Heathen Engineering announces that early access is now underway for Terran (or more precisely, Heathen Engineering's Terran), offering the chance to help shape this space simulator where your character can help shape the galaxy. This is available now for Windows, OS X, and Linux on Steam. and the developers say this is the first of several distinct early access phases that will lead to an eventual full release, and this recent video introduces phase one of this process, warning this is aimed at the most hardcore of gamers. The game will include the ability to design your own ships, fight capital ship battles, manage a civilization, and more, all with native VR support. Here's a summary:

Heathen Engineering's Terran is definitely not your average space life simulator. Start your journey as a young Terran pilot, free from any allegiances or obligations. Join or form factions, corporations, bounty hunter gangs, or even crime syndicates as you forge your story! Whether you want to fly solo or with a massive fleet, take to government, or start a corporation, the galaxy and gameplay will respond in kind to your choices and performance. The events themselves represent mission orders, opportunities, civil, military and environment activities, as well as non-intractable occurrences which shape the galaxy.