OT: Any idea where I can find Stars! resources?

Renegade 13 · #1 September 16th, 2006, 04:42 PM

I know people are (for the most part) preoccupied with the SE5 demo, but I was hoping someone could point me towards some resources for the original 1995 Stars! I'm having a little trouble getting past the basics, and looking through a couple tutorials would probably lift the veil of my ignorance. Normally I'd be able to find such things on my own, but oddly enough, Google will not search for the word "Stars!" with the exclamation mark included. As such, I get millions of results that include the word "Stars" and nothing that relates to the game!

crabby · #2 September 16th, 2006, 08:38 PM

http://www.starsfaq.com/

Might be something on their that will help.

frightlever · #3 September 16th, 2006, 08:43 PM

Stars! rocks. IMO it does resources better than any other game of its type.

Wade · #4 September 16th, 2006, 08:54 PM

Where can others download 'Stars!' ? I do not see the game download at the mentioned site.

Atrocities · #5 September 16th, 2006, 09:16 PM

You have to buy Stars still.

LordAxel · #6 September 16th, 2006, 09:23 PM

and goodluck finding it. I searched for a long time and found a complete copy. Its hard to find bc it was primarily a download then regist code game. Your best bet is ebay on a similiar site.

StarShadow · #7 September 16th, 2006, 09:29 PM

Wade:

Email me at [email protected] and I'll help you find a copy of Stars!

frightlever · #8 September 16th, 2006, 10:31 PM

My version came on a 31/2" floppy but the demo was a download. Maybe that changed. It would probably be free by now if they (the Microsoft Excel programmers that wrote the game - god bless them) hadn't sold the rights. The sequel never went anywhere and all we have left are the memories. Well and the game.

Ya know after my SEV demo disappointments I might just go play another game of Stars! against the computer. Now THERE was a game that got the interface right. Over ten years ago!

Renegade 13 · #9 September 16th, 2006, 10:58 PM

A complete version of Stars! is easy to find if you know where to look. Now, to legally obtain a copy, that's a little more complicated.

Since many here seem to know and love Stars! I'll just ask my questions here!

1. Factories and Mines: What are their respective purposes? I presume that Mines mine Ironium, Boranium and Germanium from the surface of a planet? Factories?

2. Resources: What are they, how are they generated and what are they used for?

3. Minerals: Planets each have a certain concentration of the various minerals, but are these minerals ever depleted by mining, or is it like in SEIV where mineral miners, etc do not actually deplete the planet's supply of whichever mineral?

That's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure I'll have more later. Any answers will be greatly appreciated.

Suicide Junkie · #10 September 16th, 2006, 11:38 PM

Factories increase build rates, much like additional people do.

Mines increase the rate at which you dig buried minerals up into surface minerals.
There are a fixed amount of minerals which you can see by the length of the darkened mineral bar. The percentage value/concentration is how easy it is to extract them with your mines.