ge-arena

ge-arena is a match-based version of Galactic Empire built from the ge-next source tree. It uses familiar GE movement, scanning, combat, ships, planets, and Cybertron opponents, but replaces the persistent colonization game with a lobby and a succession of self-contained contests. It first shipped with ge-next 0.3.2 as a separate module using MPOGA-prefixed files. The two games can run alongside each other, and ge-arena has both 16-bit and 32-bit builds.

Lobby and starting a match

Players enter the arena lobby at Tahanian Station. The first player becomes the host and is ready by default; other arrivals begin as observers. READY joins the queue for the next match, OBSERVE sits it out, and STATUS lists everyone present and their current role. The host selects a numbered mode with MODE and can start a match with BEGIN once at least two players are ready. Battle is the default mode. With two or more ready players, a 60-second automatic start timer also runs, so a host cannot hold up a ready lobby indefinitely. The timer cancels if the ready count falls below two.

Players can use READY while observing a match to queue for the following one without entering the current match. Conversely, leaving a live match with X returns a player to the lobby as an observer; another X exits the game. The lobby also supports > for local chat, HELP, ROSTER, and a few account or display commands. HELP MODES summarizes the available modes, while HELP CLASS shows ships for the selected mode. The arena admits up to 16 players, but a match requires at least two participants.

Staging and ship selection

Starting a match launches its participants into sector 0 0 for a 60-second staging period. This minute is not part of the 15-minute match clock. Players cannot fire or leave the sector during staging; attempting to cross its boundary or use a wormhole triggers the arena's defensive response. Combat begins only when the staging countdown ends, after which weapons can be used even in sector 0 0 and players can travel through the playable galaxy.

Each mode has its own ship roster and starting equipment. When a mode offers several ships, participants choose a numbered class during staging. A ship is not visible to other players until its owner has chosen one. If no choice is made by the start of combat, the first available ship is selected automatically. Some modes may be configured with only one class; in that case the ship is assigned and its loadout displayed without a selection prompt. Ships, loadouts, and eligible upgrades come from the arena ship-class table, so individual installations may differ from the defaults.

The galaxy is sized to the number of players entering the match: its radius is five sectors per participant in each direction. Thus a two-player match has sectors from -10 to +10 on both axes. Scanner range is reduced to 50% for two players and 75% for three; with four or more participants it is unchanged. The size and any scanner reduction are announced during staging. The chosen size remains fixed for that match even if someone later leaves.

Playing and resupplying

Regulation play lasts 15 minutes, unless the match ends early because fewer than two participants remain. A destroyed player waits 10 seconds before respawning and may choose another ship during that interval. If no new choice is made, the previous class is used. Players are not visible as ships while waiting to respawn. STATUS shows the time remaining and a scoreboard tailored to the active mode, including kills or deaths where useful even when they are not the winning score.

Sectors and planets are generated as they are explored or scanned, rather than filling the galaxy with supplies at match start. A new ordinary planet may contain ammunition, devices, flux pods, ship upgrades, or a maintenance facility; Hoard also adds gold. These contents do not refill merely because someone revisits the planet. Players can take available pickups with TRA UP while in orbit, subject to ship capabilities and room aboard. Zygor starts without an ordinary supply stock and receives announced drops five and ten minutes into regulation play. Exploring unvisited sectors is another way to find resources.

Modes

Mode	Objective and distinctive rules
1: Battle	Fight other players without Cybertrons. The most player kills wins. A true self-destruction with no credited attacker subtracts one kill.
2: Hoard	Finish with the most gold aboard. Gold can be found on planets, taken from Cybertrons, or recovered from defeated players. Periodic announcements identify the leader without giving exact totals; all players' gold becomes visible on `STATUS` for the final three minutes.
3: King	Spend the most cumulative time in the active sector. It begins at 0 0 and changes every three minutes to another non-nebula sector. The mode has no Cybertrons, and time counts only while a live ship is in the active sector.
4: Base	Destroy the most Cyber-Bases. Five bases appear during staging, and destroyed bases can later be replaced through NPC generation. Attacking other players may disrupt them or yield supplies, but player kills do not count toward the Base score. The Enforcer Planet announces when a base first reaches heavy or severe damage.
5: Scored	Earn GE-style points from player and Cybertron kills. Different ship classes have different point values, so kills are not all worth the same amount. Scores may fall below zero.

Available ships and starting loadouts differ by mode. MODE changes the next match's mode in the lobby; it does not change a match already underway.

Ending, tiebreaks, and records

When regulation ends with multiple players tied for first, only those leaders continue into a tiebreaker. Cybertrons, projectiles, and mines are cleared; finalists are moved to random positions in sector 0 0, retaining their existing ships, damage, and supplies. A 10-second no-fire countdown precedes up to two minutes of combat. Finalists cannot leave 0 0 or change ships. The last ship standing wins; if no sole survivor emerges before time expires, the result is a true tie.

After a match, the result and final STATUS are shown before players return to the lobby. The generated galaxy and temporary ships are wiped, so a later match starts with a fresh world. User records remain for preferences and per-mode wins, displayed by ROSTER. Roster credit is awarded for a completed win or a win caused by opponents forfeiting; a true tie earns no win. Players who remain ready can join the next match without setting READY again.