You start out as a bodiless consciousness at the beginning of the universe. At first you don’t see or hear anything, only endless nothing. Then, you hear something. It’s faint, but definitely there. A voice! Slowly, very slowly, the voice becomes more distinct, though you still can’t make out what it’s saying. After a while, you realize that it’s not just one voice, but several. You don’t know who they are or what they want, but you can’t help but think that you belong with them, like a family.
Before you are able to make out what they’re saying, though, the nothingness is suddenly filled with what seems to be a bright light, engulfing you, and a force suddenly separates you and the others far apart, flinging you throughout the expanding cosmos.
Eons seem to pass, but when you come to your senses, you find yourself in a huge cloud of dust, engulfing you. No, that’s not quite right. Embracing. Yes, embracing like a hug, as if to say “Welcome home!” Flashes of light illuminate the cloud, revealing a spectacular array of colors around you. Amongst the cloud you sense the presence of others, clearer and closer than before, but less distinct than before. They barely seem aware of their own existence much less your own.
Eons more pass, and the cloud around you condenses, solidifying. Some of this mass seems to cling somehow to you, becoming a part of you. As more time passes, it forms around you, and for the first time you have a body! Now you are a part of the physical universe! You are a planet!
That’s basically how the game will start, though the actual intro will be more drawn out, with choices inserted that will influence you development. The game will take place in several stages, or chapters, starting with the above where you first form from a nebula as part of a solar system. There will be several other planets, of which you will be among the smallest at about a thousand kilometers across, or just under the size of Pluto. You are, however, the most intelligent, being the only one that can be considered sentient, with the others in the system being about as intelligent as a cockroach.
Your only real ability at this point will be that you can manipulate gravity, or specifically your own. Your surface is still molten, so you can attempt to increase your size by attracting asteroids, but if you become too big, your increased gravity will make it take longer and be more difficult for life to develop, but they will be physically hardier for it. The question is, can you wait that long? There are dangers out there, and you may need their help down the road.
The stages after that progress as life on your surface develops, which you can attempt to influence by manipulating the weather and terrain. You can also communicate with them telepathically, though how they interpret your messages is up to you. Do you let them think you a god, and let them worship you? Will you control them with an iron fist, punishing them if they disobey? Will you nurture them, and encourage them to develop their own ideas?
You’ll still be able to increase your mass to increase your power, but you’ll have to be more careful or risk destroying the civilization on your surface. I haven’t really thought of much yet beyond this point, like what other abilities you can acquire down the road. I do know if the civilization is doing your bidding, either willingly or not, you can use them to do various tasks once they’re more advanced.
So what do you guys think? I welcome suggestions and critiques. Both the name and the image displayed above are temporary.
