So I've started work developing a PC adaptation of the board game Solarquest. The game's Wikipedia article mentions a few other attempts, none of which amounted to much. The latest attempt seems to have produced a few pretty visualizations of the Solar System, but no gameplay as yet. I'm working from the opposite direction.
The first step is to create a text-only version that can play the original edition from start to finish. The next step is to let the players make alterations to the set of rules, for example, to allow or disallow laser battles. The next step is to extend this version so players who remember the 1988 edition's rules can use those and players who played the Apollo 13 version can use its board (with extra moons around Neptune).
After all that, the gameplay side should be complete, and two to six players should be able to play a complete game, provided they all huddle around the same computer. At this stage, I'll be adding in some sort of network play, which should turn out to be an entertaining challenge.
Either before or after network play goes in, I'll have to figure out some way of making the game pretty. A two-dimensional version that mostly resembles the actual game board will likely result. I don't know if I'll see the need to make it any prettier than that. Maybe at that point, I'll just release the source code and let John Q. Programmer do it.
It goes without saying that I'll have to make a proper website for the game at some point.
Click here for the latest version.