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ECON Galaxy - Full Game Design Document

Vision Statement

ECON Galaxy is a browser-based MMO economic simulation game that combines Factorio's deep production chains with X4's space trading setting and a persistent multiplayer universe. Players build automated corporate empires that continue running offline, while competing with other players for resources, markets, and territories.

Core Principle: "Build a company that works without you - but works better with you."

The Three Pillars

1. Automation & Production (Factorio Inspiration)

2. Living Economy with Population (X4 Inspiration)

3. MMO Competition & Territorial Control

Pillar 1: Automation & Production

Production Chains (Factorio-Level Complexity)

Raw Materials (Tier 0)

  • Ice, Ore, Gases, Crystal, Rare Minerals, Organic Matter

Processing (Tier 1)

  • Ice → Water + Hydrogen
  • Ore → Refined Metals + Slag (byproduct)
  • Gases → Chemicals + Noble Gases
  • Organic Matter → Polymers + Biofuel

Components (Tier 2)

  • Refined Metals + Chemicals → Alloys
  • Polymers + Electronics → Circuits
  • Water + Chemicals → Coolant
  • Hydrogen + Noble Gases → Fuel Cells

Modules (Tier 3)

  • Circuits + Alloys + Crystal → Computer Cores
  • Alloys + Coolant → Heat Sinks
  • Fuel Cells + Machinery → Reactors

End Products (Tier 4)

  • Ship Components, Station Modules, Weapons, Consumer Goods

Special Features:

  • Recipe Alternatives: Multiple paths to the same product (efficiency vs. cost)
  • Byproducts: Must be disposed of or reused
  • Quality Levels: Better inputs = better outputs
  • Efficiency Modifiers: Crew, modules, research affect output

Automation System (Hybrid)

Rule-Based Automation (Logistics)

  • Trade routes: "Buy X at Station A if price < Y, sell at B if price > Z"
  • Production rules: "Produce while input available AND output < threshold"
  • Logistics priorities: "Supply own stations first, then market"
  • Trigger actions: "If storage > 80%, activate emergency sale"

Manager System (Decisions)

  • Trade Manager: Analyzes market, finds profitable routes
  • Production Manager: Optimizes production mix based on demand
  • Logistics Manager: Coordinates fleet movements
  • Security Manager: Responds to threats, plans escorts

Managers have:

  • Skill levels (affects efficiency)
  • Specializations (raw materials, high-tech, etc.)
  • Autonomy settings (how much can they decide alone?)
  • Salary (scales with skill)

Infrastructure Progression

Early Game: Modules at existing stations

  • Rent production slots
  • Rent storage space
  • Acquire trading licenses

Mid Game: Station expansions

  • Build own modules at NPC stations
  • Dock expansions
  • Defense installations

Late Game: Own stations

  • Freestanding production stations in asteroid belts
  • Trade hubs at strategic points
  • Research stations
  • Defense platforms

Pillar 2: Living Economy

Population System

Every station/planet has a population with:

Basic Needs (must be met)

  • Food, Water, Oxygen, Medical Supplies
  • If lacking: Population decreases, unrest

Comfort Needs (for growth)

  • Consumer Goods, Entertainment, Luxury Items
  • If met: Population grows, productivity increases

Industrial Needs (for production)

  • Raw materials, Components, Energy
  • If lacking: Production stops

Dynamics:

  • Population grows with good supply (slowly, over days/weeks)
  • Population shrinks with shortages (faster)
  • More population = more demand = more opportunity

Events:

  • Epidemics (increase medical demand)
  • Economic boom (increase luxury demand)
  • Migration (population moves to better-supplied stations)
  • Disasters (destroy infrastructure)

Resource Economy

Finite Resources per Field:

  • Asteroid fields have limited resources
  • Large fields: 1000+ units, last months
  • Small fields: Quickly depleted
  • Regeneration: None (or extremely slow)

Consequences:

  • Early players have advantage at rich fields
  • Late players must go to more dangerous areas (niche economy!)
  • Exploration becomes important
  • New systems are discovered (server events)

Market Dynamics

Price Formation:

  • Supply/demand per station
  • Transport costs implicit through distance
  • Faction taxes and ECON fees
  • Player manipulation possible (cornering, dumping)

Market Niches for New Players:

  • Small stations uninteresting to large corps
  • Specialized goods with low volume
  • Emergency deliveries (high price, small quantity)
  • Courier missions
  • Smuggling in Low-Sec

Pillar 3: MMO Competition

Territorial Control

Influence System:

  • Stations have "influence points" based on trade volume
  • Whoever trades most has influence
  • Influence enables: Set taxes, establish rules, defense

Security Zones:

ZonePvPECONResources
High-SecForbiddenStrictPoor
Mid-SecLimitedModerateMedium
Low-SecAllowedMinimalRich
Null-SecFreeNoneVery Rich

PvP System

Direct PvP:

  • Attack ships (everywhere except High-Sec)
  • Piracy & blockades
  • Damage stations (not destroy)
  • Fleet wars

Economic PvP:

  • Market manipulation
  • Disrupt supply chains
  • Price wars
  • Resource denial

Consequences:

  • Aggression in High/Mid-Sec = ECON penalties, bounty
  • Ship loss = real costs
  • Insurance system for basic ships

ECON System (Moderate Influence)

Function:

  • Monitors economic activity
  • Collects taxes (5-20% depending on zone/compliance)
  • Issues licenses (production, trade, mining)
  • Imposes penalties for rule violations

Compliance Rating:

  • High: Low taxes, High-Sec access, government contracts
  • Low: High taxes, restrictions, but more freedom

Circumvented by:

  • Black market trading
  • Frontier operations (Null-Sec)
  • Shell corporations
  • Smuggling

Player Progression

Early Game (Week 1-4)

  • One ship (Aurora Hauler)
  • Manual trading between stations
  • Hire first crew
  • Missions for factions
  • Build capital

Mid Game (Month 1-3)

  • Small fleet (5-10 ships)
  • First automated routes
  • Rent production modules
  • Hire managers
  • Dominate niche markets

Late Game (Month 3+)

  • Large fleet (50+ ships)
  • Own stations
  • Complex production chains
  • Territorial control
  • Alliances/cartels

End Game

  • Multi-system empire
  • Market dominance in categories
  • Political influence
  • ECON confrontation
  • Legacy building

Automation-Focused Design

Your Role as CEO:

  • Make strategic decisions
  • Plan and execute expansion
  • Configure automation rules
  • React to market changes and events
  • Social interaction and alliances

Your Company Works for You:

  • Production chains run according to your rules
  • Trade routes follow your configuration
  • Managers make decisions within your parameters
  • Defense reacts to threats automatically

Philosophy:

  • The better your automation, the more efficient your corporation
  • Active optimization is rewarded, not required
  • Complexity comes from depth, not from busywork

Development Priorities

Phase 1: Economic Foundation

  1. Introduce population system
  2. Expand production chains
  3. Implement resource depletion

Phase 2: Automation

  1. Rule-based trade routes
  2. Basic manager system
  3. Production automation

Phase 3: Infrastructure

  1. Module building at stations
  2. Own station building
  3. Defense installations

Phase 4: Conflict

  1. Expand PvP system
  2. Territorial control
  3. ECON confrontation

What Makes ECON Galaxy Unique?

  1. Browser-based - No download, playable anywhere
  2. Automation-focused - Build systems that work for you
  3. Factorio-deep production - Complex, optimizable chains
  4. Living populations - The galaxy has real needs
  5. Real MMO competition - No instanced worlds
  6. Economy + Combat - Both aspects viable
  7. Niches for everyone - Even new players find their place
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