Developed and published by Behold Studios, the game plays (and is named) similarly to the first title in the Of Pen and Paper series, Knights of Pen and Paper. However, in addition to the previous twists of customizable quests and room decor, there are new elements not present in the previous title; namely, the ability to put characters in front or back rows in battle, as well as occasional ship-versus-ship battles.
This RPG provides examples of:
- Arbitrary Headcount Limit: Multiple characters can be created, but the GM's bandwidth can only host four players at a time.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Lord "Eugene" Ginormous, a space pirate that wants DICE for his own personal use. He's the first major boss the players fight, and reappears throughout the plot, but doesn't escape going through Villain Decay because of this.
- Character Class System: Players are given three axes for characters' race, class, and roleplayer:
- Races include humans (start with an extra skill slot unlocked), greens (chance of not expending SP when using skills), Simians (chance of striking adjacent enemies when attacking), Reptoids (higher odds of landing crits), and Mechans (higher HP than other races).
- Roleplayers include Achievers (stat bonuses upon earning achievements), Buddies (chance of joining in with allies when using normal attacks), Munchkins (can equip the same gadgets in multiple slots), Showoffs (chance of striking first and countering attacks), Slayers (recovers some HP if they land the finishing blow on enemies), Socializers (discounts at stores), Storytellers (bonus EXP from completing quests), Thinkers (can reposition in battle without ending their turn), Romantics (better odds of positive outcomes when travelling), Explorers (chance of double EXP from successful scans), Providers (brings free food for HP and SP recovery), Tragedians (bonus stats when low on HP), and Anarchists (wider damage values).
- There are thirteen classes to unlock and choose from. Starting classes include Bounty Hunters (nimble fighters who can set up traps), Gadgeteers (hackers who can provide support and debilitate enemies), Engineers (tanky fighters who can debilitate enemies), and Troopers (gunslingers who can easily overpower enemies).
- Deus ex Machina: In the final battle against the Millennium Bug, the DM realizes he made it too powerful, and has to pick an unresolved plot element from earlier in the campaign to suddenly appear and help the players out.
- Digital Avatar: Instead of the players all gathering at the same table, the GM is hosting the game online, with the players using these.
- Fun with Acronyms: Aside from puns such as the game system DURPS and the artificial intelligence HORSE, the main MacGuffin of the campaign are DICE, Digital Interfaces that are Compatible with all Electronics.
- Gameplay and Story Integration: The more sides on your ship's currently installed DICE, the more it can do and better it functions in ship-on-ship combat. Better DICE can only be obtained by progressing through the main plot.
- Literal Metaphor: The framing narrative is a tabletop group in the year 1999 playing a game set in 2999, and the DM eventually decides to add the Millennium Bug to the game...as a space station-sized insect that can consume data.
- MacGuffin: The DICE. Most of the main quests are about finding bigger and better ones to unlock the mysteries of the universe with.
- Mad Libs Dialogue: Used for the player-generated optional quests. Each of the NPCs who can become quest givers has a standard script for each quest type, with the selected [Planets], [Monsters], or [Resources] for the quest — as well as the [Excuse Plots] used to justify going to (or looking for) each of them — highlighted in yellow text.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: In the real world of the game, the Y2K Internet problems start manifesting, but disappear right after the players defeat the Millenium Bug in their tabletop game. The players briefly discuss it, but can't decide whether it's just a coincidence or not.
- One-Winged Angel: The Millennium Bug; after its shell is bombarded and guts destroyed, it turns into a human-sized insectoid that fights the players in the husk of its former body.
- Precursors: The ancient civilization that created the DICE. Or so it would seem...
- Raise Him Right This Time: If the player decides Arachna deserves a second chance after her sacrifice in the final battle, it's revealed that she teleported back to base the instant before getting hit, but a glitch has regressed her to a child.
- Redemption Equals Death: Arachna, who antagonizes the player party earlier on, sacrifices herself to save them from the Millennium Bug.
- Shout-Out: Star systems called Roddenberry, Clarke and Leguin, a City Planet called Neo Tokeeo, a literal space cowboy that players always say "see ya later" to, Marty McFly's jacket and Chroma Red's helmet as clothing options for the GM...in short, the entire game runs on this.
- Space Battle: Ship-to-ship combat is dice-roll centric. Your rolls determine the number of action points you collect, which are used on attacks and other actions.
- Stable Time Loop: There's one space station that's immune to temporal distortions, which is actually the husk of the final boss after being flung back in time.
- Techno Wizard: The main weapon of the Hacker class is his laptop, which is just as effective on regular foes as it is on technological ones.
- Teleporter Accident: Happens to Arachna in the "give her a second chance" ending, turning her into a child when she warped from an otherwise-fatal blow.
