The Somnus Project (Stasis Warden)
Stasis Warden is an ASCII-based terminal user interface (TUI) game where you play as the amnesiac AI of a generation starship. After a disaster has left the ship derelict and its crew in cryogenic sleep, you must restore functionality to the vessel and save everyone aboard while uncovering your own identity.
This is a passion project developed by a solo developer, focused on creating a unique blend of strategic ship-building and deep social simulation with a core narrative of self-discovery, all presented through a distinctive ASCII/TUI interface.
🚀 Key Features
- Immersive ASCII/TUI Experience: Experience a unique retro-futuristic aesthetic using only ASCII characters in a terminal interface
- Strategic Ship Management: Restore power, expand your ship, and manage resources to keep the vessel operational
- Crew Awakening System: Awaken crew members from cryogenic sleep, each with unique stats and personality traits
- Emergent Narrative: Discover the story of the AI and the ship through gameplay and system interactions
- Keyboard-Driven Interface: All interactions are performed through keyboard commands for an authentic terminal experience
- Replayability: Each playthrough offers a unique story as you make different choices in ship expansion and crew management
🎯 Project Goals
The primary goal of this project is to create a game that is fun and engaging for its creator, and hopefully for others who share a similar taste for:
- Sci-fi narratives
- Emergent gameplay
- Strategy games with deep systems
- ASCII/TUI interfaces (similar to Dwarf Fortress, Caves of Qud)
Success is measured by whether players feel they are creating a unique story and remain consistently engaged by the core gameplay loop.
🛠️ Technology Stack
- Language: Python
- Framework: Textual library for TUI
- IDE: Visual Studio Code
- Platforms: Windows and Linux
📁 Project Structure
The Somnus Project/
├── docs/ # Documentation files
│ ├── sharded-architecture/ # Technical architecture documentation
│ ├── sharded-prd/ # Product requirements documentation
│ ├── stories/ # User stories and development tasks
│ └── ... # Other documentation
├── .bmad-core/ # BMad Method framework files
├── .gemini/ # Gemini AI integration files
└── ... # Other project files
🎮 Core Gameplay Loop
- Generate Power: Manually produce power to fund ship operations
- Expand Ship: Unlock new rooms using accumulated power
- Select Rooms: Choose from different room types (Engineering, Hydroponics, Quarters, etc.)
- Awaken Crew: Bring crew members out of cryogenic sleep
- Assign Tasks: Delegate crew members to automatically generate power and manage systems
- Repeat: Continue the cycle to rebuild the ship and progress the story
📋 MVP Scope
In Scope
- Manual power generation
- Awakening crew to automate tasks
- "Room Card" selection for ship-building
- Crew stats (e.g., Engineering) and personality traits (1 positive, 1 negative)
- ASCII-based TUI with a keyboard-driven interface
- Dedicated area for "Room Card" choices
Out of Scope (for MVP)
- Full narrative reveal of the amnesiac AI
- Dynamic relationships (friendship, rivalry)
- AI-driven influence over crew relationships
- Generational system (crew having children)
- Complex graphics (focus is on clean, functional ASCII interface)
🤝 Contributing
This is primarily a solo passion project, but feedback and suggestions are welcome through the issue tracker.
📄 License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
📞 Contact
For questions or feedback, please open an issue on this repository.