O.R.B: Off-World Resource Base - Gameplay

Gameplay

As with most strategy games, the object of O·R·B is to defeat the enemy forces by gathering resources to build an attack fleet. As the name of the game implies, this is done by locating resource-bearing asteroids which must be mined to finance construction of new units. Successfully locating and protecting these asteroids is a key point in the game, as resources are scarce and the player must compete with their enemy to tap them.

To gain new technologies and better ships, the player must research them. This is particularly important in the campaign mode, as research is accumulated over each mission: a player who neglects research in favor of force in the early levels will find themselves severely outmatched in the later levels. In contrast, unlike Homeworld, a player's fleet is usually not cumulative, and thus after finishing a specific level the player will be dependent on local sources to rebuild a new (and usually better) fleet.

Further emphasizing a focus on careful resource management, the player has a limited crew with which to research new technologies and crew constructed vessels. In addition, the amount of crew allocated to a certain task will determine the amount of time needed to complete the task; for example, five researchers will work faster than one, and having double the amount of crew required for a ship will build it much faster than the bare minimum. The crew limit is determined by the amount of bases the player has, as well as their type, and the training level the player has put research into.

The game has two main playable races: the Alyssians and the Malus. Aside from a few unique ships on either side, the differences between the two are mostly cosmetic. The game also has three sub-races: the Aldar, the Elathen, and the Kyulek. These races aren't playable, but the Aldar ships can be used at some points. Compared to the main races, the technology of these two is much more diverse: Aldar ships rely heavily on laser technology, Elathen ships use electricity-based weapons (they are also significantly stronger than the other races), and Kyulek ships emit energy pulses from their hulls.

O·R·B has a fairly small number of ships, many of which are simply enhanced versions of a specific class (e.g. Defender and Missile Defender). Depending on the type, ships will require a specific number of crew to be built. The four main classes of ships are fighters, logistics (such as repair ships or radar-jamming vessels), mining ships, and capital ships. Each costs more crew and resources than the last to build.

In combat, fighters are designed to be cheap and fast, such that the player can lose several without significant impact. While inferior to the larger capital ships, a squadron of missile-armed bombers can successfully destroy a capital ship at a smaller resource cost to the player; however, these same bombers can easily fall prey to other fighters. Capital ships require much more resources and when lost can be almost irreplaceable, but offer a much bigger tactical advantage. Armed with beam weapons, they can engage both fighters and other capital ships with ease. They also allow the player to set up a dominant force away from their spaceport.

The environments themselves are also mobile. On a given map, a resource asteroid in the player's territory is liable to drift into enemy territory if given enough time, and likewise enemy bases can do the same. Some maps also feature natural hazards, such as fast-moving comets which can obliterate entire carriers in a single pass.