Pardus (computer game)

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Pardus
Developer(s) Bayer & Szell OEG
Publisher(s) Bayer & Szell OEG
Release date(s) October 1, 2004
Genre(s) MMORPG
Mode(s) Multiplayer
Rating(s) Unrated
Platform(s) Browser
System requirements Internet access
Input Keyboard, Mouse

Pardus is a free (with pay to play extras) Sci-Fi browser-based MMORPG (or Massive Multiplayer Online Browser Game - MMOBG) playing in a future where traders, pirates and other pilots of various races and factions strive to gain wealth and fame in space. It has inspirations from classic computer games such as Elite and Master of Orion II.

Contents

[edit] Basic Gameplay

The interface of Pardus is browser-based. Players have a view of the local system they are in, plus various screens detailing the buildings in the area, the contents of their ship, and the skills of their character. A critically important aspect of the game is the Action Point system - almost all actions require Action Points (or APs), which regenerate at a rate of 24 APs every 6 minutes throughout the day, up to a maximum of 5000 APs (or more with certain advanced skills and premium account holders). This prevents players who stay in the game all day from gaining an advantage over people who only log in once or twice a day for a short time though those that do log in more than once a day are given a slight advantage as the total APs gained per day is 5760. Much of the skill required involves careful use of limited APs - there are many ways to waste or use them wisely. Additionally, there are ways to obtain a restricted amount of additional APs by consuming specific in-game items.

There are several ways to directly improve a player's character in the game. One way is trading, which involves buying commodities and transporting them to another area where they can be sold for a higher price, often benefiting the area as a whole. Fighting NPCs improves the character's various combat attributes. Collecting raw resources improves collecting skills, and practicing hacking or cloaking enables a player to better perform those actions in the future.

[edit] Combat

Combat in Pardus is turn-based - players only need choose how many rounds to go against an opponent. The number of hits and damage per hit each round is based on the combat skills of their character and their equipment. Luck also plays a minor role in combat. Some NPCs may hold a player for additional rounds of combat after a player tries to retreat.

In addition to the numerous NPCs roaming the galaxy, player versus player combat is frequent.

[edit] Economy

Each day the game's many planets, starbases, and player-owned buildings and starbases consume and produce a variety of commodities. There are more than 40 types of commodities available, and they range from low-tech raw materials such as Food, Water, Energy, Ore, and Metal, to high-end finished products such as Droids and Hand Weapons. Some illegal commodities, such as slaves and drugs, also exist.

[edit] Ships

Many players strive to acquire better ships, often going to great lengths to gain the required experience points or faction rank. There are merchant, military, and hybrid ships, and each can be equipped with a variety of weapons, armor, shields, engines, and other equipment.

While many players stop at high-end traders such as the Behemoth, Extender, or Boa or one of the effective Hawk-class fighters, a few acquire enough experience and wealth to afford the larger battleships such as the Liberator, Doomstar, Mooncrusher and Scorpion.

[edit] Collaboration

The game allows for collaboration between players; they may join one of many player-made alliances, which can have dozens of players, and each alliance has its own agenda and goals. Chat channels and forums are available for trading, alliance discussions, and other topics. Players can build buildings in a cluster so as to provide commodities for traders to trade or they can attack targets together.

[edit] Background

The website describes the background thus: "Located in a technologically advanced but war-torn universe, you are an adventurer who roams through a multitude of diverse galaxies in your spacecraft while striving to obtain wealth and power - as are many others.

There are various ways to work towards these goals: Mining raw materials, constructing buildings which manufacture sellable goods, carrying out assignments, developing profitable trade routes, bounty hunting, plundering buildings and ships, smuggling illegal contraband, commanding a starbase and countless other possibilities." These can be broken down as follows:

[edit] Mining raw materials

Raw materials can be harvested in space. Each tile (or "field") has a raw material associated with it; for example, open space contains hydrogen fuel, and asteroid fields contain ore. Each field holds a maximum of 500t of its respective material. However, the more a field is harvested, the slower the field regenerates, and less can be harvested from the field with further mining attempts. This often leads to fields that are "strip-mined", meaning raw materials are very scarce - doing this requires a player to be careful, since that field will take a long time to have any considerable amount of raw materials again. Strip-mined fields are one of the most common "problems" found by players; but also one of the most realistic aspects of the game.

[edit] Constructing buildings which manufacture sellable goods

Buildings can be built that produce goods using material inputs at certain intervals during the day. Goods are typically produced every six hours for player buildings, provided the proper resources are within the building. Players may stock their own buildings, or they may leave their buildings open to trade with other players; likewise, they may collect their goods themselves or leave those goods for sale for passing travelers to consider. Buildings are classified as "Low-level" (including asteroid mines and fuel collectors), "Mid-level" (including Electronics Facilities and Breweries), and "High-level" (including Hand weapons Factories and Military Outposts.) Each have their own initial start-up costs and their unique necessary upkeep.

[edit] Carrying out assignments

Planets and bases hold randomly generated missions that replenish at certain points in the day. There are a variety of missions; for instance killing mobs, delivering packages, or transporting VIPs. When a mission is completed successfully, the player receives a reward of credits (the in-game money) and, if the mission was a faction mission, the player will receive an amount of rank increase as well.

[edit] Bounty hunting, plundering buildings and ships, piracy

Another good way of earning credits is to rob buildings or other ships, or hunt for pilots or buildings with bounties on them. A bounty can be placed on a player or building by the system or by other players. If a player kills a bountied player or destroys a bountied building, he/she will receive the sum of all bounties that were placed on that particular individual or that building. This option is in no way recommended for any new player, since it WILL attract enemies. If a player is strong enough, however, to withstand the consequences, it might be one of the most rewarding ways to play the game - in both money and respect.

[edit] Trading

The traditional and often preferred method of obtaining wealth and power in Pardus is trading. Players buy goods on a planet, starbase or building, then travel to another to sell it in a "buy low sell high" fashion. Many players establish trade routes between certain buildings which they maintain regularly. This is probably the best option for begginers; since it is easy, and very profitable.

[edit] Buildings and starbases

Players can build buildings for other players to buy and sell at. Buildings are a very important part of the economy in Pardus, and a well placed building can make it's owner a considerable amount of money. Players can also build starbases, which can be extremely lucrative in the right location, though a starbase is generally more difficult to maintain than a regular building, because they consume and produce goods every 3 hours, along with a changing rate of production.

[edit] Factions

Pardus Map details
Enlarge
Pardus Map details

There are three factions in the Pardus universe: the Federation, the Empire, and the Union. The Federation consists of the Humans and the Rashkir (usually described as reptilian, and occasionally as catlike). Empire consists of the crab-like Ska'ari and the lizard like Keldon. A long history of feuds and betrayals have created the current alliances. The Union, the last of the factions to be added, consists primarily of Rashkir and Keldon.

Outside of Federation, Empire and Union space, there are Neutral Zones which are often claimed by various groups of pirates and producers of illegals goods.

Each of the species of Pardus have starting bonuses to their skills, ship and equipment, as well as a starting homeworld appropriate to their species.

Species Home cluster Home sector Homeworld
The Ska'ari Empire Ska'ari Core Ska Skara
The Keldon Empire Keldon Core Keldon Keldana I
The Humans Federation Human Core Sol Earth
The Rashkir Federation Rashkir Core Rashkan Rashkan
The Rashkir Union Rashkir Core Vega Vega
The Keldon Union Keldon Core Sirius Sirion

[edit] Premium Accounts

As of October 1st 2006, Pardus implemented premium accounts which, for $11.95 (USD) per quarter, give players access to some features and areas unavailable to non-paying players.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../p/a/r/Pardus_%28computer_game%29.html"