[1.9.1, 1.10.x] Planet 9 1.2.0 - A entirely proceduraly generated planet pack

[TheGhastModding]

About

Planet 9 (P9) is a KSP planet pack that adds the theorized 9th planet of the solar system plus it’s moon system into Kerbal Space Program. However, unlike other planet packs, this pack is entirely proceduraly generated. This also doesn’t mean that the pack’s textures are pre-generated. Infact, the pack download comes with no textures in it at all. Instead, it ships with a custom application that you need to use before being able to play the pack, that proceduraly-generates a new set of textures and models, just for you. Everyone who downloads and plays this pack, will play using a completely unique system of moons around Planet 9. You can even customize your moon system inside the application, and create the perfect system for yourself.

This is accomplished through my "ProceduralPlanet" procedural celestial body generation software library. Though it is intended for general use in game development, I am using it here to produce this proceduraly generated planet pack for Kerbal Space Program. Currently, this project is still only a proof-of-concept and will receive further development. Therefore, any bug reports and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

However, please note that only the textures and models of the major moons are proceduraly generated. Their physical characteristics and orbits are fixed, though they were determined initially by an algorithm as well.

Screenshots

Note: because this planet pack is proceduraly generated, the screenshots shown here only represent random examples of the generator's capabilities. Though the pack download does come with some default assets for Planet 9 due to technical reasons, none of the shown moons will appear in your game exactly as seen. As explained previously, your system will be completely randomly generated.
 

Spoiler

Planet 9

Temi - The first moon

Fol - The second moon

Pandunia - The third moon

Спутник - The fourth moon

Goda - The fifth moon

Various minor moons

Every generated system will have 6 asteroid moons with random orbits and random names. This is an example of what one can look like.

Installation

Planet 9 is a little bit more difficult install then your regular planet pack, due to the requirement of needing to run the procedural generator first. The download link below will contain a .zip file which, as you're probably used to, needs to extracted into your KSP install's GameData folder.

This pack does require the "VertexHeightMap" Kopernicus Expansion from VabienArt’s fork of the Kopernicus Expansions, which can be found here: https://github.com/VabienArt/KopernicusExpansion-Continueder/releases

However, a compatible build of this expansion should always be included with the download for this pack.

Additionally, while this isn't a strict requirement, it is recommended to have OPM installed, simply so that Planet 9 actually is the 9th planet from Kerbol.

You may also want to install an Orion Drive Mod. Just trust me on this. You will need it.

Before being able to run your game, you need to run the procedural generation application to create the textures and models unique to your system. However, instructions on using the generator application would blow up this forum post. Instead, I have added usage instructions to the GitHub repository for this project, which can be accessed at this link: https://github.com/89Mods/Planet9/blob/main/README.md

Please read the contents of this page very carefully! The generator application in a sensitive piece of software, and will not work at all if you do not follow the instructions to the letter!

Visual mods

This planet pack comes with scatterer configs for the two celestial bodies in it that have atmospheres. Otherwise, no other visual enhancement mods are utilized in this pack.

Support

If you have successfully ran the generator application, but cannot start your game, you must provide the Kopernicus log files, or I will be unable to help.

If you are trying to run the generator application but get an error, you must show me the exact error message. If the generator application instead freezes with no error, ensure that you have correctly followed the usage instructions for the application. If you did and are still experience this problem, you can send me a message, and I will do my best to help.

 

Licensing

This planet pack and the generator application are published under the GNU General Public License v3.

 

Download

The current version of the planet pack is 1.2.0 for KSP version 1.12.x, and can be downloaded from the project’s GitHub page here: https://github.com/89Mods/Planet9/releases/tag/1.2.0

Please make sure to carefully follow the installation instructions above, as this is not a simple planet pack.

Changelog

Spoiler

1.2.0

Fix a bug with newer versions of the JRE that could cause all the generators to break.

1.1.1

Make crater shape parameters configurable and randomnized

Increase colour variety of moons

Fix a bug where noise configuration dialog content would not be updated after changing the seed

 

1.0.0

Initial release

Credits

Spoiler

Lead programmer

TheGhastModding

Contributers

SandFoxed for helping me build a better UI for the generator application

WarriorSabe for helping me with the maths on the crater generation algorithm

Special thanks to

Everyone in GregroxMun's Discord server who gave me feedback and support

Vabien for reviving Kopernicus Expansion and letting me port the VertexHeightMap16 KopEx, without which this project would not look nearly as impressive

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by TheGhastModding
Mod update

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

first! is there any chance that you could expand this to make an entire custom solar system pack that is procedurally generated including the names? just a suggestion i know its hard work to do stuff like that but it would be completely AWESOME! i will be downloading this as soon as my computer starts working again! and may i ask how long this took you? 

sorry if this is all over the place but im just really excited that this is finally a thing!

Edited November 26, 2020 by The_Stinky_Broccoli

[Minmus Taster]

SECOND!

IS THIS COMPATIBLE WITH OPM?

THIS IS AWSOME!

DANGIT I WAS SO HYPED I DID NOT EVEN SEE WHAT THE POST SAID TILL NOW!

Edited November 26, 2020 by Minmus Taster

[Alaygrounds]

Yes it's compatible with OPM. It's orbit doesn't cross opm's orbits and it  doesn't mess with eeloo so it's compatible with OPM.

[TheGhastModding]

4 hours ago, The_Stinky_Broccoli said:

first! is there any chance that you could expand this to make an entire custom solar system pack that is procedurally generated including the names? just a suggestion i know its hard work to do stuff like that but it would be completely AWESOME! i will be downloading this as soon as my computer starts working again! and may i ask how long this took you? 

sorry if this is all over the place but im just really excited that this is finally a thing!

Well, procedural solar systems are a dream of mine as well, but, as you can imagine, very difficult. While creating the generator application for this pack took only about a month, the ProceduralPlanet library took very long to develop. I think I created the project files for it sometime mid-2019.

[ssd21345]

sounds awesome (and literally looks awesome), take quite time to generate tho (i7-8700 + 16 GB ram, running 12 GB version took like 55 mins)

You may want to check out To boldly go if you want to check out other procedural generator

side question does it work with Minor Planet Expansion?

Edited November 27, 2020 by ssd21345

[TheGhastModding]

14 hours ago, ssd21345 said:

sounds awesome (and literally looks awesome), take quite time to generate tho (i7-8700 + 16 GB ram, running 12 GB version took like 55 mins)

55 minutes is actually very fast. It usually takes me (Xeon E5-1620v4) 2-3 hours.

14 hours ago, ssd21345 said:

side question does it work with Minor Planet Expansion?

I don’t see why not. P9 is even farther away from Kerbol then Soden, so it shouldn’t interfere with any of MPE’s orbits.

[Fundati]

Incredible! The planets look great!

[MCWither_Storm]

How well does this run on a low-end laptop?