If you travel to Earth and take a trip around the planet, you'll notice they are using the exact same light map as they use on Earth. The only difference on these planets is the terrain map.
I'd like to see them spend some time making variety of unique lights, as this is what makes the planet come alive to me. And it should be too difficult. Just use some fractal or cloud rendering, takes all of about half an hour to pump out some really good ones. Right now it seems like the only have two, Earth and the circular lights.
If you travel to Earth and take a trip around the planet, you'll notice they are using the exact same light map as they use on Earth. The only difference on these planets is the terrain map.
I'd like to see them spend some time making variety of unique lights, as this is what makes the planet come alive to me. And it should be too difficult. Just use some fractal or cloud rendering, takes all of about half an hour to pump out some really good ones. Right now it seems like the only have two, Earth and the circular lights.
Still don't see it. I think people are projecting answers where one doesn't exist.
it might be the map they used for earth and just added bits and pieces to other worlds to make them look alien, or mixed and matched land masses. its does not look 100% accurate for italy but then the artist who first did it might not have made italy 100% correct for earth to begin with.
either way they should try and invent some new maps for alien world as they do start to look very similar. the big round city lights that look like coruscant are too frequent
I think our prefrontal lobes are small as a species and, to compensate, our minds draw analogies and seek out patterns (even if the data presented is meaningless).
Still don't see it. I think people are projecting answers where one doesn't exist.
It must be my graphic design knowledge and interest in world geography, but there is no question in the similarities. What is probably breaking it for you is they have overlapped several different versions of the same light map and they are using an alpha channel to blot out parts to make it less obvious.
I'll take another stab at trying to convince you. Here is a modern day sat map, which is the template they used as the base light map they are using in STO: http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/1438/earth_lights.gif
Compare the two, the maps are almost identical, all the way down to the Appenines, Sicily brightness, and even pixelation on the Aegean Sea. Another easter egg within that map is the Nile River if you can spot it.
There's also several planets that show Japan and Korea, but I'd rather not ruin the experience of finding it for those who like that kind of thing. And take a good long look at Moscow and Russia, it's used a few times as well.
It must be my graphic design knowledge and interest in world geography, but there is no question in the similarities. What is probably breaking it for you is they have overlapped several different versions of the same light map and they are using an alpha channel to blot out parts to make it less obvious.
I'll take another stab at trying to convince you. Here is a modern day sat map, which is the template they used as the base light map they are using in STO: http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/1438/earth_lights.gif
Compare the two, the maps are almost identical, all the way down to the Appenines, Sicily brightness, and even pixelation on the Aegean Sea. Another easter egg within that map is the Nile River if you can spot it.
There's also several planets that show Japan and Korea, but I'd rather not ruin the experience of finding it for those who like that kind of thing. And take a good long look at Moscow and Russia, it's used a few times as well.
yep im sold know, you can tell as at the very top of italy on your sat map there is this black area running diagonally down from left to right that is the same as the alien world.
My screenshot folder has plenty of examples of this, and if you can't see it, you must not be very good at geography. It's very easy to spot (even for us non-Europeans), and it totally destroys the impression that I'm visiting another world. Humans know what Earth looks like. It's home.
I was trying to figure out how to take a screenshot and post it here so I could show this to everyone - it IS indeed Italy and I've seen it on a few planets.
I think it's probably an Easter Egg - I think it would be much easier to make a random map than to go through the process of taking bits and pieces of Earth and put them together to make a planet.
I definitely got a good laugh when I first noticed this. I hope you all did, too!!
Thanks for this thread! Now I know that I wasn't the only one!
Comments
Italy is clearly to see and u can see Sicilia too. There is a small golden star where Ostia is located in Italy.
I thought it was a schooner?
I also see a resemblance to Italy there,, not perfect but close.
It is Italy, if anyone has doubts. Here is another planet using the same graphic set, but easier to see because it's darker:
http://yfrog.com/2oscreenshot2010071919454j
You can clearly see Italy, Greece, Libya, Turkey, and the Black Sea. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Europe&mrt=all&sll=41.705729,20.917969&sspn=26.650696,67.631836&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Europe&t=h&ll=37.996163,23.027344&spn=28.922309,67.631836&z=5)
If you travel to Earth and take a trip around the planet, you'll notice they are using the exact same light map as they use on Earth. The only difference on these planets is the terrain map.
I'd like to see them spend some time making variety of unique lights, as this is what makes the planet come alive to me. And it should be too difficult. Just use some fractal or cloud rendering, takes all of about half an hour to pump out some really good ones. Right now it seems like the only have two, Earth and the circular lights.
Still don't see it. I think people are projecting answers where one doesn't exist.
either way they should try and invent some new maps for alien world as they do start to look very similar. the big round city lights that look like coruscant are too frequent
For example, a slice of toast sold for $28,000 USD on ebay. The reason: it looked like the Virgin Mary from a particular angle.
However, just as Jay and Silent Bob insisted, I see a sailboat.
However, anyone notice one of the tribble breeds is named Zinc. That might be an easter egg - maybe.
It must be my graphic design knowledge and interest in world geography, but there is no question in the similarities. What is probably breaking it for you is they have overlapped several different versions of the same light map and they are using an alpha channel to blot out parts to make it less obvious.
I'll take another stab at trying to convince you. Here is a modern day sat map, which is the template they used as the base light map they are using in STO:
http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/1438/earth_lights.gif
Compare the two, the maps are almost identical, all the way down to the Appenines, Sicily brightness, and even pixelation on the Aegean Sea. Another easter egg within that map is the Nile River if you can spot it.
There's also several planets that show Japan and Korea, but I'd rather not ruin the experience of finding it for those who like that kind of thing. And take a good long look at Moscow and Russia, it's used a few times as well.
i see Gotham
yep im sold know, you can tell as at the very top of italy on your sat map there is this black area running diagonally down from left to right that is the same as the alien world.
Some examples (some highlighting the geography):
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/roronoa-j-zoro/screenshot_2010-05-22-21-58-442.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/roronoa-j-zoro/screenshot_2010-06-05-11-30-492.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/roronoa-j-zoro/screenshot_2010-05-27-14-50-532.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/roronoa-j-zoro/screenshot_2010-05-27-14-49-262.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/roronoa-j-zoro/screenshot_2010-06-17-10-28-37.jpg
Yeah, to a point, but they did cut the toe off the boot.
I think it's probably an Easter Egg - I think it would be much easier to make a random map than to go through the process of taking bits and pieces of Earth and put them together to make a planet.
I definitely got a good laugh when I first noticed this. I hope you all did, too!!
Thanks for this thread! Now I know that I wasn't the only one!
I feel like an idiot (I lived north east of Italy in Slovakia - with only Austria between).
Anyways, I see it now in the lights (!!!!). I had previously thought the OP meant landmasses.