Kerbin (and other bodies) map view -> visual improvement

[Justin Kerbice]

For the record, the thread former title was: "Kerbin (and other bodies) map night area -> add light (with a switch)"

It would be great to be able to switch light on on dark side of bodies to see the map (it's a map at the first place, not supposed to be cute but useful, isn't it ?). It's pretty hard sometime to set a target on the dark.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Justin Kerbice
topic title modified to get a more accurate meaning

[Kasuha]

Yes, definitely. Even without a switch. It's a map so it should be possible to recognize surface features even on night side. Perhaps making it slightly darker and reducing saturation would suffice?

Also atmospheric effects could/should be reduced in map view to simple line separating vacuum from atmosphere.

[Red Iron Crown]

I would actually like the planets/moons in map mode to be more map-like rather than photorealistic. Longitude/latitude lines, elevation indicators, etc. Save the pretty textures and atmospheric effects for when you actually get a ship within visual range.

[r4pt0r]

I would actually like the planets/moons in map mode to be more map-like rather than photorealistic. Longitude/latitude lines, elevation indicators, etc. Save the pretty textures and atmospheric effects for when you actually get a ship within visual range.

that would make the sense of awe as you actually see the real deal so much greater! love it!

[Anthlon]

That seems to merging with the other idea with satelites / mapping. So this would be my idea for make this together:

From the start:

- you will see only spheres for planets (based on tracking station observations), only geometric with orbits,

After simple flyover with ship:

- you get aprox. color of area like low-res smooth texture of surface with water borders, and 2-5 elevation zones available for switch on/off on map view

After using mapping device included on ship or satelite (needed bigger amount of electricity and data storage/transmitting option):

- you get what we do have now as a more precise texture with some altitude markers.

After full-scan you always should have option to switch between full textured (as it is now) and basic geometry view as you have from begining. Maybe it can save some resources and improve performance of game as well.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Anthlon

[FlamingPotatoes]

That seems to merging with the other idea with satelites / mapping. So this would be my idea for make this together:

From the start:

- you will see only spheres for planets (based on tracking station observations), only geometric with orbits,

After simple flyover with ship:

- you get aprox. color of area like low-res smooth texture of surface with water borders, and 2-5 elevation zones available for switch on/off on map view

After using mapping device included on ship or satelite (needed bigger amount of electricity and data storage/transmitting option):

- you get what we do have now as a more precise texture with some altitude markers.

After full-scan you always should have option to switch between full textured (as it is now) and basic geometry view as you have from begining. Maybe it can save some resources and improve performance of game as well.

I think this is a great idea, it shows how much you've been to different planets.

[martin.stejskal]

completely agree. the map could also use a layers to show something like hystory of your landings, elevations or biomes.

[Justin Kerbice]

@Anthlon: not a bad idea like it (but should be toggable/cheat enabled to have full map).

On start we should know some location (KSC surrounding, other "populated" area and some place where kerbals have gone before)

To follow this idea: except Mun, no other bodies should be visible on map first, Minmus is small enough to be mixed with something else, even a distant bright star, building observatory/spatial telescopes would add data to bodies with kind of random number of observations needed to gather enough data (precise location/orbit, colors, shapes, body type and atmosphere, ...)

Finally, we may have something to switch between "pretty map" (what it is now with night an shadow), and "precise map" (the idea defined here with grids and data)

[John FX]

I suggested this months ago. I have always found it silly that the map cannot show the night side of a body.

Also, I have to say it`s not a `cheat`, it`s just a map.

It`s more of a cheat to have invisible physics defying cameras that zoom around the solar system at your whim showing it as it currently is than a 3D graphical representation that shows all of a planet whether the sun is shining on it right now or not.

I really like the idea of discovering a planet by sending probes and so forth to map it. You could get an orbit and a bitmap of the surface (and size of body etc) from a telescope. You would need some radar altimetry from an orbiting craft to get a more detailed map though. Your lander would hopefully still need sensors on it to know where the ground was.

Initially objects could be tracked like we do asteroids now.

Yes, I like this idea more the more I think about it.

I hope that is the way development goes.

[vger]

I would actually like the planets/moons in map mode to be more map-like rather than photorealistic. Longitude/latitude lines, elevation indicators, etc. Save the pretty textures and atmospheric effects for when you actually get a ship within visual range.

I've been wanting a mod that adds an element of retro-80's sci-fi image enhancement to the view of the planets for a while now. Something like the screens in the original Alien film.

((skip to 3:20))

Three-dimensional RADAR mapping on landers.

[NERVAfan]

I like the idea. Latitude/longitude and elevations too, though maybe only after mapping (elevations anyway).

[Anthlon]

@Anthlon: not a bad idea like it (but should be toggable/cheat enabled to have full map).

On start we should know some location (KSC surrounding, other "populated" area and some place where kerbals have gone before)

To follow this idea: except Mun, no other bodies should be visible on map first, Minmus is small enough to be mixed with something else, even a distant bright star, building observatory/spatial telescopes would add data to bodies with kind of random number of observations needed to gather enough data (precise location/orbit, colors, shapes, body type and atmosphere, ...)

Finally, we may have something to switch between "pretty map" (what it is now with night an shadow), and "precise map" (the idea defined here with grids and data)

Yes, of course, there should be such a thing how to overide (cheat) downgraded map to a full (actual 0.23.5 situation), maybe if we think it for some acceptable dificulty now, it could be in sandbox swichable fully whenever, and in career based on previously written conditions. By my opinion, it could be integrated very fast based on the fact that we seeking for downgrade, not for developing new features. It depends, if anybody cares this way..

[DancZer]

That seems to merging with the other idea with satelites / mapping. So this would be my idea for make this together:

From the start:

- you will see only spheres for planets (based on tracking station observations), only geometric with orbits,

After simple flyover with ship:

- you get aprox. color of area like low-res smooth texture of surface with water borders, and 2-5 elevation zones available for switch on/off on map view

After using mapping device included on ship or satelite (needed bigger amount of electricity and data storage/transmitting option):

- you get what we do have now as a more precise texture with some altitude markers.

After full-scan you always should have option to switch between full textured (as it is now) and basic geometry view as you have from begining. Maybe it can save some resources and improve performance of game as well.

I like your idea.

Here is my which is more radical, but i think it simplifies the game play.

We have now instant switch to the communication center, without game pause. Why not make a hybrid and the only view from the map view + communication center?

When you press the M key(map view) the "communication center view" + the "current map view" hybrid should pop up. Without shadows OFC.

There you can add maneuver nodes, toggle other objects, switch to another object etc.

Edit:

Edited October 22, 2014 by DancZer

[r4pt0r]

before someone cries necro, this thread is still relevant.

Seconding Red Iron Crowns idea (again )

I would actually like the planets/moons in map mode to be more map-like rather than photorealistic. Longitude/latitude lines, elevation indicators, etc. Save the pretty textures and atmospheric effects for when you actually get a ship within visual range.

[DBowman]

I like:

- the 'add cartography elements to maps'

- 'addition of detail' as 'surveys' performed (either remote or visited)

[tater]

Anthlon has the right idea. The base view in map mode would be appropriate to observation from the surface of kerbin with a telescope. "Science" missions would make it possible to unlock alternate map views. First would be drawn maps, but there could be a toggle to a photographic view provided you have taken pictures (like scansat, sort of). Make a reason to to pioneer/voyager type flyby missions.

[maltesh]

To follow this idea: except Mun, no other bodies should be visible on map first, Minmus is small enough to be mixed with something else, even a distant bright star, building observatory/spatial telescopes would add data to bodies with kind of random number of observations needed to gather enough data (precise location/orbit, colors, shapes, body type and atmosphere, ...)

There really isn't any plausible way a civilization that is interested enough in the sky to build things to go there wouldn't have noticed most of the planets in the Kerbin system from the ground, up to thousands of years before they went to any of them. Not with an atmosphere transparent to their senses.

Planets (and moons) are kind of obvious from the surface. They move relative to the background stars. They don't twinkle. And a civilization that doesn't have the mathematical chops to work out Newtonian mechanics and work out the orbits of the planets from dirtside observations doesn't have the technical chops to build the rocket parts.

Kerbals may be silly, and reckless, but they're not stupid. Collectively, anyway.

[tater]

Yeah, they should be plotted, and even some ideas about the surface for some. Mars from Earth was not drawn very accurately for quite a while, and no real maps until we sent probes.