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Standard Orbit and more epic planet scaling

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I'm finding that some planets and moons look really really tiny when you get close to them, like they're spheres in space only several ship-lengths in size...

Now this is no doubt supposed to simulate HUGE distances cuz there's really no reason to make a map that's actually several million kilometers wide/deep....

The root of the problem, as i see it, is how close we're allowed to get to the planets right now...
everything is fine until we get an inch from the planet object and can see thru the optical illusion.

So i think this can be solved by preventing us from getting too close to planets...
and this would be done by implementing a sometimes-requested feature: Standard Orbits

dstahl briefly pondered orbits around planets here (at number 13)

Establishing a Standard Orbit would circle the ship around the planet cinematically while maintaining the distance needed to keep up the scale illusion

(post too serious... here is comic)
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    i am on board for standard orbit options.

    Geosynchronous orbit
    Polar orbit
    Low Earth orbit

    it always looks silly going full speed directly at a planet till you almost hit the thing.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    wfs5519 wrote: »
    i am on board for standard orbit options.

    Geosynchronous orbit
    Polar orbit
    Low Earth orbit

    it always looks silly going full speed directly at a planet till you almost hit the thing.

    The devs have texturing issues with poles. They have texture "pinching" on most of their spherical objects - a common error in 3D art assets with spherical surfaces.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    The devs have texturing issues with poles. They have texture "pinching" on most of their spherical objects - a common error in 3D art assets with spherical surfaces.

    now see, the orbit track would also keep us away from the poles and any pinching one might encounter... uh, in the normal course of space exploration.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    ....and for gods sake please please move the moons further away from the planets, they look totally idiotic at their present distance, I know all the roids are a problem too but i can live with them, but please move the moons further away!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Standard Orbit would be sweet. Even as a cut-scene as you get close to the planet and press a button or something.

    Anything is better than the current *point-your-ship-towards-the-dead-center-of-the-planet-full-speed-ahead-yehaaw-and-zone-whenever *. ;)

    ---
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I would love for universe and solar systems to be bigger! Flying past Mars, Saturn, Jupiter on my way back and forth from earth. Having ambushes hiding behind moons out in Orion space, seeing random pirates attack the merchants and receiving distress calls from the NPC's or other players who are stuck in really tough battles.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Brodie0854 wrote:
    ....and for gods sake please please move the moons further away from the planets, they look totally idiotic at their present distance, I know all the roids are a problem too but i can live with them, but please move the moons further away!
    Oh gawd yes!

    PS Cryptic devs: Please do some research on this little thing known as The Roche Limit.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I'm already establishing standard orbit around planets by default simply because it feels more cinematic. I can't get enough of watching my ship glide along a planet's exosphere, TOS-style. :D

    But it still sounds like a good idea, so why not. If it can easily be implemented and doesn't take too much resources away from other, more pressing matters. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    It'd be nice for objects and distances in space to feel as vast in this game as they did in the Independence War games.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Going into standard orbit wouldn't make much sense if you're in the middle of ship combat. And i confess, sometimes while duking it out with the enemy, i stray too close to a planet and get that annoying effect. But its better i think than getting a popup asking me if i want to enter standard orbit, or even worse, doing it automatically while im trying to fight. Outside of combat, sure, bring it on, altho in some cases usually i just beam down right away, so couldn't really enjoy the effect. Jus sayin

    I am entirely onboard for re-scaling of the planets though. EPIC ftw
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Sernon wrote:
    Standard Orbit would be sweet. Even as a cut-scene as you get close to the planet and press a button or something.

    Anything is better than the current *point-your-ship-towards-the-dead-center-of-the-planet-full-speed-ahead-yehaaw-and-zone-whenever *. ;)

    ---

    i'm starting to think something like a cutscene might be best cuz really, how long does anyone NEED to orbit a planet? maybe 2-3 dialog boxes and then away team select.

    the whole purpose would be eye-candy.
    curzon176 wrote: »
    altho in some cases usually i just beam down right away, so couldn't really enjoy the effect. Jus sayin

    yea, and this proves what i just said.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Blyn wrote:
    i'm starting to think something like a cutscene might be best cuz really, how long does anyone NEED to orbit a planet? maybe 2-3 dialog boxes and then away team select.
    What do you mean with cutscene? A cinematic with in-game graphics? This sounds extremely boring and would get old fast, to the point of people wishing it had never been included since it just takes time.

    Instead, how about a "standard orbit course" automatically getting laid in as soon as the mission trigger is reached and your BO reports that you're in range for scans, transport or hailing the planet?

    This way it ...
    • wouldn't happen in combat (or any other situation where the mission does not require you to go to a planet)
    • might make for a nice background scenery whilst you're busy reading through the dialogue, replicating commodities or putting together your away team
    • lasts as long as the player wishes (depending on when/if he clicks the popup dialogue buttons)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    What do you mean with cutscene? A cinematic with in-game graphics? This sounds extremely boring and would get old fast, to the point of people wishing it had never been included since it just takes time.

    Instead, how about a "standard orbit course" automatically getting laid in as soon as the mission trigger is reached and your BO reports that you're in range for scans, transport or hailing the planet?

    This way it ...
    • wouldn't happen in combat (or any other situation where the mission does not require you to go to a planet)
    • might make for a nice background scenery whilst you're busy reading through the dialogue, replicating commodities or putting together your away team
    • lasts as long as the player wishes (depending on when/if he clicks the popup dialogue buttons)

    you're right, cut-scene was the wrong word to use... it definitely needs to be cancel-able whatever form it would take.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    What do you mean with cutscene? A cinematic with in-game graphics? This sounds extremely boring and would get old fast, to the point of people wishing it had never been included since it just takes time.

    There is a landing party selection menu that comes up when you're about to beam down. You could merge that with standard orbit visuals, as in make that menu selection screen involve added visual elements. Loss of time would be equal to just using or skipping the existing menu.

    ---
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Sernon wrote:
    There is a landing party selection menu that comes up when you're about to beam down. You could merge that with standard orbit visuals, as in make that menu selection screen involve added visual elements. Loss of time would be equal to just using or skipping the existing menu.
    So ... basically, what I just wrote? :D

    (I'm sorry if my text is too ambiguous? :confused:)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    So ... basically, what I just wrote? :D

    (I'm sorry if my text is too ambiguous? :confused:)

    I was quoted using the word, yet the above poster was made to explain himself. Seemed unfair. ;)

    ---
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Wouldn't it work well just to have an invisible sphere around a planet?

    This would force your ship to curve around the edge of the planet more.

    No popup. No AI. Just a transparent shell.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Wouldn't it work well just to have an invisible sphere around a planet?

    This would force your ship to curve around the edge of the planet more.

    No popup. No AI. Just a transparent shell.

    Starfleet Command nailed it with a predefined orbit you entered from free flight at the push of a button. You could break away at will.

    Sadly the zones here lack that kind of standardisation, can you even complete the orbit around all of the planets? Seem to recall meeting the "wall" on some maps.

    ---
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Well, we already have an "invisible" wall around planets - you hit it once your screen is all white. :D

    As for completing the orbit, I guess that depends on the map. Last time when my Starfleet cruiser responded to an in-character request for assistance for the mission where you go retrieve the Orb from the MU, we got "lost" and ended up completing an entire circumnavigation of the planet on the map. It did take about two minutes to complete the cicle, by the way, even at full impulse. Then again, this was a very large planet. Most seem to be smaller.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    the atmosphere rumble effect thing is cool... but if you get that close to the planet you can end up scraping the surface with your saucer tip...

    ends up lookin like our ships are the size of Australia...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    I too would love to see this implemented! Watching a starship sail around the horizon of a planet is one of the most majestic sights in any Star Trek episode or movie.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Larger planets, yes.
    Larger orbits of moons and asteroids, yes.

    Not quite sold on the standard orbit idea yet though.

    On a related note, if nothing else, when I am close enough to a planet for my ship to start rumbling, and the screen to go white, I want damage.

    I want an atmosphere thick enough to engage in combat, hide from enemies, seek refuge while I repair, and other clever maneuvers. I want an environment where the amount of damage recieved is directly proportional to the size of my craft and its velocity. Shuttles, being small, take no damage in most atmospheres, Large cruisers have to move at a crawl.

    I also want environments similar to this in thick nebulae, gas giants, planetary rings, etc. Star trek has given us many lovely environments, and space itself holds more. I want to hunt archeological ruins of uber ancient civilizations on a partially shredded planet caught in a black hole's accretion disk.

    Oh, and when I hit an asteroid at full impulse, I should be dead. Lower speeds can do lower amounts of damage, sure, and the bigger I am, the better I can handle it, maybe, but I should take at least SOME damage.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    I am all for something being done here. If that means keeping ships at the "cinematic" distance, fine. If that means making planets bigger, fine.
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