A Brief History of Black Holes in Infinite Space: From Navigational Hazards to Interstellar Shortcuts

A Brief History of Black Holes in Infinite Space: From Navigational Hazards to Interstellar Shortcuts

Every game in the Infinite Space trilogy has featured black holes on every randomly generated map. However, their depiction varies slightly between individual games, although they are generally considered to be navigational hazards throughout the whole series. With that in mind, let's take a look at these vast cosmic whirlpools and how they came to be regarded as potential gateways to interstellar shortcuts in later games.

In the original Strange Adventures in Infinite Space, black holes had to be avoided at all costs, since their immense gravitational pull would ensnare and destroy any flotilla that got too close to them (with the exact distance depending on how fast that flotilla could travel between star systems); if that flotilla was your own, the game would immediately end. Black holes were spawned randomly at the start of a game, and would remain hidden unless you discovered them by getting close enough. Unlike in later games, however, you could rename any black holes you found, and there were hardly ever more than two of them on any map.

Discovering a black hole in the original game. Note that you can rename any black holes you find in Strange Adventures, a feature omitted from both sequels.

Black holes were left mostly unchanged for Weird Worlds and Sea of Stars, with a few exceptions. Having an Anti-Graviton Shunt (a new item introduced in Weird Worlds) installed on any ship in your flotilla would render it immune to the effects of a black hole, and you can even visit them, although you won't find any items there. While orbiting a black hole, you can even enter it and emerge in another black hole (including the one you just entered), regardless of whether or not you have already discovered it. Doing so, however, would run the risk of damaging a random piece of equipment in your fleet, but only in Weird Worlds.

In addition to this, if the map contained the hidden space station Primordius, it would always spawn at a black hole. In Sea of Stars, it was also immune to detection via a Continuum Renderer Array; as for the black holes themselves, there were now always five of them on any map (whereas in Weird Worlds, smaller maps would have fewer black holes), and each one would be marked in red on the map after it was found, unless you were using an Anti-Graviton Shunt.

Interestingly, Weird Worlds also allowed you to completely remove NPC fleets (except for the Klakar Frigate) from the map without actually attacking and destroying them in direct combat. This trick requires the use of an Aethric Mirror and an Anti-Graviton Shunt. To pull it off, you'll need to visit a black hole, and use the mirror on an NPC fleet (except for abandoned vessels and Primordius, all of which are immune). If successful, you will swap places with the NPC fleet and destroy it in the process. 

From my own observations, this is an overpowered tactic. In fact, one theory as to why the Aethric Mirror was removed from Sea of Stars is that the developers deliberately wanted to prevent players from completing the game in such anticlimactic fashion. Then again, considering how much easier it is in that game to destroy hostile fleets by conventional means, it may not even have been necessary to consider including the Aethric Mirror on the list of obtainable items this time around.

Above, from top: Three types of black holes in Sea of Stars: hazardous (red), explored (green) and non-hazardous (purple).

Given that traveling through black holes no longer damages any of your ships (or any equipment installed on them, for that matter), it is now more viable than ever to use them as shortcuts through interstellar space if you have an Anti-Graviton Shunt. If you want (or have) to visit a distant star system on the map that would take a very long time (around 365 days, or 1 Earth year) to reach via conventional means, it may be faster to find a nearby black hole, then enter it, and from there, keep entering other black holes until you find the one closest to your desired destination. From there, it should be a short hop to your final destination - saving you plenty of time compared to a direct approach.

In short, black holes seem intimidating for newcomers to the Infinite Space trilogy, but you'll quickly learn how to avoid them - unless you have an Anti-Graviton Shunt, in which case you would be better off exploiting them instead for a faster trip through Sector Prime.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 91: Revisiting Old (And Breaking New) Ground

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 91: Revisiting Old (And Breaking New) Ground

As the year 2020 A.D. rolls on, it's becoming clear that there may not be many (any?) real-life motor shows left to base Automation forum motor shows on, given that the game does not support designs made in 2021 and later. However, a few devoted Automationeers have come to the rescue by revisiting the idea of historic motor shows. It's not a completely new idea, though: it dates back to the Kee era of Automation, but ever since the shift to UE4 a few years ago, many longtime users have wanted it to return, and given the current circumstances, it has made more sense than ever.

This trend started off on the right foot with the 1960 Automation Detroit Motor Show, which had a decent turnout and provided me with a chance to showcase some of the new or revised models from the Hampton Motor Group, which I created specifically for the Generations II tournament. I chose to send four of its model lines to Detroit: the Shrike (a small entry-level sports car), the Peregrine (a larger, more upmarket sports car), the Valiant (a mid-sized sedan, coupe and wagon), and the Vanguard (a large luxury car). A detailed description of these 1960 models can be found in an earlier post in this series.

Moving forward, the next historic motor show on the forums is the recently launched 1985 Automation Frankfurt Motor Show, which concludes early in June. It was here that, according to company lore, the Hampton Motor Group returned to the sports car market with an all-new Peregrine, powered by the same 3.5-litre straight-six as the Valiant Sprint. Speaking of which, that model could now be ordered with a Performance Pack (which included more aggressive gearing and high-performance tires) for the first time.

The 1985 Hampton Peregrine II, in coupe (left) and convertible (right) forms.

According to company lore, the original Peregrine was in production between 1956 and 1974, but there was initially no immediate successor due to the oil crisis. It wasn't until the early 1980s that the Hampton Motor Group contemplated developing a replacement, but eventually it arrived within a few years. At launch, the Peregrine II was offered solely as a two-seater, with the only available body styles being a fixed-roof coupe or soft-top convertible. Unlike other rear-wheel-drive model ranges in the Hampton lineup, it was built on a bespoke platform, with a shorter wheelbase and double-wishbone suspension at each corner to set it apart under the skin. Clever suspension tuning made it very agile in the corners, and it was even faster than the Valiant Sprint, thanks to a lighter curb weight.

Another one of Hampton's new arrivals at the 1985 Frankfurt Auto Show was the fourth-generation Vanguard. This full-sized four-door luxury car was offered with either a 3.2-litre or 3.5-litre straight-six, with the latter being a detuned version of that found in the Peregrine and the Valiant Sprint. To distinguish the Vanguard from its lesser brethren, its interior was much more lavish, and hydro-pneumatic suspension was standard across the range, as was a four-speed automatic transmission.

Two trims for the 1985 Hampton Vanguard: the 3.5 Supreme (left) and 3.2 Deluxe (right).

The higher-end Supreme trim was also offered as a two-door coupe, something that was never considered for the previous Vanguard. Unlike the smaller Valiant, no attempt was made to offer this generation of Vanguard in convertible or wagon form. As with the Valiant, a Sprint version was offered as the flagship of the range, with a driveline taken from the Peregrine, but mated to the Vanguard's automatic transmission and viscous limited-slip differential.

A 1985 Vanguard Supreme Coupe in dark metallic green (left) and a Vanguard Sprint Coupe in silver (right.

Even more significant was the presence of the 1985 Valiant range. Available as a coupe, sedan, convertible or wagon, this executive car was available in four trims:

• Prime: The base model, with a premium interior and audio system, powered by a 3.0-litre (91 RON) engine.
• Deluxe: Another premium trim, but with more features than the Prime, including optional ABS; 3.2-litre engine (95 RON) optional.
• Supreme: The flagship of the regular Valiant range with 3.2-litre engine and ABS as standard; 3.5-litre (95 RON) engine optional.
• Sprint: Dedicated high-performance variant, available only as sedan or coupe, with a more highly tuned version of the 3.5-litre straight-six, a 5-speed manual transmission, mechanical LSD and sportier suspension tune as standard features; Performance Pack (including high-performance tires and more aggressive gearing) optional.

Some of the 1985 Valiant variants. Above, left to right: 3.0 Prime wagon, 3.2 Deluxe sedan, 3.2 Deluxe convertible, and 3.5 Sprint coupe with Performance Pack. Below, left to right: 3.5 Supreme coupe and 3.5 Sprint sedan without Performance Pack.

Sitting below the Valiant was a redesigned Ferret, built on a shortened Valiant platform and powered almost exclusively by the same engines as its larger sibling, except for a twin-cam, alloy-head 2.2-liter version of the straight-four engine first used the original 1956 Ferret. This would be reserved for the entry-level Prime trim, though: all the others were available only with six-cylinder engines. Unlike the Valiant, there would not be a Sprint version of this generation of the Ferret; that would have to wait until its successor arrived several years later.

The 1985 Hampton Ferret range, from left to right: 2.2 Prime wagon, 3.0 Deluxe sedan, 3.2 Supreme coupe, and 2.8 Deluxe convertible. 

With this expanded lineup, the Hampton Motor Group was able to fill a wider variety of niches, catering especially to a broader spectrum of high-end buyers than it was able to at the start of the decade. However, to safeguard its position, all of these models would be significantly updated for the 1990 model year. As part of this plan, Hampton's venerable straight-six was given a comprehensive redesign, incorporating an aluminum alloy block and four-valve heads with variable intake (and later exhaust) valve timing, providing significantly improved efficiency and performance - but that is a story best reserved for another time, and another post.

Update (June 7th 2020): The next historic motor show on the Automation Discourse (not Discord) forums is the 1994 New York Auto Show. Expect a blog post discussing this show to be published soon.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 37: Getting the Band Back Together

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 37: Getting the Band Back Together

Revisiting CRASH Chronicles recently made me consider the idea of integrating the four characters from my other series, STAR Power, into that series' lore. And after some deliberation, I finally went ahead and did it. To accommodate this, I have made a few changes. The red-clad, raven-haired X-Girl/Heroine Fan Art Creator character I had made a few years ago is now called Jessica Barton, and has gained the ability to create something resembling a laser beam (which can temporarily stun targets and render them vulnerable to subsequent attacks) using her fists, while her dark-skinned best friend now has the snappier, simpler name of Mara Hart, and has gained the ability to generate small fires. Tiffany Ward retains her original name and powers (the latter of which involve boosting her defenses, especially by reducing the accuracy of enemy attacks), but the last member of STAR Power is now called Katie Palmer, and has the exact opposite ability to Ward's: a temporary buff to her offensive capabilities.

Combine the women of CRASH Chronicles with their buddies from STAR Power, and you have a virtually unstoppable force on your hands.

The premise of this collaboration is that, after a series of battles, the original four women of CRASH Chronicles are in desperate need of reinforcements - and they find them in the form of the recently disbanded STAR Power initiative, of which Ward, Palmer, Barton and Hart are the only surviving members. All four of them decide to join CRASH Chronicles by volunteering for its enhancement program, thereby explaining how they got their new powers. CRASH promises that they will provide all four newcomers with the expertise needed to team up with any existing CRASH agents, and they do just that. With all eight members now working together, CRASH will be better equipped to handle threats that no other agency will want (or be able) to deal with.

The eight women of the CRASH Alpha Squad again, in their respective teams' training outfits (above) and in fancy color-coded dresses (below). Jessica and Claire are on the White Wolves, Ellie and Katie on the Blue Eagles, Kayla and Tiffany on the Purple Lions, and Alexa and Mara on the Golden Dragons.

To reflect their diverse roles and powers, the CRASH Alpha Squad has been split into four divisions. The Blue Eagles specialize in offense, while the Purple Lions place an emphasis on defense. The White Wolves, meanwhile, focus on speed and precision, while the Golden Dragons prefer a balance between these attributes. Each division carries a total of five members, led by two co-captains, and ever since the CRASH Alpha Squad's expansion, each co-captaincy position has been held by an X-Girl from that team.

Now that the Alpha Squad is ready for battle once again, who knows what dangers they will face? Only time will tell.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 36: Back to the Forties

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 36: Back to the Forties

The recent coronavirus pandemic has brought with it an especially severe side-effect: the worst recession since the Great Depression, and with it the strong possibility of a return to austerity since the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. With this in mind, I have decided to depict the original four characters from CRASH Chronicles in yet another Azalea's Dolls dress-up game - one themed after 1940s fashions. Here are several examples of the artworks I made there.

Examples of artworks made in Azalea's Dolls' 1940s Fashion Dress Up Game, showing two artworks each for the four original characters from CRASH Chronicles (Ellie Watts, Claire Hayes, Kayla Brooks and Alexa Lowe).

The left-hand side of the screen shows the current design of your doll and the background against which it is displayed; the right-hand side shows a variety of design options in the currently selected tab. Speaking of which, there are a total of eight tabs. The first one contains options for your doll's physical appearance (skin tone, eye color and shape, make-up, hair style and color, lip color and shape), while the next few tabs are dedicated to clothing options and colors.

The second tab is where options for 1940s-style lingerie can be found. Long, one-piece dresses can be found under the third tab, while the fourth and fifth tabs are dedicated to tops and skirts, respectively; in those three tabs, you also have the option to add a pattern in a contrasting color (or two), with the exact type of pattern being dependent on the items you chose.

The sixth tab is where you'll find overcoats and shawls, while the seventh tab is for shoes, hats, gloves and accessories (jewelry, bags, other hand-held items, etc.) The last tab is where you can select different backgrounds (either a street scene such as a marina, bedroom or street corner, or a choice between solid colors and gradients), apply filters (normal, sepia, or grayscale), and save your picture when you are finished. Thus ends this brief overview of this game.