Planet Size Discussion

TIHan · Post by **TIHan** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:30 am

I brought this up in the test build 1.208 thread. I decided to make a thread discussing just this topic of varied planet sizes, mainly enormous planet sizes.

Vice said this about huge planets: "The idea of fully realistically sized planets was scrapped back around 2006 when Arvoch was released. There were too many problems with long descent times and atmospheric travel distances that their size was compromised to be between fully realistic and the over-sized 'marbles' in the original Evochron. The current size has generally received the fewest complaints and most positive feedback.

... the size of planets has been balanced between being too small/unrealistic taking only a few seconds to descend and too large taking 10-20 minutes to descend. The current setup seems to generally get the fewest complaints with just occasional, relatively evenly numbered, 'they're too big' and 'they're too small' comments, so it's probably just about right for most players. A typical no-burn angled descent can take about 2-3 minutes, which seems to work out well for most and offers the intended tactical and resource recovery options (ie gameplay).

That may change in the future, but for now, the current varied size range will be used for those reasons and others."

It makes sense not to have huge planet sizes due to long flights to the surface or to space. I'm not complaining about the current planet sizes, but to actually experience the pure sense of scale of a realistic planet size would be an incredible one.

I'm just wanting to discuss if there could be a solution to having huge planet sizes and be able to reach their surface or to space in around 3 minutes of flight time without hindering the gameplay mechanics.

Note: I'm not expecting this to be in EM or any Starwraith 3D games (would be cool if it were). This discussion is just for the fundamental aspect of having huge planetary sizes in which descent times are still low without hurting gameplay in any game with planetary descents.

I guess I can start brainstorming. I'll call this first brainstorm Idea 1.

Idea 1: Say we have a massive planet that would normally take 20 minutes to descend with one of the Evochron games. So what can we do? Well, allowing players to have greater speed in the atmosphere would be one, but that is unrealistic and would hurt atmospheric combat. So, the idea here is to hypothetically for each ship to have a component that allows them for a particular period of time be able to have increased speed in the atmosphere. Now I know what you are thinking, players can escape out of a planet easier now from enemies? Well, this component may have to charge up for 20-30 seconds without any control of the combat systems or movement systems on the ship until that charge is done.

This is literally just a brainstormed idea that I had for a possible solution to stop long atmospheric travels. There are probably loop holes and that is why I am wanting to discuss this idea.

soulsacrifice · Post by **soulsacrifice** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:32 am

I for one would love to see much larger planets in Evochron, I know the longer decent times put some people off but if there were only a hand full out of the hundreds of planets that already exist, it would allow those who want the experience to have it without making it essential to go to them.

The idea of an item (heatshield?) to increase atmospheric speed is also an interesting one. I even like the idea of being able to use it in battle as it would open up more scenarios while fighting someone who can travel faster in atmo. Simple additions of items like this could add many more possibilities and more choice with regards to what equipment to carry.

I know planets have already got bigger and more varied with EM; and I think it was a step in the right direction for making the whole universe feel more real to me.

Another thing I would love to see is stars having actual mass. I know wormholes can be found in the centre of some stars and if they had mass some changes may need to be made (they could be placed on the surface of the star, similar to citys on planets), this would even make finding some wormholes more challenging and possibly rewarding.

[Edited on 11-1-2011 by soulsacrifice]

TIHan · Post by **TIHan** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:26 am

From post: 99596, Topic: tid=7137, author=soulsacrifice wrote:I even like the idea of being able to use it in battle as it would open up more scenarios while fighting someone who can travel faster in atmo.

I don't know how well this would work. I guess we need more opinions and ideas.

Bogusheadbox · Post by **Bogusheadbox** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:19 am

+1 for bigger planets

TGS · Post by **TGS** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:05 pm

Okay I've thought about this a lot and I have to say that as much as I would love big BIG planets. (Even to realistic size) there really is no point. There isn't much we can actually do with planets to justify their being that big.

What I mean is that we really can't interact with planets to a great deal. We can fly around them sure. Maybe dock with cities and such but really even in that there isn't a great deal to do. A city is no different to a station in how they operate really.

If you really wanted to make larger planets it would require having more possibilities for the planets themselves. Though it would be awesome if you could sort of build a home on a planet or even build your own cities. Lay claim to planets. That'd be sweet. Granted I don't think it'll ever happen but it would be pretty awesome if it did.

soulsacrifice · Post by **soulsacrifice** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:35 pm

Buildable stations on planets would be great. You'd probably need to increase the rewards for doing missions, so maybe more money and higher % of control gain of that area. That would make the added hassle with planetaray stations worthwhile. Giving more reasons to land and control planets could only be a good thing in my opinion.

TGS · Post by **TGS** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:36 pm

Yeah but if you had larger planets you could actually have a planetary "territory" control system. Which would be awesome. Cause then instead of players placing random stations in space that aside from being there to help hold their territory yet really having quite little value beyond that. You could actually have people sort of build a "home" on a planet that they can go back to and even build up on just that planet alone. Thus keeping out of the "space" territory while still having their own little neck of the woods.

It could even be made that if a person starts taking ownership of a planet that is in the system owned by a clan they could have some sort of interaction that would give some additional depth. Such as trade routes/convoys and player given missions etc.

Ideally Vice could make it so that Planetary territory control is geared/aimed more at individual non-clanned players. IE it provides no benefit to a clan even for members of a clan and while you can "allow" your clan mates access you could also disallow access. Ultimately I would really like to see players actually the ability to dynamically alter the universe with stations/cities but actually have some control and ownership over them. Right now if a player builds a station aside from the free license they don't actually have any additional access/privs to the station which seems rather strange to me.

Bogusheadbox · Post by **Bogusheadbox** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:03 pm

+1 for player owned planetary area
+1 for constructable defences for planetary cities
+1 for purchasing (at a large expense) capital ship escort

GUNSLINGR · Post by **GUNSLINGR** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:05 am

My wife says size don't matter!!!

-Gun

TGS · Post by **TGS** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:35 am

lol amen to that. I would love the ability to actually build sort of an "empire" within the game universe that actually has some structure to it. IE Cities, Defenses even fleets perhaps.

From post: 99623, Topic: tid=7137, author=Bogusheadbox wrote:+1 for player owned planetary area
+1 for constructable defences for planetary cities
+1 for purchasing (at a large expense) capital ship escort

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 3:15 pm

From post: 99633, Topic: tid=7137, author=GUNSLINGR wrote:My wife says size don't matter!!!

-Gun

Your wife is a kind woman and loves you!;)

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:50 pm

From post: 99633, Topic: tid=7137, author=GUNSLINGR wrote:My wife says size don't matter!!!

-Gun

Relatively depends on your understanding and her understanding of Size. Big belly? Big Feet? Big Head?
Big stinky smell? Big cigar? Big Car? Big House? Big Wallet?

If none of these relatively matters then I relatively agree with MMagio,
That she really relatively Loves you!.....

:P:P:P:P:P:P

Zule · Post by **Zule** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:55 pm

Have to say after doing my first EM planet landing that I think the size is about right, in fact i found it a boring descent. I do think, going off track, there needs to be more to do on planets so yes to the empire stuff and perhaps some other planetary things to do that you can only do on a planet only.

Though I am not sure as to what that could be, I'll brainstorm something and edit my post or something...

Post by **Marvin** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:48 am

What can a pilot do when done sightseeing on planets? Mining. Combat (mountains can be both friend and foe). Races (initiate at about 6-8k). And that boring trip to the surface isn't so boring when in Hostile space.