Roadmap

The SpaceTraders team currently works on the API in their spare time, and so we don't have a formal roadmap. However, we do have a list of features and capabilities that we plan to work on in the future. We will update this page as we make progress on these items.

Game Features

Creating an API-based game is a unique challenge, and we're excited to see how the game evolves over time. Here are some of the features we plan to add to the game in the future:

• Piracy and Patrolling: Players will be able to pirate trade routes and patrol their own trade routes to protect their ships from pirates.
• Faction Reputation: Players will be able to build reputation with various factions in the game, which will unlock new opportunities and benefits.
• Crew and Ship Customization: Players will be able to hire specialized crews and customize their ships with new modules and upgrades.
• Specialization Trees: Players will be able to specialize in different aspects of the game, such as trading, combat, and exploration.
• Combat: Players will be able to engage in asynchronous combat with other players and NPCs, possibly in dedicated combat sectors.
• Constructon and Ownership: Players will be able to build and own space stations and other structures in the game world.
• Exploration: Players will be able to explore new sectors of the game world and discover new opportunities and challenges.
• Events and Rumors: Players will be able to participate in special events and rumors that will change the game world and provide new opportunities.

Platform Features

In addition to game features, we also plan to add new capabilities to the SpaceTraders API platform itself. Some of this might include:

• Accounts and Authentication: We plan to add support for user accounts and authentication, so players can have persistent account data and settings across resets.
• Webhooks and Websockets: We plan to add support for webhooks and websockets, which will allow players to receive real-time updates about game events.
• Server Resets: We plan to offer different servers with varied reset intervals, so players can choose the pace of the game that suits them best.
• Leaderboards: We plan to expand our leaderboard system to include more metrics and rankings, and track leaderboards across different game servers and resets.

Plans for Paid Offerings

Our goal is to keep a core part of the SpaceTraders API free to use for as long as possible, while offering paid plans for advanced use cases and conveniences.

We never intend to make any part of the game "pay to win," and are committed to keeping the core game experience free, so that aspiring developers and players can get started without any financial commitment.

The one caveat with this committment is that as the game progresses, we may need to restrict access to the broader universe with some minimal form of paid subscription, in order to prevent abuse and ensure a high-quality experience for dedicated players.

Having said that, our paid features will primarily be focused on advanced use cases and conveniences. Here are some of the features we might offer in paid plans:

• Custom Game Servers: Players can create and manage their own custom game servers, with their own rules and settings, for testing or personal use.
• Advanced Integrations: Adding support for advanced integrations with the SpaceTraders API, such as webhook or websocket support.
• First Party Clients: We might offer convenient first-party clients for new players, with minimal programming experience, to get started with the game before attempting to build their own clients.
• OAuth 2.0 Support: The ability to register your own OAuth 2.0 application that allows other players to authenticate with your app through the SpaceTraders API.
• Online Courses and Tutorials: We might offer advanced tutorials and courses for players who want to learn more about programming in a guided capacity.

We will continue to update this page as we make progress on these items. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us on Discord.