Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace

Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace is an MS-DOS video game released by Strategic Simulations in 1992. It uses the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Second Edition rules and is set in the Spelljammer universe. The game was designed and programmed by Cybertech Systems, which was essentially Al Escudero working from his basement.

Plot

The player commands a ship and crew in the Spelljammer setting. Tasks include transporting goods and people between planets for payment, destroying pirates, and guarding space lanes. Completing missions earns reputation points, and once enough are accumulated, the player is asked to help eliminate a major threat in Realmspace, leading to a straightforward plot.

Gameplay

Spelljammers are magical ships that travel through "wildspace" to reach planets. Each system’s planets and wildspace are enclosed within a Crystal Sphere. Outside the sphere lies the Phlogiston, or "flow"; holes in the sphere let the flow shine through, appearing as stars from a planet’s surface. Spelljamming ships cannot enter the Phlogiston.

Game mechanics

The player begins with a 5th-level character, choosing from Clerics, Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, Mages, or Thieves. The game has three main phases: docked at a planet, space travel and ship-to-ship combat, and on-board personal combat. At a planet, text menus let the player buy and sell cargo, repair and upgrade the ship, purchase equipment, and seek missions. A basic trade system allows profit from shipping goods between planets, with some key planets offering more repair and equipment options.

In space, the player can travel between planets or steer in any direction. Real-time ship-to-ship combat uses ballistae and catapults in a simple 3D view, where the player steers to aim weapons and avoid enemy missiles. Meteor storms are a minor hazard. A little-used feature lets the player crash into the Crystal Sphere: if the player heads toward it, space shifts from black to dark grey to light grey, stars spread out, and the ship eventually impacts.

The player can bring the ship close to an enemy vessel, board it, and engage in turn-based hand-to-hand combat on a simple isometric map. A full range of spells and weapons is available, and ships are crewed by various humans and monsters. In this turn-based system, the player controls the ship’s officers while the computer handles the regular crew and enemies.