Are we ever going to expand to the Nebulae?

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

One of the things about this game that gets me is that this game contains some absolutely majestic sights, yet explorers are the only ones that can get to see them up close.

A few months ago I started a thread called "Pleiades Colonization!". I may have been a bit overzealous in that thread, but I suggested that FD created community goals to create Coriolis/Ocellus stations out in the systems Maia, Merope and Pleiades Sector (I forget)-(I forget). I even PM'd Ed Lewis, and I received no responses at all. Perhaps they were very busy at that time and never saw the post or saw the PM, and nothing has been said yet, but I hope they've had plans for this to happen at some point.

It's such a beautifully crafted galaxy, and we're in a bubble with very little in it except for K/G/M stars and your average black nothingness. Why not expand! Just a few systems, even with simple outposts only, that allow other professions than explorers to take part in experiencing that rich setting. The Pleiades even has dozens of pristine-metallic rings and belts, especially the Merope systems, all waiting to be tapped!

Here is a Pleiades screenshot archive, from my trip there. You can see all of the wonderful locations, and Merope's galaxy map doesn't give you a sense of how eerie it is, how spine-tingly. It's gorgeous.

Please, FD, consider this!

 

[CMDR Starschulz]

Would it be healthy to live in one of those?

 

[Roqinn]

Here Here!! I would love to move out into a more colorful section of the galaxy! Nebulae are what got me into star gazing in the first place. I would love to base my craft out there!

 

[HailVectron]

If I remember correctly from my astronomical readings - if you get close to nebulae, it won't look any different to normal space. We only see the nebulosity because we are so far away. The gas and dust is still barely above the density of the surrounding space, so the closer you get, the more disparate it will seem. It won't be like flying through fog....

 

[Deleted member 38366]

--- Deleted ---

 

[Aute]

well i think it would be great feature to actually have some smallish far away inhabited sectors

 

[[VR] Deggial]

If I remember correctly from my astronomical readings - if you get close to nebulae, it won't look any different to normal space. We only see the nebulosity because we are so far away. The gas and dust is still barely above the density of the surrounding space, so the closer you get, the more disparate it will seem. It won't be like flying through fog....

Exactly. There is about one atom in a cubic meter - nothing you would really call "fog" when you are used to the weather in England, I guess. (Correct me, if I am wrong; I'm not British...).
However, in comparison to the "usual" density of matter, this is really overcrowded, somehow...

But this is a game and beauty and stunning visuals trump realism (rightfully). Hence most nebulae indeed look awesome and I wouldn't mind the opportunity to play more in these gorgeous regions of space!

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

If I remember correctly from my astronomical readings - if you get close to nebulae, it won't look any different to normal space. We only see the nebulosity because we are so far away. The gas and dust is still barely above the density of the surrounding space, so the closer you get, the more disparate it will seem. It won't be like flying through fog....

I was in some of these systems, and it certainly doesn't feel like the bubble. You can see a slight green/purple hue in the background, not black. Go check it out, it's awesome!

 

[Obsidian Ant]

I would love to be out in those areas doing combat, trading, mining and docking with stations! The places have a very, very different feel to inhabited space...and really - at the moment, having such beautiful areas completely empty is such a waste.

These are some old screenshots:

 

[Jet Fusion]

The reality is that we don't know how it looks from up close. It's all seen from the infrared spectrum. It's background noise and radiation. You might not see anything at all when you are really there. These things are huge.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

The reality is that we don't know how it looks from up close. It's all seen from the infrared spectrum. It's background noise and radiation. You might not see anything at all when you are really there. These things are huge.

True. But I think CMDR Hagglebeard is asking if we will be expanding there within the game (not real life ) - and within the game, the nebula are certainly visible...

 

[Jarek Storm]

If I remember correctly from my astronomical readings - if you get close to nebulae, it won't look any different to normal space. We only see the nebulosity because we are so far away. The gas and dust is still barely above the density of the surrounding space, so the closer you get, the more disparate it will seem. It won't be like flying through fog....

This is not the case in Elite. Once you get away from the system's star, you are literally surrounded by colors and nebulous clouds. I just visited Pleiades for the very first time today, and it's pretty amazing. I even saw a black hole in Maia.

I have mixed feelings about filling that area with players and npcs and stations though. It's really nice out there now, and I kind of hate the thought of that being commercialized so to speak. I suppose there's other secluded areas to enjoy of course, and it would be neat to have that backdrop while fighting, trading, etc. It's just really nice and peaceful and not too far away like so many other exotic destinations in Elite.

Edit: Looks like Granite posted some excellent screens of the in game nebula showing what I was trying to describe. Really nice.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

Pleiades is awesome! Bernard's Loop (in the screenshots above) is super impresive!

There are so many nebula in the game (hundreds of them) that I wouldn't worry about a few of them getting occupied. In fact a few nebula have systems which require permits, so it's pretty obvious that Frontier have plans for them at some point.

 

[Jarek Storm]

Pleiades is awesome! Bernard's Loop (in the screenshots above) is super impresive!

There are so many nebula in the game (hundreds of them) that I wouldn't worry about a few of them getting occupied. In fact a few nebula have systems which require permits, so it's pretty obvious that Frontier have plans for them at some point.

I don't know man, only 400 billion systems, can we afford to spare any? Seriously though, as I was exploring out there earlier, I thought about how neat it would be if we had a nebula smack dab in the middle of our area. I thought that maybe a star could explode and create a nebula right in Eranin or something haha. I guess expanding outward might be a better solution than exploding a star. Maybe.

On an unrelated note, I just realized you're Obsidian Ant, one of my subbed YouTube channels. Thanks for that .ini tweak guide, I'm running the game with those tweaks and 2.0 super sampling, and the planets are just breathtaking now. That's actually what got me exploring this week for the first time, your tweaks sent me on a 1,800 LY planet gazing round trip, so thanks for that.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

I don't know man, only 400 billion systems, can we afford to spare any? Seriously though, as I was exploring out there earlier, I thought about how neat it would be if we had a nebula smack dab in the middle of our area. I thought that maybe a star could explode and create a nebula right in Eranin or something haha. I guess expanding outward might be a better solution than exploding a star. Maybe.

On an unrelated note, I just realized you're Obsidian Ant, one of my subbed YouTube channels. Thanks for that .ini tweak guide, I'm running the game with those tweaks and 2.0 super sampling, and the planets are just breathtaking now. That's actually what got me exploring this week for the first time, your tweaks sent me on a 1,800 LY planet gazing round trip, so thanks for that.

Haha you're welcome!! It's great to hear the tweaks are working well on your setup. There are some amazing areas out there.

As for a nebula in Eranin - well I kinda like that place. But if we look hard enough, I'm sure there is a star or two in populated space that we could blow up. Could be a nice Powerplay goal...

 

[Commander Slick]

If I remember correctly from my astronomical readings - if you get close to nebulae, it won't look any different to normal space. We only see the nebulosity because we are so far away. The gas and dust is still barely above the density of the surrounding space, so the closer you get, the more disparate it will seem. It won't be like flying through fog....

what you say is true. all the stuff we see on TV (the convenient nebula to 'escape' into) & the colorful stuff in movies cannot be seen with human eyes.

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

I have mixed feelings about filling that area with players and npcs and stations though. It's really nice out there now, and I kind of hate the thought of that being commercialized so to speak. I suppose there's other secluded areas to enjoy of course, and it would be neat to have that backdrop while fighting, trading, etc. It's just really nice and peaceful and not too far away like so many other exotic destinations in Elite.

I was thinking about just that, especially with the Pleiades, but it's so close to us and has a wealth of natural resources. It seems like the logical choice, and expanding to the Coalsack is... well, still black xD

Perhaps in the future different nebulae could foster different types of people (thanks for this suggestion, 777Driver), so for example, the Pleiades could be mining/tourism, while the Coalsack could be crime-ridden?

- - - Updated - - -

I would love to be out in those areas doing combat, trading, mining and docking with stations! The places have a very, very different feel to inhabited space...and really - at the moment, having such beautiful areas completely empty is such a waste.

These are some old screenshots:

http://i.imgur.com/YP1aLHA.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/29oNs6v.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ckoJrNW.jpg

Thank you very much for the effort you put into this post, Granite! Glad you could help

- - - Updated - - -

Haha you're welcome!! It's great to hear the tweaks are working well on your setup. There are some amazing areas out there.

As for a nebula in Eranin - well I kinda like that place. But if we look hard enough, I'm sure there is a star or two in populated space that we could blow up. Could be a nice Powerplay goal...

That could happen, but it would take a lot of effort from FD as they'd have to implement Supernova code, wipe all of the data from that particular system, and replace it with all of that new code (Anthony Ross might be in for it). Plus, don't the effects of supernovae, the spread of the remnants from the explosion take years to spread out into interstellar space?

 

[Lobstris]

I was hoping that the Gamescon announcement would be an 'Explorer's/Astronomer's Graphics Upgrade', adding more nebula effects, comets, pulsar/black-hole 'beams' and 'jets', accretion disks, larger stellar dust clouds, oblate or irregular shaped stars etc. Well, we can but dream. (Visited the Coalsack and Chameleon in game last night. Kinda spooky from certain directions when up close...)

 

[shadragon]

The paperwork is tied up in the council zoning review and approvals office. Apparently, they forgot to file form 17-AA-9002 in triplicate and the photocopiers on the blink again.

You know how it is; paperwork.

 

[Strangepork]

Let's see there have been 2 new stations.... so far.

If ALL new stations were to be built at the current pace, in the direction of the nearest nebula which is appx. 700 ly, spaced at systems aapx. 15 LY apart.

We'll be there by 2042.