Will Unity V finally open the door to more planets?

[cptdavep]

As someone who's been playing the game for ages I've long ago landed on and returned from all the planets. I've been itching to explore somewhere new for ages! So, since 1.1 will bring 64bit to all platforms does that mean squad will finally have the spare memory to give us more planets and moons without breaking the game?

I'd love to visit a ringed gas giant, and an ice giant or two. And now we know how exciting Pluto is maybe Eeloo can be moved to Jool where it seems to belong and we can get some new outer worlds? I know we can do these things with mods but it just doesn't feel the same somehow as visiting proper official stock planets.

Anyone else excited about new places to go?

Edited August 27, 2015 by Vanamonde

[comham]

I'm not sure why anyone wants more planets when that just means more terrible low-res heightmaps with no props.

[Homusubi]

Scatter makes the planets less dull, and part of the fun is getting to new planets in the first place.

[cantab]

The mod Kopernicus has already opened that door, and there are numerous planet packs for it. If you're using 32-bit KSP you will probably be limited to one or two packs at a time. It's true that from the surface planets tend to not have much detail or interest, but that's something I can only see changing with an outright sequel.

Squad haven't spoken about adding more planets to the stock game. It could be something for 1.2, once the Unity 5 port is mature and there's a good idea of how much RAM stuff uses.

And I'll advocate what I long have. Add axial tilt to the game and then add a combined Saturn and Uranus analogue with a ring system like Saturn, the whole system tipped up like Uranus, and moons inspired by those of both.

[regex]

More planets would definitely be welcome and axial tilt would make for an interesting "hard mode".

[lajoswinkler]

One Saturn analogue and one ice giant analogue.

If it's absolutely neccessary due to some constraints, stick a ring around Jool and add one ice giant.

[xtoro]

Try installing the Outer Planets mod. It adds lots of new planets and moons that are waaaay out there.

[Hannu]

Technically yes, but unfortunately it seems that Squad does not have any interest to develop planets.

There are some mods but they give only similar boring colored balls than stock game. Current planet modeling can not give more. They should make some kind of procedural planet generating algorithm to put enough details on planets. But it would be huge project and I do not believe it before I see.

[regex]

They should make some kind of procedural planet generating algorithm to put enough details on planets.

They already do that to some extent. Unfortunately the PQS system is kind of laggy so having even more detail would be a serious problem.

[lajoswinkler]

There are some mods but they give only similar boring colored balls than stock game. Current planet modeling can not give more. They should make some kind of procedural planet generating algorithm to put enough details on planets. But it would be huge project and I do not believe it before I see.

OPM is certainly not "similar boring colored balls" like most other things are. It's what stock KSP should be and it's a work in progress.

[xtoro]

Agreed OPM is awesome. Planets with saturn-like rings? Awesome! Still have yet to fly out that far though

[Hannu]

OPM is certainly not "similar boring colored balls" like most other things are. It's what stock KSP should be and it's a work in progress.

I have to admit that my knowledge is couple of months old, but then OPM had just colored balls with somewhat nicer textures and topographies. I like OPM very much and understand that developers are restricted to simple planet model of KSP. However, I thought much more detailed planets. Complex 3D geologic structures from continent scale to meters, moving fluids (including weather effects), physical effects (temperatures, gases, flying particles), local resources and interesting places to explore, large variety of scatter objects etc. Something like Minecraft world but of course much more complex, beautiful and physically realistic.

[Streetwind]

Complex 3D geologic structures from continent scale to meters, moving fluids (including weather effects), physical effects (temperatures, gases, flying particles), local resources and interesting places to explore, large variety of scatter objects etc. Something like Minecraft world but of course much more complex, beautiful and physically realistic.

The game engine - the way planets are stored and displayed - doesn't support anything like this.

[regex]

Complex 3D geologic structures from continent scale to meters, moving fluids (including weather effects), physical effects (temperatures, gases, flying particles), local resources and interesting places to explore, large variety of scatter objects etc. Something like Minecraft world but of course much more complex, beautiful and physically realistic.

This isn't Outerra, sorry.

[Aladran]

How about adding some content to the existing one, instead of asking for more empty floating sphere?

You are already mastering all the current planet?

Getting to Moho?

Returning from Eve?

Getting bored at Dres?

If your answer is yes, then what good more planet will do to you? You will visit them quickly then what?

If you really want new type of planet there is a mod for that

[regex]

How about adding some content to the existing one, instead of asking for more empty floating sphere?

What kind of content would we add? Remember that it has to be content for all modes of gameplay. If it's just scenery then, by your definition, it's pretty much the same as new spheres.

[Hannu]

The game engine - the way planets are stored and displayed - doesn't support anything like this.

I know. Therefore I said that I do not believe that we will get significantly better planets although it would be technically possible (or easier) with 64 bit memory limits. It would not be productive business compared to console ports or multiplayer.

[Aladran]

What kind of content would we add? Remember that it has to be content for all modes of gameplay. If it's just scenery then, by your definition, it's pretty much the same as new spheres.

I don't know exactly what,

Maybe experiment that kerbal on Eva might have to do, plant crops and check later if it grew.

Maybe Wind effect / weather, that could add some challenge to land/takeoff.

Maybe Radiation level, making in sort that your crew only have limited time allowed on the surface.

Those are just some idea that come to my mind right now, I'm sure the devs can find more awesome stuff to implement than plain new planet.

[regex]

Maybe experiment that kerbal on Eva might have to do, plant crops and check later if it grew.

We already have science and survey contracts, plus ISRU, and people are still complaining there isn't enough to do. How would adding one extra busywork task help that?

Maybe Wind effect / weather, that could add some challenge to land/takeoff.

Maybe Radiation level, making in sort that your crew only have limited time allowed on the surface.

That's basically scenery, it's not extra things to do.

[AbacusWizard]

The thing is, planet surfaces realistically *are* pretty boring, unless they're biologically or geologically active. If you want interesting stuff on the surface you gotta put it there yourself. Reading Arthur C. Clarke's short stories makes me want to set up hotels on the moons of Jool.

[problemecium]

I had a dream last night that they finally added GP2 as a surprise bonus xD It was blue and Neptune-like and had one large-ish moon.

Anyway, opening the door to more planets isn't so much a Unity 5 / 64-bit issue so much as a limitation on the way planets are currently handled. While the PQS terrain system does shut off at a certain distance, planets still render as fairly high-poly sphere meshes even when so far away they're smaller than a pixel.

The best thing to do would be to have the planets stop rendering at a certain distance and perhaps be replaced with a small "star" sprite. SpaceEngine does something similar to this, and I think DOE implements the sprites but doesn't turn off the sphere mesh. Having just a sprite means big memory and FPS savings, as it's a simple thing to just draw a small image on the screen rather than to map an HD texture all over a bunch of tiny triangles.

[Vanamonde]

This discussion of the game's development has been moved to development discussions.

[tygoo7]

I had a dream last night that they finally added GP2 as a surprise bonus xD It was blue and Neptune-like and had one large-ish moon.

Anyway, opening the door to more planets isn't so much a Unity 5 / 64-bit issue so much as a limitation on the way planets are currently handled. While the PQS terrain system does shut off at a certain distance, planets still render as fairly high-poly sphere meshes even when so far away they're smaller than a pixel.

The best thing to do would be to have the planets stop rendering at a certain distance and perhaps be replaced with a small "star" sprite. SpaceEngine does something similar to this, and I think DOE implements the sprites but doesn't turn off the sphere mesh. Having just a sprite means big memory and FPS savings, as it's a simple thing to just draw a small image on the screen rather than to map an HD texture all over a bunch of tiny triangles.

Oh I hope that something like this will be implemented.

[Vorg]

As to what to do with any planets/moons current or new, right now the game kind of dead ends with sending rockets out. There are several colony mods, one of which even adds colonist. This is one thing that could be added to extend the game. What do you do once you have been to the planets and set up mining bases for Ore/fuel? set up colonies both orbital and on the ground and run them.

[richfiles]

The only planet mod that caught my eye is Outer Planets mod. I like the strong inspiration from our real solar system, but I think it's at the same time, both creative, and very "Kerbally". I've already decided that I will install Outer Planets mod as a reward for finishing my simpit. If I'm gonna have fancy controls and readouts, I might as well put them to good use!

I have seen planet mods that change the Kerbal system all together, to rearrange things, and I just don't care for that. I like adding, not rearranging.

Sarnus, Urlum, Neidon, and Plock... Those are the worlds (and their moons) that I shall be adding to my solar system!

I'd support this mod being incorporated into stock more than any other mod, personally.