The developers at Perihelion Interactive have released a new developer diary, breaking down the inspirations, plans and goals behind their Kickstarter project, The Mandate. The video, which you can view below, includes more details on the game, including receiving missions, enlisting staff, managing starbases and more.

There are also some new stretchgoals, which include:

$600k - Away Missions on Planets.

Perihelion has a long list of possible away missions planned, with both combat and non-combat options that can switch depending upon the scenario. The developer is inviting fans to visit The Mandate forums to suggest their favourite style of away missions and planet-side encounters.

$700k - Starbase Boarding Operations.

At this stretch goal Perihelion will model starbase interiors to allow for boarding operations to take place. The developer will also make it possible for the player to walk around on and interact with his/her starbase outside of combat.

$800k - Mod Support.

Perihelion is a huge fan of the mod communities that have sprung up for the likes of Total War, Mount & Blade and The Elder Scrolls series. At this stretch goal it will be in a position to allocate more programmer and designer time to plan the code and data structures to greatly simplify the process of creating total conversions for The Mandate. Developer tools will receive extra polish and documentation so they can be used both by the devs and by the mod community. Start planning your mod or total conversion project today!

The Mandate has just recently reached it's goal, having received $518,080 pledged out of its $500,000 goal, with four days left to go. To this, the developers have this to say, using their propaganda poster maker:

The Mandate, for newcomers, takes place 1500 years into the future, during a time where an Empire with an Imperial Mandate has just lost their Emperor to mysterious circumstances. With his inexperienced daughter crowned in his place just before the loss of the Empire’s best soldiers, the Grand Fleet, colonies have threatened to withdraw from the Mandate. The desperate Empress has created the Corsairs, taking disgraced ex-captains and giving them a ship and crew, charged with reclaiming their honor by working for the Mandate once again.

Captains under the Mandate are expected to quell rebellions, investigate the disappearance of the Grand Fleet, explore new worlds, and fight in the name of the Empress and the Mandate. The game seeks to give players unbridled freedom in how they choose to play the game, be it as a noble and diplomatic soldier loyal to the Mandate, a rebel against the Empire, or a pirate king just looking out for himself and his crew.

To support the game, check out The Mandate‘s Kickstarter page. For more on the game, check out Perihelion’s recent “Ask Me Anything” session, and all of our extensive The Mandate coverage. You can also check out The Mandate‘s Steam page, where the game has been greenlit by the community.

//www.youtube.com/embed/aS3mMQnUzSs?feature=player_detailpage