A Loan in the 'Verse is an interactive browser-based game developed by Turbulent for the launch of the Concept Sale of the Orion. The game features a story by CIG writers Dave Haddock and Will Weissbaum, where the player takes on the role of an Orion pilot mining materials to pay back his loans.
It is one part in a series of small mini-games that were launched during concept sales of various ships, which cover possible careers in the Star Citizen Universe like Mining, Exploring and Fighter Pilot.
Overview
The game features various actions like surveying a suitable location for mining, drilling and probing the minerals to determine the type and grade of the ore and transporting the material to a refinery that refines the ore for selling on the market and repaying the loan. All this while upgrading the equipment, scanning for trouble and keeping a look on the market prices.
Story
A Loan in the 'Verse
"After spending the better part of the last five years as a Shubin Interstellar drill op, you felt more than ready to move on to something bigger and better, to be your own boss, to finally put your own mark on the 'verse. By scrimping and saving every credit you can find, you're able to put together enough money to purchase your very own, top of the line, RSI Orion mining ship and a small mining claim in Odin. Well... not entirely enough. You do have to take a little, tiny loan in order to pay for it, and since no bank was going to help someone like you, the loan you did find wasn't exactly 'legal.' But as you set out, you're sure that you'll be able to pay it back in no time at all."
After settling in and getting started on surveying an asteroid cluster in the Odin-system]], the player is not only challenged by demands from the loaner and changing prices on the market or the quality of ore, but also by various events like pirate attacks and equipment failure. In the case of good business, options for expanding the operation become available.
The game's ending is either marked by a sudden betrail of a ship mate that steals your ship (in case the loan could not be repaid) or a success message that reveals further information on the Orion (WIP images).
Gameplay
The goal is to pay back the loan by refining ore and selling it on the market to a good price. The gameplay mechanic is simply using various commands by clicking the corresponding buttons in the interface. The main actions are:
- SCAN AREA: Keep scanning to stay out of trouble. Make sure you are in a safe area at all times (interface turns red when in unsafe area)
- SURVEY: Locate possible mines by performing a long range scan.
- DRILL: Drill the settlement to allow prospection. Upgrades get you a faster drill.
- PROSPECT: Determine the type of ore to open up a mine! Upgrade prospection probes to discover higher grade minerals.
- DRONES: Fetch the ore from your mines to your sled. Upgrade drones for faster mining speed and to allow mining higher grade ores. The menu tab 'Drone Control' has some options for the drones (e.g. for automated ore recovery).
- SLED: Carries the raw ore. While it is being recalled, drones stay idle.
- PROSPECTION PROBE: Upgrade the probe to detect higher grade minerals.
- REFINERY: The refinery transforms raw ore into refined ore for selling (go to 'market' menu tab). Upgrade the refinery to process more ore and get more efficiency.
- MARKET: Sell ore at a given price that can change over time.
- REPAY: Pay back loan from available cash.
Rewards
- Prospector title for RSI forums
- Access to WIP Vault images of the Orion