Galaxy

The galaxy is procedurally (i.e. randomly) created by the game's engine. The galaxy consist of Stellar Systems and the Bodies that form them. Interstellar travel around the galaxy is dependent on jump point, a form of faster-than-light travel by means of entering jump drives or jump gates, and re-emerging at the connected system light years away from the starting position.

The galactic map, system map, and system information interfaces provide an complete overview of the galaxy from top to bottom.

Stellar Systems

Sol system map. Using Real-Star setting

Stellar system can consist of:

• at least one sun in the center of the system. As in reality, binary, tertiary and quaternary systems (i.e. having two, three or four suns rotate around each other) are quite common in Aurora. All other bodies rotate around one of these suns. The type of sun (size and color) probably affects the variables of system generation, but apart from that, suns play no further role in the game.
• Planets
• Dwarf planets
• Moons
• Asteroids
• Comets are chunks of methane ice in
• Black Holes are remnants of massive stars that have collapsed at the end of their fusion cycle. Due to their extreme gravity, black hole systems pose significant dangers or at least obstacles to spaceship traffic.
• Nebulae are interstellar clouds of dust, hydrogen and other ionized gases. Nebulae systems pose challenges for naval combat.

Empty star systems containing only a sun but no other bodies are commonly found. They are depicted as systems with a black circle in the center in the Galaxy Map.

Orbital movement

All bodies rotate around a sun.

On the galactic map, systems are combined into single nodes, connected by a network of jump points.

System Bodies

Sol system graphic.

Celestial body in Aurora may refer to various non-stellar objects such as star, planets, moons, asteroids and comets, collectively forming a star system. They occur in a great variety of different compositions, masses, and surface conditions. Notable difference:

• Super-jovian and Gas Giant - Massive planets, that can't be colonized, however, they can be harvested for Sorium. Additionally, every Super-jovian have Lagrange Points, an Intra-system Jump.

• Asteroids and Comets are generally the small and inhospitable, but rich in minerals which can be mined from these using automated mines. Asteroids are the primary component of asteroid belts, while Comets...

Definitions: A star is a luminous sphere of plasma held together by its own gravity. The region around a star that is held by its gravity, is called a star system. Planets are celestial bodies that orbiting a star. Moons are natural satellite that orbits a planet. In Aurora Planets and Moons are divided into several sub-types according to their size. Planets: Superjovian, Gas Giant, Terrestrial Planet, Dwarf Planet and Asteroid. Moons: Moons, Terrestrial Moon, Small Terrestrial, Large Moon, Moon, Small Moon

Environment

Each world may contain valuable minerals, which can be mined to fuel your economy. A geological survey can be conducted to revealing the mineral content of each body and potentially any abandoned alien ruins on it.

Some planets are habitable, enabling the creation of planetary settlements. Each world's habitability is dictated by its gravity, atmospheric makeup and temperature.

See also: Terraforming

Galaxy Generation

In the beginning.. When you start a new game you will set up the galaxy in terms of size, who you are playing as, and who you are going to go up against. Aurora allows the player to create a procedurally generated galaxy containing hundreds of systems. New systems are generated either entirely from scratch, or are optionally derived from actual star system data (Starting with Sol, Earth) with only the System bodies details being randomized. Each system may contain other empires.