How does the mun terrain be render?

[liweih]

Today when I was trying to find an easter egg at the northern hemisphere of mun, I found this big hole.

Since I could not find where it is, I said to myself why not land in that hole and check what was inside?

The bottom seemed quite flat while the edge was steep.

The crosssection also shows the hole is quite deep.

But when I scoped back to a certain distance, the view showed that it was a shallow crater.

So my question is, does the game only render the terran in detail when you approach to a very close distance. Many times, when I was trying to land a spot where I thought it was flat, I ended up finding this place was acturally a slope. Sometimes it is a bit annoying when you want to find a flat place to build your mun base.

[Kasuha]

The surface is generated procedurally as needed. When in distance (or zoomed out a lot), it is generated to lower detail than when up close. And certain features may be only applied under sufficient zoom.

[liweih]

The surface is generated procedurally as needed. When in distance (or zoomed out a lot), it is generated to lower detail than when up close. And certain features may be only applied under sufficient zoom.

Thanks. So, how close do we need to get to when we want to see a monolith?

[bsalis]

I like how you serendipitously found that instead of the easter egg you were after. Then in very Kerbal fashion just decided to land in it instead, without knowing what was at the bottom.

[Garek]

You also have to consider that a flat and a deep crater look very similar with the right lighting when viewed from directly above.

[Richy teh space man]

Thanks. So, how close do we need to get to when we want to see a monolith?

You pretty much have to be on top of them to see them, at around 2 km away they should become visible.

[magnemoe]

You also have to consider that a flat and a deep crater look very similar with the right lighting when viewed from directly above.

LOL, then I was in the army it was an story about an major who was looking for an hill he saw on the map, it took two days before he realized it was an hole.

[liweih]

I like how you serendipitously found that instead of the easter egg you were after. Then in very Kerbal fashion just decided to land in it instead, without knowing what was at the bottom.

I think the place is good for a secret base. The bottom is quite flat and large enough for some buildings. If there is enemy, they can only find you when satellite pass from the top. Well, if they don't have the mysterious kerbal technology that can show everything nearby and label them with small tag.

[liweih]

You pretty much have to be on top of them to see them, at around 2 km away they should become visible.

ah, that's why I can't find any of them on the moon. I usually do a 5km-height fly pass to see if there is anythings on the ground. It may works for mun arc not for the monolith.

[FellipeC]

Look here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50414-Building-a-New-Universe-KSP-Discussion-at-Unite-2013

[Masked Turk]

Also: does the mun appear the same to everyone, or is everyone's terrain map different?

[Skyrunner27]

It is the same terrain for everyone.

[Bishop149]

This might be an appropriete place for this.

Have noticed differences in surface render between people screenshots, a good example in the picture in the thread below for Laythe:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50017-Who-here-has-landed-a-usable-aircraft-on-Laythe/page3

Note the sand dunes in mellojoe's picture at the bottom, and the flat featureless terrain in the pic almost directly above it (which is what I have).

I guess its could be an altitude thing, all the duney pictures are from higher up, but I'm pretty sure I've never seen them from any altitude.

Also I have never seen any sticky up surface feature such as rocks etc on any body I have visited. . . its pretty much flat textures all round, I've seen screenies of Kerbals standing next to rocks.

I am aware there are mods to change the planet / space textures (from a distance) but I thought the surface should be the same for everyone.

[Kasuha]

That depends on your graphics options, they affect both close-up texture details and terrain subsampling. So there may be some differences in close up. But big features are all the same.

[liweih]

I like how you serendipitously found that instead of the easter egg you were after. Then in very Kerbal fashion just decided to land in it instead, without knowing what was at the bottom.

Well, eventually, I found that monolith. It is right beneath the bottom of the hole...

Anyone wants the location?