat channels as well as the ability to create your own channels. There
is a robust in-game email system. There are also Guilds/Alliance groups
which unite multiple players in a common group. There is also the
Galactic Senate which embodies the entire populace of players.
At present, access to the BETA doesnt cost anything. The developers intend to charge a Purchase fee and monthly subscription upon release.
Payment Types they are
currently accepting:
Pre-Ordering the game has its benefits:
-
Gain access to the Closed Beta instantly. (tell your friends who are not already in the game)
-
The subscription that comes with the preorder starts NOW and does not expire until 30 days after release.
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24 hours before it goes live, all preorders begin the game. This gives you a chance to get in there and get established early.
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Pre-Orders will receive a special hull type that is only
available in the designer of preorder accounts. This is a mark of honor
that will stay with your account permanently. Use that hull either as a
special strike force, a distinguished cargo convoy, or even a seriously
tweaked and marketable commodity.
-
Any guild with 20 preorders before October 31st will be
awarded, not only a special space station hull, but in addition a
special skin for that station which includes a logo of their design.
The special hull is permanent, while the special skin requires only
that the guild be active to retain it.
If you have been to the shop area lately to preorder, you will notice there are two pricing models for Beyond Protocol.
The Premium Account provides the player a much cheaper subscription basis for the long term player.
The cost for the account is 49.95USD. The subscriptions for the premium account are:
- $12USD every 30-days
- $30USD every 90-days
- $100USD every year
The Standard Account provides the player that is unsure of their length of stay a less expensive option up front. However, this player will be required to pay a higher subscription.
The cost for the standard account is 19.99USD. The subscriptions for the standard account are:
- $15USD every 30-days
- $42USD every 90-days
- $75USD every 180-days
- $140USD every year
Accounts cannot transfer from standard to premium under any conditions. Premium accounts will have additional offers not provided to the standard accounts. An example will be access to our test servers to try out upcoming features or games.
DSE has always discussed a strategy guide that was coming soon. It will be a locked PDF that is allowed to be installed on one machine. It will be given to the first 10,000 buyers of the game. This 300+ page book provides all of the tricks and tips for agents, commerce, research, combat, and diplomacy. It includes charts, worksheets, and instruction on how to get the most efficient use of the game systems. It was written by testers and editted for accuracy by DSE. This book will be provided enhancements, revisions, and additions as the game evolves. The price of the strategy guide will be $19.95USD. We expect to keep it up to date on a regular basis as the game deems necessary.
