NASA (n.d.). A Pictorial History of Rockets. [online] Available at: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/rockets-guide-20-history.pdf.

This document, which has been highlighted with key points in the slideshow above, will be used to inspire modules that can be chosen by the player in different civilisations. Below I have suggested possible modules based on sections in the document, however, these may change as the game goes into development

• Archytas, 428-347 BC

  • The player propels themselves up, with steam, on a wire going into space. Altitude is low (only as high as the wire), but the fuel is long-lasting. Efficient for small ship builds. Visually has a bird design

• Hero Engine

  • Two thrusters that spin the player ship erratically. Gives the player very high acceleration but is difficult to control

• Chinese fire arrows

  • Gunpowder powered rocket that shoots the player up in bursts. Creates a colourful pattern below

• Wan Hu

  • A huge jump early on that propels the player into space, without using any fuel

    • This can be activated every time the player lands on the planet surface

• Colonel William Congreve

  • Every so often, or on the player’s command, the module fires out a load of incendiary balls that destroy all asteroids around the player

• Jules Verne, Columbiad

  • A cannon that automatically shoots asteroids coming near on one specific side

    • Has a long recharge after use

    • Could suck up asteroids and then fire them at other asteroids

• Richard H. Goddard

  • A parachute that, when the player reaches Earth’s atmosphere, automatically fires and takes the player safely to the surface with them needing to fire their thrusters

• Hermann Oberth, V2

  • Much more powerful thrusters but fuel burns twice as fast

• The world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik II

  • A module that connects to a satellite that can see where the asteroids are coming from

    • The player unlocks a radar that can tell them about asteroids further away

• X-15

  • This module connects to an X-15 that, every 30 seconds or so, shoots a small amount of fuel up to the player that automatically goes into their reserves

• Preparing for the moon, Project Gemini

  • A module that increases the max fuel capacity by a large amount

• “One Small Step…”

  • The player gains access the moon and when they next pass it the ship will dock and they will be given two more module choices, as well as having their fuel refilled

    • Whenever the player passes the moon after this, they will have their fuel refilled

• Skylab

  • The player’s ship becomes fully solar powered, which means that they do not have to worry about fuel, however, they can no longer go down to the planet surface

• Thirty Years, Space Shuttle

  • The player is able to take one hit from an asteroid, and the shuttle will appear to repair it

    • Essentially an extra life

• The Dragon and The Falcon

  • A module that launches a small dragon spacecraft to fly alongside the main spaceship. The dragon will collect nearby fuel pickups and bring them to the player, so the player does not need to hit them directly