This thread will have the basic explanations of what this project is about and any other FAQs that need answering.
So what is this?
Cepheida is a project I started with a "World Building" series of articles on A Call To Arms. The aim has been to develop a setting - and, later, a skirmish game - that is in a sci-fi setting but doesn't have the grimdark, militarised feel of a game like Warhammer 40,000 and most other science fiction games. It's a bit more tongue-in-cheek and light hearted, and focusses on the exploration and planet-hopping side of sci-fi. There's plenty of fighting too of course, but the primary aim of most races isn't genocide. And there are cool aliens.
Tell me more about the setting...
It's set in a star cluster or small galaxy, somewhere out there in the far future. Humans, unlike in most settings, are not the civilising force in Cepheida; they're generally seen as thuggish but useful barbarians from some war-torn fringe worlds. The huge, armoured creatures known as Verwynn have built a major Empire across the centre of the cluster, with their four-legged Gruth servants being just the largest amongst a whole host of other subject races. The other major race is the S'ruba, classic eyes-on-stalks aliens with hoof-like feet. They account for three of the other forces. One is the Homeworlders, a benevolent but communistic state that resists the Verwynn and keeps order in the original S'ruba system but is expanding rapidly in the search for resources. There is also the Lexihad, a bizarre religious cult determined to find their lost leader by searching every planet in existence until he returns to them, and the anarchically democratic rebels who call themselves the Free S'ruba. The self-building Tangalak cyborgs and the trading Hanstellartic League are also trying to expand their reach over the cluster, giving quite a diverse array of outlooks, viewpoints, and goals for the different factions!
You mentioned a game?
I'm working on a set of skirmish game rules to go with the world. Your different alien and mercenary bands will be going out to explore different randomly generated planets, with different aims (conquest, trade posts, killing off the other players, etc etc). You'll be able to play individual fights, but the main focus is on having a big planet-hopping campaign where players roam a stellar map and seek to fulfil their goals and defeat both native aliens and other player groups who oppose them. Alien factions also mean there'll be diversity in fights for the players, as each player will get to control native forces that fight against the other player ships and crews.