GARYX

GARYX is a completely text-based Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) immersive simulation game. You, the player, are tasked with operating a marine satellite outpost in the search for five meaningful deep space signals. The semi-autonomous satellite system GARYX is operated by setting a series of signal coordinate ranges and then letting the system continually cycle through random combinations of those coordinates until it detects or captures a meaningful signal. The entire game revolves around your interactions with the GARYX system’s very basic user interface. More detailed instructions are included in the in-game menu.

A few major points: First, because it is heavily oriented around a “set and forget” style of play, you should consider playing this game passively – allowing it to accompany or augment any other activities you might be doing around your computer terminal (cooking, cleaning, reading, playing another game) and simply checking progress from time to time – just as you the “player character” would otherwise be doing at a remote satellite base. Second, you are strongly encouraged to keep an electronic or hard copy notepad on hand as you play, in order to keep track of identified signal codes and promising coordinate ranges. Finally, when playing this game be sure to set your computer’s sleep/timeout mode to “off” or “never”, as timeouts might cause the game to pause while searching for signals.

Cover Image Credit: Chat GPT.  NOTE: Chat GPT was only used to create the cover image. Neither Chat GPT nor any other generative AI tool was used to create the game itself.