The Space Empires series is a long-lasting series of 4X turn-based strategy games by Malfador Machinations that allows the player to assume the role of the leader of a space-faring civilization.
In Space Empires, the player assumes the role of the single leader of a race of intelligent beings that has recently acquired the technology required to build large fully space-based ships for interplanetary and interstellar travel.
Starting out with only a few possible hull sizes for his ships, on which he can place any number of components to essentially create a unique ship, the player can research new hull sizes and components to use with them, eventually being able to build ships ten times the size of his original hull size.
The components available to the player can vary greatly, from emergency supply components that, when used, will be destroyed but will allow a ship to continue moving for a longer time, ship bridges, long-range scanners and shield generators to weapons of various kinds, boarding parties, cloaking devices right up to Dyson Sphere construction material and star-destroying devices.
Also, the player can meet extraterrestrial races (which will inevitably happen as the player expands his realm) and conduct diplomacy with them. Treaties can be signed between two empires, varying from the basic trade agreement to full-blown partnerships and even protectorates. The player can also conduct intelligence operations, also varying greatly, from simple information gathering missions to ship bombs to inciting revolt on a planet.
Interstellar travel in Space Empires is not faster-than-light drive based, but instead relies on anomalies called "warp points", essentially small wormholes between two star systems. Warp points are naturally occurring but a player can open and close these warp points if he has the appropriate technologies, which when used in the hands of an experienced player can turn the tide of an entire game.