Overlays for 3rd person view (for probes to allow gradual discovery of celestial bodies according to tech progression)

[Vl3d]

I know that having telescopes and gradually obtaining information about celestial bodies is already semi-confirmed by this comment. But what do you think about also having a some filters / overlays for unmanned craft 3rd person view that improve as technology gets better? Some combinations of..

• black and white
• vintage / sepia
• noisy
• blurry
• VHS
• CRT
• fake colors
• instruments (infrared, ultraviolet) etc.
• best color version would be the same as the manned craft 3rd person view of course.

This would differentiate between manned and unmanned craft and give a better gameplay experience for tech progression. It could be applied to first-time visits based on tech level, to limit information and incentivize discovery. After sending better probes or manned missions the image could be normal.

Also we could also have:

• telescope (science instruments) that can zoom in when orbiting / passing by a planet so we could see things happening on the surface or more details
• ability to record videos

Edited July 5, 2022 by Vl3d
additive

[The Aziz]

Nah.

[Vl3d]

5 minutes ago, The Aziz said:

Nah.

Do you use TUFX? There was also Movie Time..

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Vl3d

[The Aziz]

Yeah. While fine for cool screenshots, doesn't make my gameplay any better, I'd say even worsens the experience. Kerbals have technology advanced enough to go to other stars and I should expect noisy b+w transmission from first scanning probe that gets there?
Oh wait, not the transmission (that I could understand), but artificial camera around the ship.

[Vl3d]

8 minutes ago, The Aziz said:

Kerbals have technology advanced enough to go to other stars and I should expect noisy b+w transmission from first scanning probe that gets there?

So you don't expect probes to be feature-limited either, right?

You think it's logical that a Stayputnik should see the whole detailed planet surface in color the same as a HECS2?

Edited July 5, 2022 by Vl3d

[The Aziz]

Read the next sentence below the one you quoted. It's not limiting probe capabilities, but player's ability to see clearly. It's like restricting flying to IVA only because for whatever reason Kerbals hadn't come up with concept of a camera yet.

[Vl3d]

Just now, The Aziz said:

It's not limiting probe capabilities, but player's ability to see clearly.

How is a black and white filter limiting the player's ability to see clearly? Implementation - is up to the devs to make sure it's not too distracting. You are against the idea without even considering how it changes the feel of the game regarding tech progression and gradual discovery of celestial bodies.

It would incentivize the player to get better tech and send a more advanced mission with better instruments in order to get more information about the place.

[shdwlrd]

@Vl3d you're using a poor example. The Movie Time mod effects all external cameras and you can't choose which cameras to apply the effect. From what you seem to be suggesting is to see an image taken through a telescope or imager using an effect, but what the Aziz is saying, when you look at telescope or satellite, it should be in real color, not the effect for that specific camera.

There's a telescope mod that allows you to view its prospective and apply whatever effects you that image, while viewing the rest of the game in real color.

[BowlerHatGuy3]

4 hours ago, Vl3d said:

I know that having telescopes and gradually obtaining information about celestial bodies is already semi-confirmed by this comment. But what do you think about also having a some filters / overlays for unmanned craft 3rd person view that improve as technology gets better? Some combinations of..

• black and white
• vintage / sepia
• noisy
• blurry
• VHS
• CRT
• fake colors
• instruments (infrared, ultraviolet) etc.
• best color version would be the same as the manned craft 3rd person view of course.

This would differentiate between manned and unmanned craft and give a better gameplay experience for tech progression. It could be applied to first-time visits based on tech level, to limit information and incentivize discovery. After sending better probes or manned missions the image could be normal.

Also we could also have:

• telescope (science instruments) that can zoom in when orbiting / passing by a planet so we could see things happening on the surface or more details
• ability to record videos

This would be good for KerbNET (Probe mapping tool/camera). I also like the idea of night vision. For everything else I’d pass.

Edited July 5, 2022 by BowlerHatGuy3
Cry about it

[The Aziz]

1 hour ago, Vl3d said:

It would incentivize the player to get better tech and send a more advanced mission with better instruments in order to get more information about the place.

I'd say the best incentive is the need to get more information about the place, not to clear my screen from applied effect.

1 hour ago, shdwlrd said:

From what you seem to be suggesting is to see an image taken through a telescope or imager using an effect, but what the Aziz is saying, when you look at telescope or satellite, it should be in real color, not the effect for that specific camera.

There's a telescope mod that allows you to view its prospective and apply whatever effects you that image, while viewing the rest of the game in real color.

Precisely. Plus I bolded the main points in the quote if they weren't clear enough.

And then there's this:

It's "only" a docking camera but it does exactly what's being suggested here, however limited only to the instrument itself.

[Vl3d]

1 hour ago, shdwlrd said:

The Movie Time mod effects all external cameras and you can't choose which cameras to apply the effect.

I'm also taking about the external 3rd person camera used to see the craft in flight. It's a change in mood I'm interested in. Feeling limited by low tech, not having access to the whole experience on your first planetary encounter.

I really don't want to see all the details of the planet when just flying past it with a Stayputnik.

[Vl3d]

 

[shdwlrd]

19 hours ago, Vl3d said:

I'm also taking about the external 3rd person camera used to see the craft in flight. It's a change in mood I'm interested in. Feeling limited by low tech, not having access to the whole experience on your first planetary encounter.

I really don't want to see all the details of the planet when just flying past it with a Stayputnik.

Fair enough. Image effects like what movie time have shouldn't be a stock. It's simple enough to apply effects as a mod. If the graphical theme of the game was movie like, sure why not. But everything looks to be in a normal, realistic theme. It wouldn't be necessary for stock.

[mattinoz]

On 7/6/2022 at 4:56 AM, Vl3d said:

 

Based on this I think sepia wasn't ever a thing of digitally transferred images it is a film/analogue tech thing so shouldn't be on the list. 

But yes have always been in favour of a fog in KSP even to the point of in multi-player games or even your own games not being able see realtime images unless you have access to a set of live eyes. Make setting up sat-networks around bodies encouraged* before sending Kerbals. 

I wonder if there is a neat trick with Image upscaling based on Machine Learning to allow the game to ship with lower res images,textures and maps then allow the host hardware to regenerate the the full res on device as a function of looking at the world. Sure each player ends up with a slightly different set of high res images but hopefully not enough to make a playing difference. Each level of tech causes an upgrade to the texturing resource files. 

A lot of that could run background while drifting in space which is let's face it a big amount of time in game.

Would be a badge of honour to how big your texture file is in your game folder as to how much ground you've covered.

*Let's face it's KSP there will be just times we just go and wing it against all good advice.