Big question with a lot of points to consider. And I know my arguments will be dismissed because "CIG is incompetent"
Most important point : atm it seems that the server is at its max capacity with one system (Stanton). They can perhaps tweak and boost their actual server to force ONE new system (Pyro) in it but it's higly probable that the result gives us an even more unstable server than the one we have now. I think CIG can't add new systems without adding new servers = at least a static server meshing. So, no other systems before server meshing v1. The release date of server meshing is, of course, completely unknown.
The Stanton+Pyro systems are also only test bed systems. You will even find in Stanton a planet that is not part of the Stanton system : Delamar planet with the pirate station GrimHEX are from the Nys system and will be moved in the future. They are in Stanton just to test the outlaw gameplay.
I think the actual goal of CIG is not yet to deliver other systems/moons/planets except for Pyro. They are stil prototyping in Stanton+Pyro, Pyro just needed for testing Jumpoint. When all major prototypes will be done, they will be able to deliver new systems. If they deliver now, they will have to redo too much. It was the case with the switch from planetary V3 to V4 and it's atm the case with the switch from flash tech to the Building Blocks tech. One of BB's job is to manage all buttons, computers screen, lock codes for chest/door/container in sceneries/missions and you still find old buttons everywhere in the actual Stanton that have to be replaced.
I think also that the prototyping phase for the generic elements of system creation is almost at end (except for space stations).
A short summary of technologies related to the creation of systems :
IN GAME
- procedurally generated planets with handmade elements : they said the tech is mature enough but they are still working on heightmaps. Heightmaps can have big impact and force to redo some places.
- procedurally generated outposts with handmade elements : the tech seems mature but they don't talk a lot about it. It may be not mature enough for CIG. They work atm on a proc engine generating whole villages (they are made by hand now) but I don't know if CIG want it finished to deliver new systems.
- procedurally generated stations with handmade elements : tech not mature. They work on signage and maps (station have no signs atm). The procedural generator is not good enough too (they said they want to achieve a more logical placement of rooms). And they still have to add big engines tech and new elements (docking engine and cargo decks). Docking engine and cargo decks are WIP. All existing stations will be redone.
- biomes (include city/industrial biomes). I can't find the exact number but I've seen at least 15 of them. They seems pretty stables and I don't think that improving a biome forces you to redo some places on planets/moons.
- planets caves. They haven't improved them and haven't talked about it since their release. They have a lot of problems (very easy to get stuck). They are working on giant ones explorable by ships and they have a lot of new assets in the Klesher prison's cave. I suspect they will redo existing caves with a new evolution of the engine sooner or later.
- asteroids. They work on a new version. Don't know if they are easy to redo or not.
- abandonned/destroyed stations. I have no info.
WIP
- a huge asteroid belt (Aaron Halo) that you can't pass with QT. You must go through specific giant doors (see video below)
- gates for wormholes. Used to go to another system.
- big canyons. There are small ones but they need to improve heightmaps engine to make big ones
- big caves. There have caves explorable by foot. They work on huge caves explorables with ships.
- cargo decks and docking elements in station.
INDUSTRIALIZATION OF THE CREATION OF WORLDS
There are many signs that CIG is designing its tools with industrialization in mind.
CIG often talk about simplifying workflow for the creative teams and bypassing dev for a lot of tasks. Their tools, when they show them, are pretty impressives from the usability aspect. For instance, the Building Block tech integrate HTML+CSS for the rendering part and they have stated that you can create missions without specific knowledge with it. And finally a lot of powerful proc generator are developped for the base elements of planets, moons, caves, stations and outposts.
But the main sign is that Turbulent recruit atm a whole team dedicated only to create systems. CIG wants to outsource (at least for a part) the creation of systems and it seems their tools are ready to start this phase. So to the question "how long will it take CIG to finish the 2nd system or the 3rd, etc ?" I will say it can be pretty 'fast' when all prototypes and assets will be finished by CIG. The number of people in the Turbulent and CIG teams assigned to the system creation will purely define the rate of delivery. How many people will be assigned ? 10, 50, 100 people ? Except SOL, every other systems will be much easier to do than Stanton. Pyro has 10 stellar objects. They made the 3 Microtech's moons in 3 months by two people. A quick and not very useful little calculation can give us a 0.5 stellar object/person/month. So with 50 persons, you can achieve 25 stellar objects/month = 2.5 systems/month like Pyro = 30 systems/year. But this calculations does not take into account the specificities of some systems like the Elysium one or the creation of new assets from time to time. The rate will be much slower because a lot of elements will be unique and hand made.
WIP Aaron Halo (asteroid belt preventing QT)
Source: https://youtu.be/eP2CykvbgYk?t=146
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