The Planetary landing and planetside missions discussion Thread
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hello games claims to have accomplished it with a 4 man team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVl1Hmth3HE
if 4 men can do it...
FYP for effect.
I think we could get lost in the detail so I will just mention a basic concept that I think will be important however they implement it and then a couple of ideas.
The basic concept.
There needs to be a connection to the space we are leaving. So things that we do on planets should somehow be tied into what we do in space as well otherwise the game world will become fragmented and feel like two different games. So for example a delivery mission to another continent on the planet so we have to get back in our ship and make a quick orbital flight or perhaps a mission to another nearby planet or space station.
Ideas
We can mine in space how about we can mine on planets that are not inhabited?
Terrain mapping? Perhaps achieved by low orbit.
Resource mapping? Perhaps achieved by low flight and/or First person.
Braben says Big game hunting I say species cataloguing.
(Not Pokermon in space )Well I will stop there because I dare say we could go on forever.
I might comeback if I think of that one thing that is really needed.
well considering they have a solid release date and are now being backed by Sony it can be considered a credible claim. No instancing, seamless and multiplayer, looks great! and everything procedural including the species...
No Man's Sky Developer Commentary - E3 2014
http://www.ign.com/videos/2014/06/10/no-mans-sky-developer-commentary-e3-2014
really interesting as they fly from one planets surface to another
Space engine also has planetary landing (free download btw)
http://en.spaceengine.org/
and insain indie planetary landing stuff with deformable terrain....
http://www.outerra.com/wfeatures.html
(also demo on site)
Features Summary
•Realistically looking terrain with high detail
•Unlimited visibility, detail ranging from thousands of kilometers down to centimeters
•Real time atmospheric rendering
•Rendering of vast dense forests and grass
•Seamless transition from space down to the planet surface
•Adaptive LOD with continuous transitions. Elevation data are preprocessed using special wavelet compression, the required level of detail is extracted effectively on the fly
•Partitioned compressed dataset can be downloaded progressively over the web
•Fractal refinement mimicking the natural processes (erosion, rocks, overhangs)
•Procedural texture generator combining mathematical models and climatic data
•Bitmap overlays for specific areas
•Vector data - roads, rivers, land class polygons
•Uses OpenGL 3.3
•Dynamic shadows
•Fully asynchronous multi-threaded design able to utilize all available CPU cores
•Terrain and fractal algorithms runing completely on the GPU
•Stable frame rate system
•Supports arbitrary and varying resolution of elevation datasets, refined to centimeter resolution by fractal algorithms
•Embedded web browser allowing for direct web service integration
•Supports COLLADA 3D model file format
•Integrates a Flight Dynamics Model library for high fidelity simulation of aircraft, rockets
•Global physics engine for simulation of vehicle physics and collision detection
so the technology is not an issue
No Man's Sky Developer Commentary - E3 2014
http://www.ign.com/videos/2014/06/10/no-mans-sky-developer-commentary-e3-2014
really interesting as they fly from one planets surface to another
Space engine also has planetary landing (free download btw)
http://en.spaceengine.org/
and insain indie planetary landing stuff with deformable terrain....
http://www.outerra.com/wfeatures.html
(also demo on site)
Features Summary
•Realistically looking terrain with high detail
•Unlimited visibility, detail ranging from thousands of kilometers down to centimeters
•Real time atmospheric rendering
•Rendering of vast dense forests and grass
•Seamless transition from space down to the planet surface
•Adaptive LOD with continuous transitions. Elevation data are preprocessed using special wavelet compression, the required level of detail is extracted effectively on the fly
•Partitioned compressed dataset can be downloaded progressively over the web
•Fractal refinement mimicking the natural processes (erosion, rocks, overhangs)
•Procedural texture generator combining mathematical models and climatic data
•Bitmap overlays for specific areas
•Vector data - roads, rivers, land class polygons
•Uses OpenGL 3.3
•Dynamic shadows
•Fully asynchronous multi-threaded design able to utilize all available CPU cores
•Terrain and fractal algorithms runing completely on the GPU
•Stable frame rate system
•Supports arbitrary and varying resolution of elevation datasets, refined to centimeter resolution by fractal algorithms
•Embedded web browser allowing for direct web service integration
•Supports COLLADA 3D model file format
•Integrates a Flight Dynamics Model library for high fidelity simulation of aircraft, rockets
•Global physics engine for simulation of vehicle physics and collision detection
so the technology is not an issue
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FYP for effect.
I think we could get lost in the detail so I will just mention a basic concept that I think will be important however they implement it and then a couple of ideas.
The basic concept.
There needs to be a connection to the space we are leaving. So things that we do on planets should somehow be tied into what we do in space as well otherwise the game world will become fragmented and feel like two different games. So for example a delivery mission to another continent on the planet so we have to get back in our ship and make a quick orbital flight or perhaps a mission to another nearby planet or space station.
Ideas
We can mine in space how about we can mine on planets that are not inhabited?
Terrain mapping? Perhaps achieved by low orbit.
Resource mapping? Perhaps achieved by low flight and/or First person.
Braben says Big game hunting I say species cataloguing.
Well I will stop there because I dare say we could go on forever.
I might comeback if I think of that one thing that is really needed.
fight pirates?
kill aliens
fight feddie, empire and alliance soldiers?
Looking at this No mans sky and other demos here gaves me more confidence that FD can pull this off, especially with DB at the helm considering his background in procedural generation.
No.
This is a terrible way to go about designing and developing this game in the future. Instead of discouraging the stay on a planet, rather, incentivise and encourage leaving it. Don't diminish the appeal of staying on a planet, increase the appeal of visiting elsewhere. Make other destinations and endeavours, be it in space or other planets or moons, just as appealing and enticing.
A player might find there's so much gameplay and content on just this one planet, and feels there's more than enough to keep him there for a very long time, but one day he might hear from a friend or a forum post about so many other destinations that are just as or even more attractive.
When he realises that all the days, weeks or months he's spent on that single planet isn't but a speck of how much the game world has to offer, that is the potential of the awesome scope that ED can offer.
Not some bullsh*t deliberate decision by the designers to make something in the game worse so that it bores players prompting them to explore. Exploration doesn't need prompting, it should be a player choice/playstyle.
I agree with Raresteak. What I find amazing is the idea to be flying in space, then see a tiny pixel in the distance, fly towards it, and as I approach, I realize it's a planet that I can land on and spend hours exploring or doing little missions on. Then as I play on it, I look at the sky and see all these stars, and think that there are billions of other planets around them where I can land and spend time.
This is what makes the scope of ED absolutely stunning.
This is what makes the scope of ED absolutely stunning.
Raresteak and Zeph, yes
What im hoping for with this is the ability to choose myself a home. This actually creates a "home" planet and a starting point, a place to travel far from, a place to feel afraid to stray too far from. Exploring becomes that little bit more exciting and mysterious. Being able to choose new homes can be a big decision, depending on prices and locations. Maybe you have to move for career purposes or just aesthetic.
Also as someone mentioned earlier, dinosaurs
What im hoping for with this is the ability to choose myself a home. This actually creates a "home" planet and a starting point, a place to travel far from, a place to feel afraid to stray too far from. Exploring becomes that little bit more exciting and mysterious. Being able to choose new homes can be a big decision, depending on prices and locations. Maybe you have to move for career purposes or just aesthetic.
Also as someone mentioned earlier, dinosaurs
In planetary landings gameplay should trump realism.
It should be a visual treat and be as interesting as possible.
The realistic thing would be you could play the game for your life and not find a planet with life on and the vast majority would not have flowing water or any vegetation. True realism vs gameplay...
It should be a visual treat and be as interesting as possible.
The realistic thing would be you could play the game for your life and not find a planet with life on and the vast majority would not have flowing water or any vegetation. True realism vs gameplay...
You should be able to find an uninhabited planet and make your own base there, maybe even shield it from being discovered by scnners and people would have to fly down to notice it.
the scope is huge, but I like the idea of being able to stake your claim on a planet, make build space stations etc. maybe have to then come up against the might of the federation if your station becomes popular
the scope is huge, but I like the idea of being able to stake your claim on a planet, make build space stations etc. maybe have to then come up against the might of the federation if your station becomes popular
One other thing I forgot to add earlier. In frontier, landing on a planet could sometimes be a really risky affair, when the planet had an extreme gravitational pull. I didn't mind there being a risk, or that landing was a challenge, but an occasional planet would present an extreme likelihood of crashing, to the degree that visiting that planet was not worth the risk.
With flight assist in ED, this might not be a problem any longer. I'm just hoping this is considered when designing planetary landings and flight mechanics. There should be more of a challenge navigating high gravitational planets, but there shouldn't be any situations where loss of a ship can occur outside of the player's control.
With flight assist in ED, this might not be a problem any longer. I'm just hoping this is considered when designing planetary landings and flight mechanics. There should be more of a challenge navigating high gravitational planets, but there shouldn't be any situations where loss of a ship can occur outside of the player's control.
There is so much potential for the planetary landing part. It could potentially encourage a whole load of new players who only want to play the planetary side of the game. Depending on how the engine handles it there is scope for it to be first person shooter, or a zelda esque adventure game following a variety of missions. Possibly even a real time rts. Though unlikely there is still potential for each.
I would just like the ability to land on a planet and take some rock samples, then take them back to a station for analysis and find out that there is some rare mineral there. When I return to start mining I take a few friends with me and in turn they invite others and before long the federation build an outpost in orbit along with a few buildings on the surface. Within a short amount of time pirates start turning up in the area but as there is still an abundance of rescources then the federation reply by upping the security in the sector until the outpost is upgraded to a full station requiring other trades to be brought in. Meanwhile one of my "trusted" partners has leaked the location of this find to the Empire and before you know it espionage missions are going on the surface of the planet and the station. Months later rumours of an incoming invasion start surfacing and so the federation start emobilising a fleet to respond to any threat. Before long the Empire turn up and a full scale war happens. When the dust settles there has been severe losses on both sides and the once prosperous settlement is now in tatters and with so much war debris about the potential for mining has gone.
Or something like this!
I would just like the ability to land on a planet and take some rock samples, then take them back to a station for analysis and find out that there is some rare mineral there. When I return to start mining I take a few friends with me and in turn they invite others and before long the federation build an outpost in orbit along with a few buildings on the surface. Within a short amount of time pirates start turning up in the area but as there is still an abundance of rescources then the federation reply by upping the security in the sector until the outpost is upgraded to a full station requiring other trades to be brought in. Meanwhile one of my "trusted" partners has leaked the location of this find to the Empire and before you know it espionage missions are going on the surface of the planet and the station. Months later rumours of an incoming invasion start surfacing and so the federation start emobilising a fleet to respond to any threat. Before long the Empire turn up and a full scale war happens. When the dust settles there has been severe losses on both sides and the once prosperous settlement is now in tatters and with so much war debris about the potential for mining has gone.
Or something like this!
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hopefully the systems will be properly fleshed out before we even start thinking about it though, with that I mean in system traffic moving goods and people between starports and outposts, maybe the occasional cap ship requiring supplies, some construction and mining going on making things more interesting, also it would be nice to have persistant debris and floating goods requiring cleanup
Normally out of common courtesy I read the entire thread,but I haven't yet done so.I just wanted to say that the planetary landings expansion,when it comes,has the potential to lift this game into prevously unheard of scope for any game,not just space games.And I hope it turns out to be a very complex experience.
To those thinking of building a house or base on a planet, I really don't think this will be possible. So far ED is designed in a way that doesn't let the player leave a physical mark on the game world. You won't be able to buy or build stations in space like you could in the X series (apart from those inflatable little stations but we have yet to hear more about how they will work and if they will be persistent), so it's not likely you'll be able to do so on planets.
However, one thing that could be possible, would be to buy/rent an appartment in a city or station. Basically, there could be a few different types, and each player would buy his personal instance on a certain station, where they could possibly customize it a little. Something like player's apartments in Playstation Home (I'm sure there are things like this in many games but I don't play MMOs). This won't require actual physical real estate in the game world (each appartment would be like a "parallel universe" for each player), and won't need you to actually build or create a new station, so I think it does agree with the game's philosophy.
However, one thing that could be possible, would be to buy/rent an appartment in a city or station. Basically, there could be a few different types, and each player would buy his personal instance on a certain station, where they could possibly customize it a little. Something like player's apartments in Playstation Home (I'm sure there are things like this in many games but I don't play MMOs). This won't require actual physical real estate in the game world (each appartment would be like a "parallel universe" for each player), and won't need you to actually build or create a new station, so I think it does agree with the game's philosophy.
If we get full planets and cities and buildings there'd be plenty of space for non-instanced housing though. Then it's just a case of if the bandwidth and servers can handle the player population having their own physical real estates in the game, and if FDEV can find an efficient way to do that. I'd imagine there are thousands of apartments in any given major space station, and a lot more for apartments on any big city on a planet.
Most simple way to handle this would be to walk inside the hallway of a huge building, and upon taking the elevator, you'd be taken directly to your instanced room, without the need to occupy an actual place in the building, ie. many players could have a room at the same spot. I don't think it will be necessary to make this too complex, there will already be so many things to create for the devs.