OpenExplore
About and Status
OpenExplore is a game which aims to simulate the 15th-16th century European explorations of the Americas.
The second release, v20, builds on the terrain generation algorithm with a complete trade system.
The Sourceforge project page is hosted here.
System Requirements
Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP
or all platforms with Python and the PyGame libraries(PyGame requires SDL; Linux users, check your distro packages).
Download
Releases may be downloaded from Sourceforge.
Development uses the SF SVN repository.
Install/How to Play
1. Unzip/untar the release package for your platform.
2. Run "explore/explore.exe" (win32) or "python explore.py" (others)
3. Outfit your expedition with supplies using the arrow keys: UP/DOWN
to change trade items, LEFT/RIGHT to make a trade. Hold SPACE and
LEFT/RIGHT to trade quickly.
4. When ready, leave Europe with the "Leave" option. The world will be generated; this may take several minutes.
5. You are now in the ocean. If you forgot to get supplies you can
return east(RIGHT arrow). Otherwise, navigate west with the LEFT(and
other) arrows.
6. When you reach land, you will be prompted to move items off of your ship to form an exploration party.
7. Your mission is to discover 15 native villages. When you come across one, you may trade your goods with them.
8. At various points messages will appear. Press SPACE when you are done reading them.
Hints+Tips
In v20, weight limits mean that you will be severely limited unless you take at least 3 or 4 men with you. Very large parties will not serve any purpose, since your men cannot die from anything but starvation!
The game starts in "easy" mode. Easy mode gives you a visual indicator
of the villages in your sight radius. To turn it off, press the E key.
To view the entire map's terrain instantly, press the V key from the map view.
To avoid running out of money and starving you will have to trade with
the natives and earn a profit, so remember to always take goods with
you.