In addition to completing missions and trading goods, another way to make a quick credit is Asteroid Mining. Asteroids litter the galaxy with resources just ready to be taken and sold at trading posts.

Each space object holds unique properties that require precise sensor calibrations to study. Thus, before mining can take place, the ship must be able to determine what - if anything - exists in the object. Scanning is not necessary, but it can sometimes give a little insight. If the prerequisites are met, mining is conducted by pressing the Mining button from the location menu.



The probability to hitting something good depends on the location. Sometimes the ship may obtain nothing but chiselled space debris (which holds little value to traders and eats up cargo space fast). By taking a little time to search, valuable products may be uncovered. All mined goods can be sold at Trading Posts, but remember each trader deals in different products.



So is mining only limited to asteroids? Well, it's probably best to avoid inhabited planets since the natives don't take a liking to space pirates.

The Bynar system, of sector Kappa Kappa, consists of two planets of identical size whose orbits around each other match with the length of their days. Bynar 0001 has a retrograde orbit.

Over the eons, the tidal pulls between the planets have caused identical continents to form on both, just mirrored. The ocean currents and wind currents are mirrored as well. It is believed that the peculiar orbits originated from a time when this solar system may have had one larger planet that was shattered by an impact of immense proportions. Over time, gravity formed the two halves into spheres.



Once inhabitants of the planets decided to pursue different industries and crop growth, trade began to boom between them. Before that point, identical development on both planets made trade irrelevant. Very few interstellar traders visit one planet and not the other due to the benefits (and warm welcomes) extended by both.

The entire surface of Rho Theta's Aquarius is covered in brackish water. In some regions, land is visible under the vast ocean's surface. These fishing hotspots make the bulk of the planets food trade. The remainder of trade comes from various weapons that are tested in the deep waters after being constructed under extreme water pressures.

There are several large cities on the planet. Many are mobile, floating on the surface of the water; while others are self-contained in large domes at the ocean floor. The latters are so deep in the water that no one except the Aquarians know of their locations.

The general Aquarian is a devious business tycoon, using shrewd speech to convince sales to almost anyone. In fact, they brag about how they profit from both sides of conflicts by selling weapons at marked-up prices... Then during post-war rebuilding, they sell food and water to the distressed people.

Non-Player Characters, or NPCs, are a vital part of any MMO RPG, so they are, of course, an element of HullBreach. Although NPCs cannot have advanced artificial intelligence and scripting languages in a Web browser, there are some interactions that take place.



First of all, one can see NPCs in the graphics pane just like any other ship. They will be docked a locations throughout the galaxy. Second, NPCs also appear on the listing of ships in the current sector, but there is one noticeable difference: They all have (NPC) appearing after the names of the captains. Just like with any player ships, the NPCs can be hailed. Of course the message sent makes little difference, but it's the thought that counts. Each NPC will reply with a unique response, adding another level of depth and entertainment to the HullBreach universe.

A Holiday Surprise is a gift that players automatically receive at certain times of the year. There is nothing players need to do to receive the gifts other than just having a character account. Holiday Surprises can come in many forms. They may be free credits, ship upgrades, temporary missions with high payouts, or many other bonuses. So if it gets to a special time of the year, be sure to pay a visit to HullBreach!

The first such present appeared Christmas of 2007 when every player was awarded an instant 100,000 credits. One can call it a gift certificate for a free ship, I suppose!