▁game ▁no ▁longer ▁works ▁on ▁modern ▁versions ▁of ▁mac OS . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁with ▁Amb ros ia ▁Software ▁def unct , ▁it ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁possible ▁to ▁purchase ▁new ▁lic enses ▁or ▁renew ▁already - p urch ased ▁lic enses ▁for ▁new ▁install ations . ▁ ▁Game play ▁Nova ▁takes ▁place ▁around ▁star ▁systems ▁in ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way , ▁many ▁of ▁which ▁have ▁plan ets ▁or ▁space ▁stations ▁that ▁the ▁player ▁can ▁land ▁on . ▁Each ▁star ▁system ▁is ▁either ▁controlled ▁by ▁a ▁fa ction ▁and ▁has ▁an ▁evaluation ▁of ▁the ▁player ' s ▁cr imes ▁or ▁contributions ▁to ▁that ▁star ▁system ▁and ▁its ▁fa ction , ▁or ▁is ▁un in hab ited ▁and ▁controlled ▁by ▁no ▁one . ▁The ▁player ' s ▁ship ▁usually ▁travel s ▁between ▁star ▁systems ▁by ▁" hyper j ump ing " ▁by ▁fixed ▁( and ▁to ▁the ▁user , ▁instant aneous ) ▁paths ▁to ▁surrounding ▁systems . ▁The ▁player ▁can ▁also ▁use ▁rare ▁w orm hol es ▁which ▁transport ▁the ▁player ' s ▁ship ▁to ▁a ▁fairly ▁random ▁star ▁system , ▁or ▁can ▁use ▁a ▁" hyper gate " ▁system ▁to ▁move ▁between ▁certain ▁systems ▁after ▁the ▁S igma ▁Sh ip yard ▁mission ▁string ▁has ▁been ▁completed . ▁ ▁In ▁space , ▁which ▁in ▁the ▁game ▁is ▁limited ▁to ▁two ▁dimensions , ▁the ▁player ▁controls ▁their ▁spaces hip ▁to ▁land ▁on ▁plan ets , ▁jump ▁into ▁another ▁star ▁system , ▁or ▁eng age ▁in ▁combat ▁and ▁board ▁ships . ▁The