Forums » Suggestions
Planets
Imo, Vo should add some planets for variety. This of the way they were done in privateer. They don't need to be to scale, not by a long shot, but you could have planetary space stations etc.
At least that is how it would "Look", essentially station is near a planet so it looks as though the station is orbiting the planet (regardless of whether it is or isn't).
That said, does your engine have the ability to render 8 sided objects as round? If so, a simple octotoad could be used for the planet. Worst case scenario you would use a literal sphere for it, but considering that VO doesn't really have many polies on screen at any given time anyway, it shouldn't really hit video cards muchly.
Thoughts?
At least that is how it would "Look", essentially station is near a planet so it looks as though the station is orbiting the planet (regardless of whether it is or isn't).
That said, does your engine have the ability to render 8 sided objects as round? If so, a simple octotoad could be used for the planet. Worst case scenario you would use a literal sphere for it, but considering that VO doesn't really have many polies on screen at any given time anyway, it shouldn't really hit video cards muchly.
Thoughts?
There are already planets in the game, and some of them even have space stations at them :P
I think he means as actual objects, Yoda, not as background art.
While I can certainly sympathize with his opinion on the issue, it really wouldn't make much sense unless traveling between sectors without warping became possible, since a good number of such objects are spread across several sectors. And, then, we'd have to figure out how Planets behave up-close, and how to render them as 3D objects without straining the client or the server. It would, however, work a long way towards actually landing on planets, which is an oft-requested feature.
While I can certainly sympathize with his opinion on the issue, it really wouldn't make much sense unless traveling between sectors without warping became possible, since a good number of such objects are spread across several sectors. And, then, we'd have to figure out how Planets behave up-close, and how to render them as 3D objects without straining the client or the server. It would, however, work a long way towards actually landing on planets, which is an oft-requested feature.
Planets are actual objects, well, if you have your background detail set to at least high. They rotate, you just cannot get close to them, because there are no LOD messhes created for them, and although Forboding_Angel might not mind a big blurry mess when you get up close, I am sure a lot of people would whine and say things like "planets look crappy when you get too close".
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Due to the way it works also (you can see a planet from many sectors around it, not just the planet sector) it would also take a lot of explaining away no matter how its done, can you only reach the planet if you are in the planets sector? Why? Or maybe you would suggest being able to reach the planet from any sector you can see it in, but would that not move you to the planet sector?
Do not get me wrong, I would actually like to be able to land on planets, even if it is through a system like vega strike, or privateer, I just do not think its a high priority, and it HAS been mentioned 1000+ times before, read the thread titled PLEASE READ PRIOR TO POSTING A SUGGESTION.
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Due to the way it works also (you can see a planet from many sectors around it, not just the planet sector) it would also take a lot of explaining away no matter how its done, can you only reach the planet if you are in the planets sector? Why? Or maybe you would suggest being able to reach the planet from any sector you can see it in, but would that not move you to the planet sector?
Do not get me wrong, I would actually like to be able to land on planets, even if it is through a system like vega strike, or privateer, I just do not think its a high priority, and it HAS been mentioned 1000+ times before, read the thread titled PLEASE READ PRIOR TO POSTING A SUGGESTION.
How about an interface like in EV Nova? When you land you get an intro picture and then you get options and stuff. Planets would have MASSIVE amounts of weapons HUGE inentories of ships And EXTREME piles of wigets.
maybe some moons for the planets? meteors? comets? and i want houses and people on the planets. and to shoot them. and a car, to run them over. and, umm, stuff...
And ponies. Yes.
We do have stations in orbit of planets. Itani.. K11? and Sol.. H13? come to mind, as well as others. Definitely those around gas giants, the planet occupies like 40% of the skybox screenspace (and is a real, rotating 3D object if your background detail is turned up). Even for Itani and Sol II and such, the planet is significantly closer than say, Lunar orbit. Probably about where a geostationary satellite would be (which is fairly high), but not equiv to "low earth orbit".
Those stations around planets will also figure more prominently into the economy before long (they already do, technically, but you may not notice it).
We do have stations in orbit of planets. Itani.. K11? and Sol.. H13? come to mind, as well as others. Definitely those around gas giants, the planet occupies like 40% of the skybox screenspace (and is a real, rotating 3D object if your background detail is turned up). Even for Itani and Sol II and such, the planet is significantly closer than say, Lunar orbit. Probably about where a geostationary satellite would be (which is fairly high), but not equiv to "low earth orbit".
Those stations around planets will also figure more prominently into the economy before long (they already do, technically, but you may not notice it).