Galactic Trader

Galactic Trader
Title	Galactic Trader
Release date(s)	1979
Original Platform(s)	TRS-80
Developer(s)	Douglas G. Carlston
Category(s)	Entertainment, Strategy

Overview

Galactic Trader is a strategy video game developed by Doug Carlston and released in 1979 for the TRS-80, later ported to the Apple II and Atari 8-bit computers. As the second installment in the Galactic Saga, it follows Galactic Empire and shifts the gameplay from interstellar conquest to economic trading. Published initially by Adventure International and later by Brøderbund, the game was a pioneering effort in the space trading genre.

Gameplay

Set in a galaxy where the player, a former fleet commander named Julian du Buque, has been ousted after conquering the Central Galactic System for Emperor Tawala, the game casts you as a trader navigating a small personal ship. The objective is to amass one billion credits within 1,000 years by trading goods across various planets. The gameplay revolves around buying and selling commodities, with profits determined by the distance between the source and sale planets—the farther the distance, the higher the profit. However, the absence of faster-than-light travel or communication means players must physically visit planets to check current prices, which may become outdated, adding a layer of strategic planning.

Players must manage fuel consumption, which depends on travel distance and cargo mass, purchasing fuel from a cartel using credits or bartering goods at less favorable rates. Most planets operate on a barter system, with only the home planet, Galactica, allowing conversion of cargo to credits. Visiting Galactica carries a risk, as the jealous Emperor may attempt to assassinate the popular former commander, with the chance of death increasing with each visit. The game interface, adapted from Galactic Empire, displays the current planet, stardate, cargo, cash, and fuel status, with a ship computer providing access to a galactic map, historical trading rates, and fuel calculations.

The game features a list of planets with names drawn from African languages, such as Afrikaans or Swahili, reflecting Carlston’s time in Africa, each starting with a unique letter for easy navigation. Despite its innovative trading mechanics, Galactic Trader has been reviewed as the weakest in the Galactic Saga due to limited gameplay options and a steep difficulty curve, particularly around assassination risks and economic challenges. It remains a notable early example of space trading simulations, influencing later titles in the genre.

Releases

Links

Wikipedia