Maybe it IS manmade? A training area, like incarnate said, that was put together from smashing larger roids and spreading it out :)

The new newbie area looks just too much "designed by hand". Too perfectly ordered and spaced. I know it's made on purpose, but I still don't like it.

I prefer the algorithm generated roid strings and clusters. Personal taste.

Keep up with the great work, however, even if it won't please everyone - like me in this case.

Yeah, I like the idea of the humans moving the asteroids around. People decorate their gardens, what's to say spacefarers won't rearrange their fields to serve a purpose, even if just for looks?

Aye , I agree with Jex , paritcularly at major stations. Away from stations the random roid arrangement makes sense.

Ecka

Fantastic. So a tractor-beam or like device will, of course, be forthcoming. It's all so clear now.

[I'm sorry, RR, I've somehow missed your point: my tastes in vin, unlike such VO ideals as the ability to interact with 'roids, are backed by a capacity to implement/realize them. What was it you were saying?]

Not as far-fetched as some of the wines you drink ;-P

It doesn't look 'arranged', it looks like the large roid slowly impacted the ice roid, shattered both and they regrouped by the slight gravitational pull of the larger roid.

There are a lot of machines in RL, like excavators or crane lifts, that exist and yet are not available to the general public. Why should a tractor beam or tug ship be any different, Lecter? You fail at common sense.

Uh, Jex, I want a major piece of equipment... I go rent/buy it, moron. They're not regulated in any way; the general public has access, but no need or inclination.

You fail at life; consider killself.

[First, CA is its own over-regulated socialist regime; to call it typical of the US in general is amusing at best. Second, permits for operation are only required for commercial use; if I wish to buy and use something of that nature on my own property, there's no license/permit needed. Alternatively, even if that's the case, I can always throw a few thousand dollars at someone who does have the gear and they will use it to carry out my whims. Either way, Jex is wrong to be saying 'You fail at common sense' to anyone/thing other than a mirror.]

[Edit part II: Oh yes, great point Jex! Destructive devices are HEAVILY regulated in VO... yeah...]

Why must we lower ourselves with rudeness?

In many (if not all) states, one cannot rent or operate an excavator, crane lift, forklift, or many other of the larger pieces of equipment without being a certified operator for the specific type of equipment. I know this to be true for California.

My point exactly, Whistler. I don't think anyone in their right mind would just loan, rent or buy any ship or device capable of pushing/pulling an asteroid; simply imagine the possibilities for destruction if it were abused/mishandled. So they station owners would use it as they saw fit, and then keep it off the hands of unqualified people and would-be lawyers; if someone wanted to use them, they'd better have a damn good reason.

So my next questions would be: will other newbie sectors get this "grooming" treatment? And does this mean the ore scramble is closer?

Here's the thing, in a station sector, asteroid arrangement would fall under the aurhority of the station owner or whatever government is in charge. I could certainly go rent a bulldozer, and it is entirely within my capability to use that bulldozer to rearrange my neighbor's house. I have that capability, but not that right. It would be interesting if these rules applied in VO. High-power tractor beams could be available, but if you rearrange someone else's 'roids, they might retaliate (either through official channels, or by sending the mob). This would introduce some cool gameplay. Governments or guilds could offer rewards for people who can get away with creatively rearranging 'roids in rival station sectors; for example, plugging up docks. Then, you could also make money fixing damage done to your own sectors.

I guess I don't like the new sector, because it IS very heavily "arranged"-looking. I mean, it's neat and all, but it reeks of "OK let's place this asteroid HERE, and then let's make a perfect circular ring around the cracked roid..." It seems to me to be TOO "planned out" or whatnot. Of course, I suppose that's what you were going for, since I suppose the asteroids could be moved around in whatever fashion the Dau folks like.

The "Aureola" asteroid belt is... somewhat disturbing. And it looks like the other roid string is actually lassoed around the station.

Lotsa ads in this station. But, I'd expect that in Dau.

I dunno, if I was doing it, I'd try to make it look a little more random or something with the asteroid placement. Maybe give a lot of the 'roids a very slow rotation rate. Especially the big one. That'd be neat, but probably kill FPS.

Man, lots of people DO have their mind in the gutter, don't they? ;)

The new sector's ice field looks nothing like this. So, Relax.

it does too look like the second shot! but from head on.

I think it's great.

LOL relayer... nice.
My default mental setting is "in-the-gutter", so I apologize. I'm undergoing a 12-step program for it...