The Planetary landing and planetside missions discussion Thread

[starjump]

I wonder though. Ive been part of a couple of games as closed beta tester over the years and people very often expect too much and then get disapointed. Being able to fly around the planets surface that have the same detail and fidelity as the rest of ED's universe (space stations and space ships for now) would be optimistic i think. They cant make the ground down there any less detailed or it would look weird to go from super detail to low detail. Unless we can go down to 1 area where everything are like a space port and housing etc.

I could be wrong and they manage to do something amazing, but space stations and their detail can already slow down computers so think of a whole planet with the same detail. Infinity did procedural planets and even though they look awesome they are still far from ED's detail, and making the planets belieavble in size and look down there i think would be a pretty tough job.

Im happy that we will be able to go down on planets no matter if its all the planet or a station area.

 

[Ydiss]

I wonder though. Ive been part of a couple of games as closed beta tester over the years and people very often expect too much and then get disapointed. Being able to fly around the planets surface that have the same detail and fidelity as the rest of ED's universe (space stations and space ships for now) would be optimistic i think. They cant make the ground down there any less detailed or it would look weird to go from super detail to low detail. Unless we can go down to 1 area where everything are like a space port and housing etc.

I could be wrong and they manage to do something amazing, but space stations and their detail can already slow down computers so think of a whole planet with the same detail. Infinity did procedural planets and even though they look awesome they are still far from ED's detail, and making the planets belieavble in size and look down there i think would be a pretty tough job.

Im happy that we will be able to go down on planets no matter if its all the planet or a station area.

As many have pointed out, procedural creation allows the current level of detail for 400bn stars. So the same technique will allow equal, if not higher, fidelity for planetary content.

If you actually boil it down, a single star system has very low detail. It comprises a small number of bodies represented by a small set of easily repeatable assets. The rest is just data, all of which is procedural.

Go check out the videos for No Man's Sky, if you haven't already. Procedural creation allows huge level of detail on a massive scale. The only limitations are how much content is created and how smartly it's created.

I get what you mean, it's not always a good idea to hope too much in case you might get burned and disappointed. But the game as it stands is tiny. It has tons of room for content to be added and procedural algorithms make huge levels of detail possible.

And, No Man's Sky is being created by a four man, independent team. ED is being developed by Braben and his team. I think hoping for at least a similar level of detail to No Man's Sky is a given.

 

[Maarek Stele]

There is a guy who already made an universe like this and more where you can go exploring also the planetary sides. But that is all for the moment, no fighting, trading, etc....
Just enjoy the sceneries, it is pretty amazing what he did.

Check http://en.spaceengine.org/
A review: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/holy-crap...-simulator-makes-me-wan-1648625304/+caseychan

Maybe they can hire him for developping the planetary side.

OMG... thank you so much, you made my day!!!! What I can't understand is how I never heard of it before... I heard of Pioneer (and love it) and I thought that was good.. THIS is almost unbelievable! Thanks again!

 

[Maarek Stele]

I'm probably very wrong about this but I've had a feeling for a while that we're going to GET planetary landings (or more likely some minimalistic atmospheric flight) on release in December. Just a feeling that this is the "big reveal" Lord Braben and his devs have been keeping highly compartmentalised in the underground secret laboratory. If I'm wrong, fair enough. We shall sea...

 

[woodhouse]

That sounds like a feeling you should enjoy while it lasts!

 

[Perrial]

The best part for me in previous versions of Elite were assassination missions. You get the mission which stipulates place and time of departure, then you would land just outside the star port, wait for them to depart and attack. It was my favourite part of the game, I'd love to do that again.

 

[lbm]

One thing I've always doubted a little is that FD will actually manage to create realistic planetary environments using procedural generation. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure about the limitations of PG but I would imagine that creating a barren desert planet using it would be a lot easier compared to a planet with a lot of lifeforms or one with man made structures. Someone with more knowledge of PG can probably correct me here, but I find it hard to believe that this would be an easy task.

As for planetary missions, one thing I know I would really like is archeology. Just imagine landing on a long abandoned world, doing some digging in the old ruins and finally loading your ship with tons of unique alien artifacts.

 

[Sav112]

As for planetary missions, one thing I know I would really like is archeology. Just imagine landing on a long abandoned world, doing some digging in the old ruins and finally loading your ship with tons of unique alien artifacts.

Your wearing a Indiana Hat I can just tell

 

[lbm]

Your wearing a Indiana Hat I can just tell

Of course! Always ready with my trusted hat and my plasma shovel!

 

[rudidev08]

One thing I've always doubted a little is that FD will actually manage to create realistic planetary environments using procedural generation. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure about the limitations of PG but I would imagine that creating a barren desert planet using it would be a lot easier compared to a planet with a lot of lifeforms or one with man made structures. Someone with more knowledge of PG can probably correct me here, but I find it hard to believe that this would be an easy task.

It's funny how in Fronter or First Encounters, graphics were so simple and our imagination did the rest when planet landing. Now the challenge is much bigger.

Ultimately, planetary landings would be final steps in exploration for me, find new planet, land on it, watch sunset... and I'm ok if there are compromises to make it happen. Maybe release different types of planets at different time, or cut down on initial list of features.

And what someone else mentioned before: overhangs and caves and canyons!

 

[Daveson]

A few thoughts on salvage and planetary landings

Hi all, just posted this off to the guys at F, expressing some thoughts of mine.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<Message as follows>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi.

Something that I've noticed in the game (Elite: Dangerous) is that generally speaking, salvage of any sort ends up listing the salvaged cargoes as stolen. If we compare to the IMO International Convention on Salvage, 1989, it is arguably the case that the game mechanic ought to be changed to reflect existing, real world, salvage policies. For instance, in the UK, a salvor would carry out salvage operations on a vessel or item of cargo (assuming the owner was not identifiable or had not hired the salvor for this purpose), and then report thus to Her Majesty's Protector of Wrecks. Could something like this be integrated into the game, rather than assuming theft? Surely any cargo that one recovers from a pirate, or other wanted person could be considered a reward in part for the law enforcement assistance rendered? Where a wreck is found adrift in space, could it not considered environmentally responsible to recover said cargo? Perhaps cargo owners could hire commanders and their vessels for salvage operations?

Obviously, acts of piracy can not be allowed and an individual should not be permitted to profit from their misdeeds (without consequence of bounty if caught!)

The existing mechanic requires that the salvor, upon exiting SC and having managed to avoid system security interdiction, go to silent running and get inside the station ASAP to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Anyway, just the thoughts of a maritime consultant and ex-merchant seafarer

BTW, really well done on releasing E. I've been playing since 1990 on a BBC micro and then PC and can honestly say that you have lived up to my expectations and have more than justified my kickstarter contribution. I've been waiting for this to happen since 1997! Most of my other games have been brought by me in attempts to substitute for the absence of Elite (sad, but true). Now, take a good long Christmas break, then bang out planetary landing and walking about the ship! Planetary landings (and maybe even rough landing on, lets say, an asteroid?) really would put the cherry on the cake with this - just make sure its full in-atmosphere flight and not straight-to-landing pad like in Freelancer. I'm looking forward to handling my ship in atmospheric conditions and anything less than full 100% atmospheric flight (think FE2, but throw in some weather conditions and effects i.e. steering issues in high wind, turbulence etc) would not be worthy of E and may detract from the overall game

==================================================

Any thoughts? Feel free to express yourselves, but no hating! ('tis Christmas after all...)

 

[Skepsia]

Planetary descending and atmospheric shielding

I assume this has already been thought of but....
An additional feature of shields could be used and to increase game play.

When wanting to descend into a planet with an atmosphere, switch shields to atmosphere mode, that 'pushes' atmosphere aside and acts as a friction shield.

The more powerful the shield the better this works and so the quicker a descent can be made, but as a strategy tool as well, it only works from the front so making some manoeuvres more dangerous and it could reduce or negate the rear combat shielding.

Another aspect could be that fuel scooping will not work since its shielding from an atmosphere.
Also the better the shield and the more aerodynamic the spacecraft the better handling in atmosphere

Diving into a planets atmosphere could be a legitimate escape tactic.

The faster the descent the quicker the atmosphere shield will decay so its a balance between speed and longevity of the shield till to terrestrial heights.
The more dense the atmosphere the quicker the degradation for the same speed.
Obviously at lower more conventional speeds the atmosphere shield would not be needed.

 

[Neutronium]

Planetary and atmospheric flight model is not implemented yet. It is however a planned addition for future major update(s). IMHO it will not come before Q4 2015, maybe even Q1-3 2016.

 

[JosiahD]

Planetary landings and mining....

Just wanted to say that I hope that when we eventually get planetary landings that we also have some form of mining activity as well - just found today a nice fat juicy metal rich planet that scanned to reveal a composition of 100% metal. Note please devs - that means 100% of every chunk should be metallic ore (in whatever combination) - don't want no waste material in the ore I mine from that planet one day thanks......

And being a planet of course it should be as good as inexhaustible (well, in my lifetime at any rate).

Anyone else found a planet with that sort of composition?

 

[wickta]

U sure its not a death star?

 

[Riedquat]

Daydreaming - Planetary landings idea.

I have just come back from a long drive where I went into the 'daydream zone' on the motorway.

I was thinking about planetary landings and how I couldnt really imagine how it would be, but then an idea struck me.



Imagine that players were able to purchase plots of land on planets, on these plots they can purchase factories, various different types, they would appear like the buildings in Frontier when you came down to a planet to land, not all planets would support it though.


These factories would enable you to produce commodities over time, so you could have a Farm producing grain or Animal meat , a factory producing battle weapons, a brewery producing liquor, or perhaps a narcotics factory.


Over time, your factories would produce for you and you could then sell the commodities to the market.


Now, the fun part.

These factories are not invulnerable, they can be destroyed by other players, with the right amount of firepower.


So, in order to protect them, you could purchase gun batteries/towers and also purchase NPC guards to patrol it and attack anyone who trespasses or attacks it, the more you spend, the better your protection.


I think this would be a great way for players to make money in the 'late game' as well as bringing in some nice gameplay involving the business side of things (corporate warfare. industrial espionage etc).


Perhaps you might plan to have a small farm on a remote system bringing in a modest amount, or maybe you will decide to build in a already crowded system where you will need to compete to make a profit, perhaps you will build an illegal narcotics factory and try to make a few production runs before the Federation finds and destroys it.


What do you think?, good idea?

 

[Overlord]

Not exactly the same but quite similar. I would like some sort of modular building system allowing players to build on the surface of planets or moons. Perhaps it's an unrealistic expectation, but it could function sort of like a guild hall, with the ability for players to add modular explansions and rooms with different purposes and features. Things like ship hangers, storage warhouses for goods, and as you mentioned, defense systems and farms even.
It would be something players would gradually build and expand over time(more endgame content), and would allow players to realistically occupy the areas of space with no stations without having to continually fly back to populated areas. (I would propose that they'd be invulnerable though, allthough still able to be attacked, such attacks would simply lower the stats and output of the base)

Housing systems are something a lot of MMOs try to do, but the problem they tend to have is space, and the lack of it, so with the abundance of terrain ED has it seems like an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted.
That being said, the technical aspect in getting something like that to work with the persistent universe might be something else. But then again, it's just a daydream.

 

[royalreaper]

this is genius! XD

i love the idea a lot tho i have not started a thread for it something that could play into to be more endgame stuff and player based co-op working with this idea would be player faction based "empires" and using a system to colonize systems. i mean there's what 400 billion systems in this game and only having few in comparison actually viable for the game would be lame, at least in my opinion i'd love build my own empire and colonize worlds >.<

 

[spacejumbofudge]

What planetary landings could add

I think planetary landings when they come will be tricky to get right - they need to add to the game rather than just be a passing novelty, a dull expanse of procedurally generated terrain.

As I was driving home in the dark and pouring rain tonight, it occurred to me that planets could be really difficult places to land thatoffer greater rewards for doing so. Similar commodities to an above station, but cheaper prices, if you can safely make the trip.

I'm thinking pouring rain so intense you can only navigate using your scanners (think the dropship scene in Aliens). You could have planets with strong gravity that need to you make just the right entry or smash into the ground. Platers with thick atmospheres that will burn up any ship entering at the wrong speed or angle. Landing at them should make everyone realise how easy landing at a station really is.

I'm not saying this needs to be all planets, but you could have a range - some easier that people can practice on and without much of a reward compared with a station above.

 

[DocMoriarty]

I disagree completely. There doesn't need to be anything that makes sense in terms of gameplay to make planetary landings worthwile.

In FFE when i didn't feel like doing something 'that makes sense' i often just cruised around enjoying the planets and physics and listening the music. I didn't need anything that makes sense. And with todays graphics it will be even a lot better. Just watch interesting generated landscapes, land at a beach, leave ship, enjoy some good music ...