
The core game loop of Star Control: Origins is pretty damn fun so far (I think anyway). But what we think will help it stand out is the sheer depth of the universe you are playing in.
There are no rails in this game. There is an overall story arch with many many side-stories in the universe to go to. And there are many different paths you can take. You don't have to be, for instance, the good guy.
Having many different ways to explore the universe means you need to have a very powerful application for writers to create adventures that can easily interact with each other and be done in a way where the writer is focusing on their craft and not worrying about how the underlying engine works.
More to come. Stay tuned!