▁or ▁dr ast ically ▁change ▁stories ▁and ▁technology , ▁or ▁even ▁completely ▁replace ▁the ▁universe . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁large ▁community ▁at ▁the ▁official ▁Amb ros ia ▁for ums ▁where ▁players ▁can ▁trade ▁tips , ▁get ▁help , ▁and ▁swap ▁favorite ▁plugins ▁and ▁pil ots . ▁ ▁Of ▁particular ▁note ▁are ▁two ▁official ▁plug - ins ▁available ▁to ▁registered ▁users ▁which ▁replace ▁Nov as ▁scenario ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁games , ▁allowing ▁the ▁original ▁Es cape ▁Vel ocity ▁and ▁its ▁sequ el ▁Es cape ▁Vel ocity ▁Over ride ▁to ▁be ▁played ▁n atively ▁on ▁both ▁Mac ▁OS ▁X ▁and ▁Microsoft ▁Windows . ▁ ▁Setting ▁and ▁plot ▁The ▁game ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁in ▁ 1 1 7 7 ▁NC ▁and ▁follows ▁several ▁human ▁civil izations ▁that ▁have ▁broken ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Council ▁and ▁developed ▁independently ▁of ▁each ▁other . ▁There ▁are ▁three ▁main ▁govern ments : ▁Federation , ▁Aur or an , ▁and ▁Pol aris , ▁and ▁several ▁smaller ▁fa ctions . ▁Back - story ▁and ▁other ▁role - play ing ▁information ▁can ▁be ▁gathered ▁from ▁several ▁" pre amb les " ▁that ▁come ▁as ▁documentation ▁with ▁the ▁game . ▁ ▁Federation ▁At ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁game , ▁the ▁Federation ▁is ▁the ▁latest ▁in ▁a ▁line ▁of ▁Earth ▁based ▁govern ments , ▁succeed ing ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Council . ▁The ▁first ▁expl or ers ▁from ▁Earth ▁to ▁go ▁faster ▁than ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁light ▁used ▁devices ▁known ▁as ▁hyper g ates , ▁developed ▁by ▁Om