Some believe that TEP should have no endgame. Others believe the game should have a distinct finale, after which the game simply ends (until a sequel). My ideas are hybridized... I think that TEP should have an endgame, but that endgame should lead somewhere. I like the idea of a major galaxy ending event. I think that there should be a mass exodus. But I think that exodus should lead somewhere... a new galaxy.

Once in this new galaxy, you'd encounter the same open ended play you'd expect in an Elite game. The sequel would be set in this new galaxy. The new galaxy could free us from some more of the old Elite cliches, so the sequel also would have the potential to free us from copyright issues and propel us from freeware to the lovable world of shareware. Look at that money roll in... hahaha.

The Situation:

It appears that a cosmic string has destroyed Andromeda. It's heading toward us. Big problem.

It moves according to its own geometries, occasionally shifting and even disappearing as it moves, but only to reappear. It's very design challenges the (future) computers (much like weather today)... but one thing is certain from all of the predictions: it's heading for us (and will arrive in (20-30? years).

After the string is discovered, the Augurs show up.

The Augurs: They are a race far more human-like than the Thargoids. They appear to be really benevolent. They endorse religions (and even inspire a few). They gather popular support through a carefully managed series of public announcements and appearances. Though no government dare actually release statements opposing the Augurs, many have suspicions about this 'talent' of leading the public like a flock of sheep, especially the Empire and the Regiment. The Alliance is cringing the Augur's anti-Thargoid statements, also. Speaking of those anti-Thargoid statements, the Augurs seem to make at least one per speech. This is all well and good until the Thargoids show up...

The Thargoids: The Thargoids come later. They had disappeared shortly after renewed contact with humanity. They claim that the Augurs are a race that they have been battling for centuries. This fighting was renewed after the Thargoid�s second coming (to humanity) and humanity�s relatively accepting reaction (Thus the Thargs disappeared to fight them). They claim that the Augurs simply want humanity to be trapped in the galaxy when it is swallowed up/dispersed by the cosmic string� so that humanity will be easy pickings for the Augurs with their advanced drives. The Thargoids say that the Augurs believe by doing this, they are eliminating a potential ally for the Thargoids. The Thargoids also claim that they want to help humanity by providing their advanced drives to escape.

The mix:

� The Augurs say that the Thargoids have their own plot for decimating humanity: by giving them a faulty drive.

� The Thargoids say that�s ridiculous, as humanity would be decimated anyway.

� The Augurs state that it would be pointless to kill off humanity when they have such popular support.

� The Thargoids deftly point out that some governments (The Alliance and Empire) have already switched over to their side, and that popular opinion doesn�t mean squat when the governments (with their militaries) don�t hold the same opinion.

� The Thargoids claim that the Augurs have the technology to evacuate humanity.

� The Augurs mutter things similar to a Prime Directive, and make a lot of references to religion to squirm out of that one.

� The Augurs say that the Thargoids lied about their species� former relations.

� The Thargoids squirm out of that one by saying that it was �close enough to the truth�

And so on.

Political round-up by now:

Alliance: Pro-Tharg, anti-Augur. Black ops to aid the FFM. Support of LTS. Trying to find a �solution� to the Regiment crisis.

Federation: Mildly pro-Augur. Anti-FFM.

FFM: Neutral as far as the aliens go. Anti-Federation. Anti-Empire.

Empire: Mildly pro-Tharg, slightly anti-Augur. Black ops carried out against the FFM and LTS.

LTS: Pro-Augur, a little anti-Tharg. Having pirate problems. Black ops against the black ops of the Empire (counter-intelligence).

Regiment: Mildly pro-Tharg. Anti-Alliance. Mildly anti-human (others�).

A couple of years before the string arrives, the Thargoids basically say �It�s now or never.� Allies of the Thargoids leave with them. Augur allies stay behind. It�s up to the PLAYER which he/she does. One year later, when the string�s arrival seems imminent, the Augurs will systematically scoop up the remainder of humanity (including the PLAYER if he/she stays behind) and travel to the new galaxy (after Andromeda was swallowed up/torn apart, there was only one left in range that was out of the path of the string). After your arrival in the new galaxy, it becomes apparent that the Thargoids (and their human allies) and the Augurs (and their allies) are starting what looks to be a cold war.

Here�s a round-up of the starting politics in the new galaxy:

Alliance: Pro-Tharg, anti-Augur. Otherwise neutral.

Federation: Pro-Augur, anti-Tharg. Black ops against Alliance, Regiment.

FFM (claim to be the �true� Federation & settle different systems): Mildly pro-Tharg. Occasional skirmishes against the Federation.

Empire: Mildly pro-Tharg, very anti-Augur. Black ops carried out against the FFM and LTS.

LTS: Pro-Augur, a little anti-Tharg. Still having pirate problems.

Regiment: Neutral. Mildly anti-human (well, other humans�).

There are a few quibbles between supposed allies, too. Not a case of �humanity caught between giants.�

Once in this new galaxy, a new rumor begins, started by an Imperial scientist who noted the genetic similarities: That the Thargoids and Augurs are the same species, save some clever engineering.

After this, the game basically slows, as Frontier and FFE did, in this new galaxy. The last plot twist will become important in the TEP sequel: The Augurs were a Thargoid attempt at a diplomat race that could reason individually, have a more human-like appearance (and oxygen-breathing and similar phonic structures), and reproduce apart from the hive (for prolonged diplomacy missions). It backfired. The new race revolted (because it could reason apart from the hive). And even though the Thargoids successfully exiled the race (and fought them) the ability to reproduce independently helped them to prosper and eventually they reversed-engineered some Thargoid technology and contacted us.

By then, hopefully, we can have a graceful fade-in to the sequel, with humanity on the brink of being caught up in a very big, interspecies war. (As a starting point)