Lets Play a Game - Planetary Surface Features: What would you like to see?

Walt Kerman · Aug 11, 2015

Planetary Surface Features: What would you like to see?

Here’s something that will be fun. When I was out exploring, I often looked at the planetary info the game provides and wondered... what would be on the planets if planetary landings was ever implemented. It was a game I played by myself to fight off space madness, and when I got back I sort of missed it. I'd been planning on posting it for a while. Now with planetary landings announced, what better time to start? In the process brainstorm features we would like to see on the surface. Who knows! We may even give the developers an idea or two.

So, here is how it works:

Are you out exploring right now? See a planet that is interesting? Post its info from the system map view with pictures, and come up with a little story. It can be from the area of the planet, or an RP story, as long as it revolves around some feature or interaction on the surface that you would like to see. Awesome planet pictures preferred.

OR

It can be as simple as a suggestion of something you want to see. Remember... to make a procedurally generated environment that isn’t unbearably repetitive, variety and believability is important (at least in my opinion).

I'll be honest with you. I bought the game for exploring. And planetary landings will really help fill that area, which desperately needs content.

I started a running list of structures here. I will develop this list as we go. Of course I don’t expect it to go into this much detail (this is not a speculation thread), but its fun to explore possibilities.

Geological
- geothermal activity?
  - Volcanoes (Onshore and off)
  - Geysers
  - Earthquakes
  - Mountains
  - Plates/Pangea
  - Protective magnetosphere
    - Maintains atmosphere
- Weathering (Dependant on Weather and Atmospheric Conditions)
  - Type
    - Liquid
    - Gas
    - Solid/Sand/Ice
    - Combo
- Natural Structure Types (Existance dependant on Weather and Weathering)
  - Canyons
  - Cliffs
  - Glaciated Valleys (Often seen together, created by the same processes, dependant on past climate)
    - Aretes
    - Cirques
    - Fjords
    - Glacial trough
    - Glaciers (Dependant on current climate)
    - Hanging Valley (often creates small waterfalls)
    - Ribbon lakes
  - Rivers
    - Drainage Basins
    - Deltas
    - Distributaries
    - Estuaries
    - Gorge
    - Meander or straight (dependent on elevation change)
    - Ox Bows
    - Point Bar
    - Rapids (Dependant on rocks resistance to erosion and depth)
    - River cliffs (Outer meander)
    - Waterfalls (and subsequent plunge pools)
  - Caves
  - Coastal and Offshore
    - Archs
    - Bars
    - Bays
    - Coastal Caves (Imagine if tides are included)
    - Cliffs (Coloring dependant on rock type)
    - Carbonate platforms(life must have been present on the planet in the past to create the carbonate rock which forms these!)
      - Lagoons
      - Reefs
      - Mud Mounds
      - Atoll
      - Islands
  - Craters
    - More atmosphere means less and requires larger mass to create one
    - Does it change the coloring of the planet in that area with different ejecta
Atmospheric
- Sky color
- Weather
- Pressure related
Non-naturally occurring structures
- Sentient (advanced species) made objects
- Non-Sentient
Life
- Big Game Hunting

I went to town on the geology part to kick it off. Its one of my areas of interest and close to my career. Now show me what you got! There is a galaxies worth to add.

Walt Kerman · Aug 11, 2015

dc83 said:
No thanks. Seen enough speculation threads.

Not a speculation thread though and why did you comment

. Its more of a think tank, combined with some RP. Have some fun mate.

fluffa · Aug 11, 2015

What would you like to see

Not another pointless thread?

nexxo · Aug 11, 2015

Starbucks outlet.

Hey, it adds realism.

Boff'in · Aug 11, 2015

Lovely ideas, yes things like coastal arches and caves....coool!!

However

I'm getting to the point where I feel the planetary landing conversation has hit peak interest for me.

I don't want to speculate or talk about features "i would rather see".

Because it sets my "gamer expectations" into action.

I'd rather NOT think about it, and let Frontier surprise me with what they can produce relevant gameplay around,

so I don't wind up walking around with expected features in my head for what may be years to come that might not exist in final game, and I fall into the pattern of Gamers Dissappointment/outrage as a result.

sensai25 · Aug 11, 2015

Airless moon and rocky planet.

M00ka · Aug 11, 2015

Good post and rep given for thinking about what might be. And don't worry about those naysayers, some will disagree with any post they didn't create

Leper Messiah · Aug 11, 2015

OP, I don't think the system of creating planets will be advanced enough for most of what you put in your initial post...but man it would be cool!

Imagine capturing a picture of a volcano erupting just as the Sun(s) come up over the horizon!!

Walt Kerman · Aug 11, 2015

Boff'in said:
Lovely ideas, yes things like coastal arches and caves....coool!!

However

I'm getting to the point where I feel the planetary landing conversation has hit peak interest for me.

I don't want to speculate or talk about features "i would rather see".

Because it sets my "gamer expectations" into action.

I'd rather NOT think about it, and let Frontier surprise me with what they can produce relevant gameplay around,

so I don't wind up walking around with expected features in my head for what may be years to come that might not exist in final game, and I fall into the pattern of Gamers Dissappointment/outrage as a result.

Good lord. Maybe I should have posted this in RP and lore or something. There is some creativity over there without it raising people expectations. Look, I clearly said its not a speculation thread but a bit of a game I played while exploring. I'm not a developer, just a guy who likes to play video games on Friday posting about what I'm interested in. This shouldn't set expectations. The forums are meant to talk about these things so that the developers can get a gauge of their target audience. Not so we can sit around quietly congratulating them as they give us their vision. They will do that anyway, and maybe add an idea for the forum or two. This really shouldn't be that threatening.

sensai25 said:
Airless moon and rocky planet.

You will be happy to know the rest are coming too. Again, this isnt a speculation post about whats coming out in Horizons anyway.

c64orinoco · Aug 11, 2015

Icebergs, glaciers.

Maybe some weird things entire planets of columnar basalt.

Crystal worlds; corrosive atmospheres that need special hull coatings to survive.

Deadly gas giants - they'll crush your hull. I'd like to see stars, neutron stars and black holes be a bit more deadly than they are.

I would love to see Iain Banks Culture-style Orbitals or Plates; Niven style Ringworlds, Dyson Spheres or Niven-style smoke rings around Neutron Stars.

Real Pulsars would be nice too.

deathmagnet · Aug 11, 2015

This looks fun... I was planning on doing some exploring once Planetary Landings arrives. Gonna be fun.

Telakin · Aug 12, 2015

Just imagine the sight - crystalline fields glistening in twin rising suns, reflecting the broken image of your new Anaconda, as it takes off with it's new owner, leaving you with a buggy and worn-out sidewinder. Priceless!

Windscreen Smudge · Aug 12, 2015

I want to see a prolific amount of these.

emacinnes · Aug 12, 2015

I'd like to see power-specific detailing on the buildings, so that we can see at least some visible change of a swap to a power.

encrypted · Aug 12, 2015

I'd like to see power-specific detailing on the buildings, so that we can see at least some visible change of a swap to a power.

They're not even on stations or ships now, so it's a very small chance

Iori · Aug 12, 2015

I want to race in the volcanic areas of this metallic planet very close to a blue star. I love the greenish color it reflects.

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Cradle2Grave · Aug 12, 2015

There's no atmosphere so the options are narrowed

orfeboy · Aug 12, 2015

Two armies of opposing robot monsters piloted by gold and silver androids, locked in eternal combat.

All traces of their creators gone save for one lone survivor. He now roams this wasteland in a forgotten world known only as Zoidstar.

These soulless beasts call him the Namer!

Herik · Aug 12, 2015

Leper Messiah said:
OP, I don't think the system of creating planets will be advanced enough for most of what you put in your initial post...but man it would be cool!

Imagine capturing a picture of a volcano erupting just as the Sun(s) come up over the horizon!!

Actually I believe we will see that; I hear there will be Ice, Volcanic, Metallic, and a mix of any two of these on airless bodies, correct me if I'm wrong. I believe I heard vocanic spews in later season 2 updates, thus your desire is fulfilled.

Watcher · Aug 12, 2015

Small communities that can grow or shrink over time with your actions potentially having an affect on that.

For the rocky, airless worlds you could certainly have mining communities that are modular or domed or dug in to the rock or a mix of those things.
Get the odd mission, perhaps they need more food, perhaps an illness has broken out and could really do with some medicine. Or some new mining machinery. Probably no commodities market, though perhaps very restricted with ore for sale.
Complete missions and perhaps the community will get bigger, if things go wrong perhaps it will shrink or disappear altogether - perhaps you'd need to help evacuate even (though we need a passenger upgrade for that).