The Skybox

[Oberdofer]

Dear Explorers! Let's be honest the sky in Elite dangerous is a breakthrough. We can see the real stars on their real positions. But how many stars do we see?

Science says the galaxy core's sky should have so many stars so it's enough to make it look like a daylight in space. Here is a link, take a look http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-the-night-sky-would-look-like-from-inside-a-globul-1589324556

Spoiler

Full size image. Zoom in to the core http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1501/m31PHAT_hubble_10000.jpg

Though in ED we see only a tiny percentage of the beauty. The stars are visible to estimated 50 ly. So even on highest graphic setting the globular cluster or galactic core from inside will look so dark like as if we were still on the Galaxy's backyard - Earth. I thought the real representation of the sky is quite complicated and even impossible, but I have changed my mind after seeing how some stars are visible from a greater distance for a porpoise. Like for example specially for a tourist spot called Black Treasure in TRAIKOA FL-P E5-4 http://imgur.com/a/HpdNb.



So here is the question: Would we like to have a setting for more realistic sky, giving us some control over star visibility distance?

UPD: I will pin it here, totally worth it.

You can always try this tweak ('Moar Stars in da skybox' paragraph) to have more stars in the skybox as well as in the maps.

Example in the Galmap:

Spoiler

http://i.imgur.com/zlx4Ej1.png

http://i.imgur.com/2PtH6kl.jpg

 

[Ziljan]

The core is dense with stars but afaik not nearly as dense as stars in a globular cluster. Granted is still much denser than the game allow. I mean can you imagine trying to select a star when there are 100 stars crammed into a 3ly cube?? Unfortunately this is probably also why there are no globular clusters in the game. For instance the core of a typical globular cluster would have stars as far apart from each other as Pluto is from the sun. Madness.

I would love a more realistic sky, including barely visible nebula in the optical spectrum (and more spectrums available as toggles), Globular Clusters, and blinding stars while fuel scooping. It would be nice if the game visually looked more realistic even if the accurate stellar densities couldn't be fully achieved on modern computers or with the current interface limitations.

 

[Riverside]

The skybox is one of my favourite parts of the game, IIRC they added 'dust' to dim it because it was felt to be too bright (not sure by who, or compared to what). I don't think the look of it needs to be changed, although the option to find out relatively easily what star I'm looking at would be nice.

Worth bearing in mind that the Andromeda pic in your post is not even close to visible with the naked eye, or even most ground based telescopes. Not a fair comparison to the ED skybox in my view.

Btw there are plenty of brighter stars that are visible way beyond 50ly.

 

[Zambrick]

The pic you provided is an amalgamation of all visible and invisible light waves coming off of the Core. AKA the image you are referring to is a computer generated fantasy that humans will never likely be able to see with the naked eye. The current skybox is fine by comparison.

 

[askavir]

Actually there are stars visible in the skybox from more than 1000ly.

Ask all of the people who ended up in NGC7822 after following the strange bright lights in the skybox... for over an hour. Also hypergiants and stellar nurseries are visible in the skybox from way, way more than 50ly.

 

[CMDR Goro]

Id be happy with +25% stars. What you shows seems like overkill.

 

[Oberdofer]

The pic you provided is an amalgamation of all visible and invisible light waves coming off of the Core. AKA the image you are referring to is a computer generated fantasy that humans will never likely be able to see with the naked eye. The current skybox is fine by comparison.

Which image?


There's a nice website with discussion about the center of the Galaxy
by Barbara Ryden at Ohio State.

Quoting from this:

"Within a parsec or so of the center, the density of stars is 10 million stars per cubic parsec. To put this number in perspective, the density of stars in the Sun's neighborhood is only 0.2 stars per cubic parsec. Near the center of our galaxy, the average distance between neighboring stars is only 1000 A.U. If the star Sirius were only 1000 A.U. from the Sun, it would be twelve times brighter than the full moon. If we lived close to the galactic center, the night sky would be full of stars with extremely high apparent brightness. We would be able to read by starlight at night."

http://van.physics.illinois.edu/QA/listing.php?id=1072

 

[Flimley]

Im guessing game/computing/internet limitations are an issue. But....it sure would be nice.

Flimley

 

[Oberdofer]

Actually there are stars visible in the skybox from more than 1000ly.

Ask all of the people who ended up in NGC7822 after following the strange bright lights in the skybox... for over an hour. Also hypergiants and stellar nurseries are visible in the skybox from way, way more than 50ly.

Nice to know, but as I hope you can understand that is exactly what i mean. There are stars with overridden view distance. A tiny percentage of them.

 

[Kyokushin]

I would like to see starry ningt More stars please!

 

[Qohen Leth]

You can always try this tweak ('Moar Stars in da skybox' paragraph) to have more stars in the skybox as well as in the maps.

Example in the Galmap:

Spoiler

 

[Oberdofer]

You can always try this tweak ('Moar Stars in da skybox' paragraph) to have more stars in the skybox as well as in the maps.

Example in the Galmap:

Spoiler

http://i.imgur.com/zlx4Ej1.png

http://i.imgur.com/2PtH6kl.jpg

WOW! That's what I wanted!!! Huge! Wouldn't it be nice to have it as an option in the menu? But is it for the Sky box? Yep it is!

 

[Qohen Leth]

WOW! That's what I wanted!!! Huge! Wouldn't it be nice to have it as an option in the menu? But is it for the Sky box?

Works for the skybox too, although less spectacular

 

[sqzbox1]

Personally I think they have it about right. Don't forget that our canopy filters the light too. It might be fun though if when we get a breached canopy the skybox in the breach was brighter. Also, IIRC I think there was a suggestion that perhaps in time we might be able to select a star by directly clicking on it and that might be difficult if they take the science too accurately.

 

[Riverside]

Nice to know, but as I hope you can understand that is exactly what i mean. There are stars with overridden view distance. A tiny percentage of them.

This is news to me, can you provide a source or some info about that? The skybox brightens up as you move away from any light sources, more stars are visible.

 

[Patrick_68000]

You can always try this tweak ('Moar Stars in da skybox' paragraph) to have more stars in the skybox as well as in the maps.

Example in the Galmap:

Spoiler

http://i.imgur.com/zlx4Ej1.png

http://i.imgur.com/2PtH6kl.jpg

It's Christmas

 

[Zambrick]

Which image?


There's a nice website with discussion about the center of the Galaxy
by Barbara Ryden at Ohio State.

Quoting from this:

"Within a parsec or so of the center, the density of stars is 10 million stars per cubic parsec. To put this number in perspective, the density of stars in the Sun's neighborhood is only 0.2 stars per cubic parsec. Near the center of our galaxy, the average distance between neighboring stars is only 1000 A.U. If the star Sirius were only 1000 A.U. from the Sun, it would be twelve times brighter than the full moon. If we lived close to the galactic center, the night sky would be full of stars with extremely high apparent brightness. We would be able to read by starlight at night."

http://van.physics.illinois.edu/QA/listing.php?id=1072

Did you read what I wrote at all? For human beings, not telescopes, not radio telescopes, not spectral imaging enhancement software, none of it will ever look like the image you provided. That image you have is the measurement of energy being output by the stars in the core. The vast majority of said energy is well over the human eyes visual spectrum or well below it. So the computer or whatever processor they used filled in said energy sources with substitute shades of color that the human eye can detect.

So do not ever expect the skybox to look the way it does in that photo. Because humans cant physically see every spectrum of energy being output by stars. If that were the case we could see all spectrum of radiation. X-rays, Gamma Rays, Infrared, and Ultraviolet. All of which are represented and manipulated in that photo to look more impressive by assigning random colors to those radiation sources.

So by making the skybox look like that it would be making the game even less realistic. Its pretty close to what the human eye could detect while in deep space right now.

In this game as you fly toward the core the light level does change and does increase however you need to fly well outside of the system of which you jumped because the light pollution of the current system makes it seem duller. Fly toward the core, then fly about 400,000ls away from the stars in the system you are in. Then you will get more light. You can fly 5000 ly toward the core and the entire skybox has changed once you fly away from the local star.

 

[Oberdofer]

This is news to me, can you provide a source or some info about that? The skybox brightens up as you move away from any light sources, more stars are visible.

Sure here you go. http://imgur.com/a/HpdNb and read the descriptions to the images. Those stars are visible from at least 300 ly when their more bright white neighbors aren't. Find this cluster in the galaxy map I'm not far from them. Here is a little bit more screenshots

 

[Riverside]

Sure here you go. http://imgur.com/a/HpdNb and read the descriptions to the images. Those stars are visible from at least 300 ly when their more bright white neighbors aren't. Find this cluster in the galaxy map I'm not far from them. Here is a little bit more screenshots

That looks like you are just seeing O class stars, the brightest in the game. Whether inserted or PG stars, AFAIK they all behave that way. On several occasions I have tracked O class stars over long distances, just to find out what they are.

This doesn't come across as compelling evidence that stars are clipped at 50Ly, I was hoping for a link to a Dev comment. Your evidence appears to be a combination of inserted objects (clusters, nebulae) and bright PG areas.

 

[WR3ND]

Which image?


There's a nice website with discussion about the center of the Galaxy
by Barbara Ryden at Ohio State.

Quoting from this:

"Within a parsec or so of the center, the density of stars is 10 million stars per cubic parsec. To put this number in perspective, the density of stars in the Sun's neighborhood is only 0.2 stars per cubic parsec. Near the center of our galaxy, the average distance between neighboring stars is only 1000 A.U. If the star Sirius were only 1000 A.U. from the Sun, it would be twelve times brighter than the full moon. If we lived close to the galactic center, the night sky would be full of stars with extremely high apparent brightness. We would be able to read by starlight at night."

http://van.physics.illinois.edu/QA/listing.php?id=1072

That's not saying much, considering I can read by moonlight at night. But, I get the point they're trying to make.