Hello all. I'm Feidry. If you're unfamiliar with who I am, let me write a few lines about how this all started. If you just want to get to the good bits, I've used headers to break this up into sections. Feel free to scroll on down.

#Who am I?

I'm a self taught game developer. I don't have any formal training, well, for anything really. I did get my certificate (that has since expired) for Unity Certified Associate: Programmer in 2021. Around October last year, 2023, I was made aware of the in-development title Alliance Space Guard which immediately reminded me of this cool game that Scott Manley and deephack had played on YouTube called Rogue System.

I felt like I was at a point, skills-wise, where maybe I could pick up where Michael had left off. I owned a license for the engine he used, Leadwerks. So I started asking questions. I initially contacted Tim who referred me to his former boss at ISI, Gjon. Neither of which had the source code nor had spoken with Michael in over 5 years.

Gjon suggested sending letters since we didn't have any working phone numbers for him. So I found 3 addresses in the public record and sent 3 letters with all of my contact information. A week or so goes by and then my phone rings. It's Michael. He doesn't have the source code either. Lost in a flood, he tells me. So at this point, I have a choice to make. Give up and let Rogue System stay as it is, forever unfinished. Or take on a project that I know is way too big for just one guy. Especially this one guy. I guess its obvious by now, since you're reading this post, that I~~'m not the sanest guy ever~~ didn't give up. More people have joined the team. We now have well over a century of combined gamedev experience on the team working to rebuild this game from scratch.

#State of Development

I've spoken with Michael again since then. Turns out, he had worked on a Unity project, trying to rebuild it himself. He didn't have any of the models like we do now. Everything is just boxes or empty objects. There's a lot left to do but its a big step forward instead of just straight from scratch. We have all of the models from the Flying Fox to the Firearc, stations, modules and more.

There are 8 members on the team, including myself. We're pretty programmer heavy right now but all areas are covered by at least one team member. Art, sound, code, lore. All covered. Our current plan is to bring our Unity project to feature parity with the version currently on Steam. Once we get to that point, we'll release an update for the game. The plan is for it to be an actual update, so if you own the game on Steam, you'll get it for free. We're not doing this for money. We're rebuilding this game from scratch because we love it. We want to push the buttons and fly around the universe, with our friends, with way more to do than there is now.

#Current Goal

We're currently working towards having some basic functionality, enough that we could "walk" around in the ship, get in the seat and fly around a bit. The reason we're setting this smaller goal for now is that we want to make a "trailer" for the Reboot project, to help generate hype and get more eyeballs on us. We had hoped to have that out already but the realities of volunteer work made that not possible. So for now, just head over to the website and sign up for the newsletter. When the trailer is ready to go, there will for sure be a special edition of the newsletter. For now, I'm just trying to send 1 newsletter per month, so you won't have a ton of junk in your inbox from signing up. I am using a platform called beehiiv for the newsletter, so let me know if you get anything funky from them.

#Closing Thoughts

The reboot is a long way from being done. It will take months, maybe a year or more before we can put out an update. I really don't know. Its pretty hard to estimate a timeline for a project like this, where no one is being paid and they all have to focus on their primary income source first and this comes second at best. There is a small financial incentive for us to push out an update as we will then begin receiving a percentage from sales, but I really don't see Rogue System having a huge playerbase. Its a very niche game, and that's why we love it. Most of the people who would buy Rogue System already own it.

Thanks for reading my wall of text. Let me know whatever questions you may have. You might also notice that I've been promoted to Moderator here, thanks to u/Hexous.

Hey all. Sorry for the brand new reddit account. I had to make a new one after the 3rd party app exodus earlier this year. I'm Feidry. If you're unfamiliar, check out this post and this post to get up to speed with where I'm at so far.

My contact at ISI has greenlit using crowdfunding to help us attract a lead developer. I want the community's opinion on how this should work. Here is a short survey with an option to leave your email if you want to be on the mailing list to be updated about the game and it's crowdfunding campaign. The emails come to me directly. I won't use them for anything nefarious. Technically both questions are optional, you could enter your email without filling out the survey or vice versa.

A little background about me: I've been using Unity since at least 2010 or so. Certified for it in 2020. All hobby experience. I don't really think I'm the best guy for the lead developer role but will be filling that spot until someone better can be hired. I'm also considering using Godot for the project. I've been using it since version 4.0 came out earlier this year for all of my hobby projects and it can be very fast to prototype in but also I worry that it may lack the oomph it needs in the graphics department. I'm open to feedback on this one from those who have experience with building large games in one or the other, or both.

I'm not doing this as a way to make money for myself. I approached ISI with an offer to work for free on the game. They counter-offered with a different number and I accepted. I just want to play Rogue System. I know I could just wait for ASG to come out. Its not the same though, no offense to David or ASG. I was so excited for RogSys when it was announced. I bought it immediately. I was devastated when Michael shared the news about his head injury and difficulties working on the project. I didn't have the confidence in my abilities then that I do now. I've come back to this project because I never forgot about it and still want to see the rest of the world that Michael started. If you felt like I did, please hit the survey link above. You don't have to put your email in if you don't want to. I understand wanting privacy and a clean inbox. I promise not to abuse it.

TL;dr: RogSys might not be dead if we can get some support.

The game seems to be written in Lua with the source files just being in the game directory, and also, there appears to be basic mod support, so why haven't any mods or stuff been made for it?

I've been looking for a DCS-style game for a long time, but set in space. I was in awe of the game, but sad that its development was put on hold by a serious incident with its developer. Does anyone know of any space games that have this level of realism/complexity?

So I needed to make a post to keep track of everything. On Discord we been spending nearly all day trying to figure this one out.

The TLDR is this:

We think we know where the dev lives. One of the people who worked with him, he is going to send a physical letter asking about the game. We figure this is the best method since he seemed to went away from everything, and we don't know if he still uses his email. And we figure if he says no, or doesn't reply. Then it is likely the game really is dead.

Our goal is to see if he still wants to work on the game. If not, then if he will open source the game.

​

Please do not contact him or look his info up. Chances are if more than this is done, we won't get anything and if he wants to be unknown. Then let him. We all have the right to that.

​

Side note: There is some evidence showing he might be still working on the game. It isn't good evidence, but it is odd.

________

Long story:

After searching a good bit, it seems the publisher company is dead. From a former employee https://steamcommunity.com/app/366000/discussions/0/3279195573084398291/

(I haven't worked for the publisher for years, and they no longer exist).

Looking at the site and everything, it really does seem they are a dead company.

In that he also said

Michael is gone from FB, email, etc. I have no way to contact him. He's the only one who had the source code.

So for us to be able to make this open source, the dev himself will have to make it so.

The publishing company co founder sent me this

https://preview.redd.it/c6gj4flzmi091.png?width=671&format=png&auto=webp&s=ace07019232ba7debe2efcfe802ad7fa32947942

So this is telling me it has the blessing to be open sourced from the publisher.

​

​

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Someone found this https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0801710331

The dev company voluntarily dissolved 24 August 2020. But someone else found this https://www.ultraengine.com/community/profile/9170-michael_j/content/

It is the dev's profile. What is odd is the site says

https://preview.redd.it/9ys3bjhvli091.png?width=286&format=png&auto=webp&s=94a0f8909d21cb60c5bfd74c049624c3e588aaf7

But we are seeing

https://preview.redd.it/jemv554xli091.png?width=620&format=png&auto=webp&s=ba5f39969215fb0cfd4c32d79243797f8e2246cd

And it seems to be a true date because

https://preview.redd.it/iomcd3czli091.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=7cdc696e4250c86f08d04b899845e9ddd9f1bbdc

But this could be a glitch. So best case, he is still working on this. Worse case this is a glitch.

Again, keep in mind our goal is to see if he will work on this, or to see if he will make it open source. Or maybe sell the source code if that is a legit option.

Anyways, as I mentioned towards the start, a former employee will try to make contact. Best case something happens. Worse case nothing happens or he says no. If he says no, then I think we need to let it die. If however he wants to work on it, or he wants to make it open source. Then great.

​

Something to note, someone pointed out on discord that even if we did get open source. The game's engine legal might be a problem. So even if he didn't delete the source code, he makes it open source, and so on. That is something that could be a massive holdup.

​

But at this time, we did everything we can. Whatever happens is out of our control at this point and for everyone our best action is simply no action at all. IMO if we don't hear anything back for 3 months. Then we can assume the worse.

So there is something we can do as a final push, and I'm writing this because I truly believe the publisher company is dead or at least only alive to keep collect money but that is it.

Based on my prior post, you can see why I think this. https://old.reddit.com/r/roguesystem/comments/uspv5b/it_looks_like_the_publishing_company_might_be/

​

So lets assume we can get ahold of the person who owns the rights to the game. We have 3 possibilities as far as I can see.

​

1. Nothing. Like they don't give it up, and the game really is dead
2. We can convince them to make it open source. A major plus to this is instead of it being stuck behind a wall of limited developers. Anyone who wants to work on it, they 100% can.
3. We buy out the rights, source code, and assets. From there we can decide to open source it, have a studio develop it, etc. Maybe we can sell it to a good game studio, and let them make it.

Lets assume we decide to do 3. We need to decide if we can crowd fund it, and how big of a pot we will have.

​

​

Now, in researching that the only possible link I can find to figuring out what is going on is Tim Wheatley.

https://twitter.com/88mphtim (please note this is a private person WHO USE TO work with the publishing company and seems to use to be the interface for the publishing company support. Please don't harass them. Sadly, they are the only connection I can find that could link us to the rights, to see if the dev is alive, and so on.)

If anyone knows of a better connection, or maybe can directly talk to the dev. Then please let everyone know. It would be nice to officially have this called dead, if they might come back and work on it, or if we can get it to open source.

I made an update a quick update. old.reddit.com/r/roguesystem/comments/utg06d/what_is_happening_now_may_2022/

​

​

___________________________

So real quick, I have been wanting this game for a long time. There is even videos I made 6 years ago that I posted here. After 2018 with the 1 man dev saying they need to take a break for a bit. I check back every so often to see if anything changed.

It amazes me that people even today are wanting a game that has been dead for basically 4 years now. And it saddens me even more to see that there isn't anything even close to it on the market. Like the nearest thing I can think of is Star Citizen, but with engineering not being in that game and most likely will come down to a healing laser like everything else in the game. We will see.

​

Anyways, I don't know the age or exact location the dev is at. His name is Michael Juliano. The image here is the only one I know of https://ravsim.com/2013/02/15/rogue-system-michael-juliano-interview/ So it's a pain to figure out if he is even dead. Keep in mind his head injury and lack of info around that. Crap can happen months or years later from an injury.

______________________

​

Now as far as the emails. I decided today to send an email out to the publisher. I do this once in a long while when I check on the project. I never gotten anything prior, but I did this time. I sent the following.

The question I'm asking is about Rogue System.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/366000/Rogue_System/

From my understanding, the game only had one developer. How is Michael Juliano doing? Does he have any plans to develop the game anymore? 

If he isn't with us anymore, or if he has no plans to develop the game anymore. Is there a way to open source the game so the public can make the game?

​

and I got back the following. Note I copy and pasted the email and sent it to all of the emails they gave.

​

​

Thank you for your email to timw@imagespaceinc.com.

I no longer work here. Below are addresses you can contact depending on the product or need you may have had:

rFactor - support@rfactor.netrFactor 2 - support@studio-397.comRogue System - info@imagespaceinc.com

If it was a personal matter of some sort:

twheatley.isi@gmail.com

​

I got this back from one of the other emails

Thank you for your email.

I no longer work at Image Space Inc. and Studio 397 on the rFactor and rFactor 2 products. For best efficiency please contact the following emails to be forwarded to the right person dealing with each product:

rFactor - support@rfactor.netrFactor 2 - support@studio-397.com

If the email appears personal in nature, I will respond as soon as possible.

​

Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:

sysadmin@studio-397.comYour message wasn't delivered because the recipient's email provider rejected it.

So I'm not 100% sure the publisher is a live company anymore. I looked at their Facebook, and I seen they have a partner@imagespaceinc.com. I sent them an email there and haven't gotten anything yet.But what bugs me is they had a picture from Aug 13, 2020 showing off a library of games and they asked"Anyone interested in adding to their library? Reasonable offers welcome."

https://preview.redd.it/rm1c2vfkjb091.png?width=710&format=png&auto=webp&s=a10c460c17df54bcdfa95ea17885cd3a095b5230

Their twitter the last activity was a comment on a tweet from some NASCAR game context video. The reply was Apr 25, 2019. The last thing they liked was May 9, 2019. It was a like of a tweet Tim Wheatley (the same in the email above) made.

Tim Wheatley isn't with them but looking into it. https://twitter.com/88mphtim He is still active and he posted on twitter 8 hours ago. It looks like he moved on from Image Space May 2019, and he is doing something else.

https://preview.redd.it/za5p2owrjb091.png?width=844&format=png&auto=webp&s=7dc2b11865e0d8eaca068c8f511c87bd3d49c08e

He is a private person, but sadly as far as I can tell. He is the only one that can tell us if the publisher is still alive and what is going on with this game.

Side note, I did look to see if Image Space Incorporated has a current business license under MI. I can't find a good way to search for that.

So at the end, IDK if the dev is even alive, if the publishing company is still alive, and if we can ever get the code to be open source if both aren't around anymore or care about this anymore. And even more, I don't know if this game can even be updated anymore on here even if both are gone

Oh and based on a icann look up. It looks like if the domain is paid through until end of year 2023, and it is likely being auto renewed on someone's card. So even if they stopped renewing it, we won't know until 2023-11-25.

​

Side note: I did look for the dev company, but nothing was showing up. IDK where his business was registered at (if it was). So this was a dead end.

________________________

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TLDR

It's possible both the single dev that was making this game is dead, and it is highly likely the publishing company this was under is dead or at least dead in every way other than on paper.

If I get any update on any of the emails I sent a message to, I will update it here. But this is a sad thing to happen to something like this. Maybe if we find the right person we can at least get this to be open sourced so we can work on it on our own.

I don’t know how active this subreddit is, but I have a question. The idea of the game really is just what my dream game would be, so I would love to get a glimpse at it, but what exactly is possible with the current version, what can you do etc.? and if it’s worth the price or just a waste of money.

Greetings

what the title says. i found this a few days ago, watched some videos about it, and immediately loved the idea. ir's a shame it can't be open sourced. are there any similar games, and maybe a discord/irc/matrix chat for this game/style of game?

I apologise if i'm doing something wrong. I'm not affiliated to this but i discovered this game today. I supported and paid for Rogue System cos i love that kind of gameplay and i think this is also similar in what they're trying to implement.

​

Hopefully Michael comes back (totally understandable if he doesn't) but it's awesome the spirit of his game is not gone.

Hi, I've been playing this game and followed this subreddit for a while now. I have read the news update on the thread. But this information is 1 year old by now. Has there been any more recent developments regarding the state of the game? Like continuing development or opensource for example. RS is such a unique game and I think it still has a lot of potential.

I wish MJ a good recovery.

I just spent probably three hours trying to dock the Foxes and even thought I tried it from both ships, the emergency clamps were on in both ships, and both ships were powered and perfectly aligned, I was never able to connect, I just bounce off the other.

​

Can anyone confirm whether Fox-Fox docking is broken?

Some of you may know, but I realize it hasn't been announced here, per se.

Sadly, MJ has been unable to continue work for some time due to health issues, and the immediate future of Rogue System is uncertain.

The original announcement can be found here. A recent followup from one of our community members can be found here.

If you have not already purchased the game, please take this into consideration. Please join me in continuing to wish MJ's recovery well.

I've played a bit of KSP, so I know approaching something on a different orbit is... difficult.

That said, I'm having issues even getting to solve that problem in Rogue System. I can detach, fly off to another moon / planet, and... then I'm stuck.

I can't seem to differentiate between a station and some other random thing that might be orbiting. And, suppose I get lucky, and I pick the station in the SENSORS tab... what then? In KSP you get the nice map which helps plot out routes, but in RS there's nothing. I can't even tell what the orbit of the station is accurately. So I'm left "forcing it" which burns a LOT of fuel... and then it turns out that what I approached isn't a station, and I'm basically done, as I don't have enough fuel from there on out to do anything.

Any suggestions?

Followed this game for years and I dropped off for the last year or so, I believe all of the internal ship stuff is done but where they at on game play after you leave the station? Also how many planets, is it one solar system or several? Looking at youtube for 2018 stuff I get the feeling that its about as far as Hellion is? Haven't made the purchase yet but if you guys say there is some travelling, docking and maybe a mission or two then I will. Thanks in advance for the info!

Hey everyone,

Just got the sim over the Summer Sale and I really love the depth of it all. I was wondering if there was anyway to make moving through the ship easier? It's very difficult without gravity and was wondering if artificial gravity is implemented at all? I'm still going through the tutorials, so maybe it's there, but I thought I do an intro to the community as well.

Thanks! Can't wait to see where this game goes to.

went A to B

bay doors: both opened.TMS radiators: both deployedTMS SYS temp ok whole flight

refueled

B to C

bay doors: both opened.TMS radiators: both deployedTMS SYS temp red and rising

i'm pretty sure this is a bug (where in some way it say opend/deployed but they r closed)

BS

I see that you can request refueling service from the space station, is there anything special I need to do to enable refueling or do the relevant systems just need to be deactivated?

EDITED TO ADD: I was able to contact and request refueling. There are a few other things you can request that say NYI (Not Yet Implemented) but refueling seems to be enabled. After request, I was approved but received the request, "Configure reactants to be refueled."

Anyone know what the heck that means or how to do it?!

Hey guys! Just got the game on the summer sale and have a decent grasp of the ship mechanics. The one thing I can't figure out is how to detach my ship from the broken Flying Fox in the repair mission after docking with it! Probably just missing something simple :P

I've had this game on my wishlist for awhile not sure if I wanted to pull the trigger. At 70% off right now it sounds like a good deal. Just wanted to hear a second opinion on the state of the game right now.

Thank you!

Hey, I'm not sure if this was patched out and I missed it or if my game is bugged or something but I remember when the batteries were charging the charge auto-on would turn green and say charging but it no longer does that for me, just wondering if anyone noticed the same thing or if I just missed when that was done away with.

Edit: As a side note my batteries do in fact charge, the number on the charge meter climbs but the charge allow button doesn't reflect that it is.

Does anyone have any information on what type of propulsion the MES uses? When using it I always wonder how it actually works.