What is that blue orb...?

[Kross]

The blue earth-like planet hologram that floats to the left of the sensor panel if you don't have anything targeted... what is it?

Or better yet, why does every single ship in the known universe just get a hologram of the same random planet in their cockpit if nothing else is targeted?

EDIT: This is what I am talking about:

FYI: I do know that it is just a placeholder image for when you don't have anything targeted. My question is this: Why does every single ship in the known universe have the same exact placeholder image of a no-name planet? Before you tell me it's not the same and that it changes depending on which planet you're close to, go look at the game; it DOES NOT CHANGE. It's always the same planet.

 

[Rich1337]

do you mean the compass?

 

[MikeSnos]

do you mean the compass?

That was going to be my answer too....

if it isn't the compass he's referring to, then a screenie highlighting the object being referred to would help his cause.

 

[Kross]

Sorry; good call on posting a screenshot.

Here is what I am talking about:

 

[Pon Farr]

That's a planet. Target a space station, ship or whatever and it'll change to show that.

 

[WeirdCulture]

I think it is a "placeholder" for a target

 

[MikeSnos]

That's a planet. Target a space station, ship or whatever and it'll change to show that.

What he said ^^

EDIT : It's the nearest planet to you usually....

 

[Joe Spivey]

It's a holo representation of the planet next to you. If you compare the two you will see the coastlines match, so the image does change depending on which system you are in.

 

[Kross]

It's a holo representation of the planet next to you. If you compare the two you will see the coastlines match, so the image does change depending on which system you are in.

Nope, it does not change depending on which system you're in. That placeholder image of a planet (when you have nothing else targeted) is always the same regardless of which ship you're in or which system you're in. Go on and test it for yourself.

I just find it weird that with all the complex gameplay and realism being pumped into this game, the "placeholder image" for the target panel is the same of a random no-name planet for every single ship in the known galaxy.

 

[Kross]

What he said ^^

EDIT : It's the nearest planet to you usually....

I may have not posed the question correctly, sorry. I know that it is just a placeholder image if you don't have anything targetted.

My question is, why is it always the same image? Of a no-name planet. For every single ship in the known galaxy. And the planet image does NOT change, regardless of which planet or system you're close to. When you have nothing targeted, that placeholder image is ALWAYS a holo of that same planet.

 

[Kernel Kwatz!]

I may have not posed the question correctly, sorry. I know that it is just a placeholder image if you don't have anything targetted.

My question is, why is it always the same image? Of a no-name planet. For every single ship in the known galaxy. And the planet image does NOT change, regardless of which planet or system you're close to. When you have nothing targeted, that placeholder image is ALWAYS a holo of that same planet.

Because it's a placeholder image...

 

[Kross]

Because it's a placeholder image...

I get it, but why have a placeholder image of a random planet for every single ship? That would be like Ford, Chevy, etc all deciding to put a pic of the same exact house on your dash, lol.

Unless you're saying the "placeholder" image is a placeholder only for the Beta phase and in the retail version, when you don't have anything targeted, the target panel will show something else, depending on which ship you're in, or system you're in.

 

[AndrewF]

Could it be Earth?

 

[Kross]

Could it be Earth?

That was my first thought; that would be the only explanation that could potentially work. Since all known humans have that in common; that's the true "home" for the species.

I would still find it weird that every single ship manufacturer would use the same "stock" holo-image of earth in the cockpit (for whenever something isn't targeted).

However, the coast lines don't really look like Earth...

 

[Carr0t]

Unless you're saying the "placeholder" image is a placeholder only for the Beta phase and in the retail version, when you don't have anything targeted, the target panel will show something else, depending on which ship you're in, or system you're in.

That's the definition of 'placeholder' when it comes to development... Something that's been thrown in quickly so that there is *something* there to give you an idea of what the final product will look like, but isn't yet complete because this is *beta*. So you might see low poly models, low res textures, static models where the final game is expected to have changing ones based on circumstances, very simplified versions of certain mechanics so the basics can be tested etc...

 

[Kross]

That's the definition of 'placeholder' when it comes to development... Something that's been thrown in quickly so that there is *something* there to give you an idea of what the final product will look like, but isn't yet complete because this is *beta*. So you might see low poly models, low res textures, static models where the final game is expected to have changing ones based on circumstances, very simplified versions of certain mechanics so the basics can be tested etc...

I was initially referring to "placeholder" in terms of, when you have nothing targeted, instead of showing an empty panel in the cockpit, there's a placeholder (or "stock") holo-image there. But I get what you're saying.

Can you point to actual info from devs or anywhere else pointing to what will actually be there in retail?

Of course, we're all still talking about only when nothing is targeted; when you target something, it's a given that the targeted object's holo shows up there.

 

[Ben Kilpatrick]

Go on and test it for yourself.

Is that a joke?

 

[Zephyriel]

Yeah this has bugged me since the first time I saw the game in action. If they plan to put something else there in the final game then cool! But I'd rather have nothing than this to be honest. What I really don't understand, is it's the one thing that is useless in the UI, and they chose to put it in the most distinctive color possible so that it stands out.

If nothing is selected it would be more logical to me that it showed the system's main star instead of a random planet.

 

[kilvenny]

I think it might be a little joke.

If you haven't got anything targeted you see the planet.

Then think of the expression

What planet are you on?

It kind of seems appropriate for having nothing targeted since going anywhere in space equals long distances so you generally need a target even if its a station.

 

[Kross]

Yeah this has bugged me since the first time I saw the game in action. If they plan to put something else there in the final game then cool! But I'd rather have nothing than this to be honest. What I really don't understand, is it's the one thing that is useless in the UI, and they chose to put it in the most distinctive color possible so that it stands out.

If nothing is selected it would be more logical to me that it showed the system's main star instead of a random planet.

THANK YOU!!!

That's all I was trying to get at