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Author Topic: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions  (Read 3687 times)

The Ventifact

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Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« on: September 06, 2014, 09:33:35 PM »
I had this idea floating around in my head for a few days, so I though I would share it with everyone. There is already a myriad of options for planets, moons, and stars. We can terraform, add water, organics, hydrogen, silicate, and carbon dioxide. We can set orbital periods, temperatures, mass, radius, density, etc. But I think it would be cool if you could write your own descriptions for stars, moons, and planets.

Like the cool little descriptions in the Mass Effect series. Each planet you hover over, you can view the planet's description, giving a little background into the world of Mass Effect. A fourth tab could be added under the "properties" window, called "description." This is where you could enter your own description. Then when you right click the object, it will show the description just entered. This would be really cool to have when/if we can share simulations in the Steam workshop.

Plus, it would make custom simulations more detailed. Recreating your favorite solar system from a movie, game, or TV show is already fun, but adding the ability for descriptions would increase the cool factor to 11. Essentially, give a little story to your solar system. Ignore what the images says about orbital periods, distances, radius, etc. That's already given to us, I am purely talking about story descriptions for simulations.

But anyway, here is an image to give you an idea of what I am talking about. This is an image from Mass Effect 2, showing a planet description.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2014, 09:51:03 PM by The Ventifact »

lmgg

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2014, 07:23:11 AM »
I think it is a great idea, I like ideas that motivate the use of imagination in games.

PS: About the image, I didn't knew they were so, so ignorant about simple astrophysics in a commercial game, with a supposedly well-worked space background.
I am :o

The Ventifact

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2014, 09:05:18 AM »
Well, Mass Effect is fictional... like way fictional. So yeah.

Xriqxa

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2014, 09:32:58 AM »
mfw 229 C is too hot to explore

Josh

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2014, 12:38:15 PM »
I never thought about this idea; I think it'd be pretty good!

The Ventifact

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2014, 12:41:28 PM »
I never thought about this idea; I think it'd be pretty good!

Yeah, descriptions for stars, planets, and moons would be a cool feature to add. It would certainly make sharing simulations more relevant.

Xriqxa

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2014, 09:31:30 PM »
As awesome as this would be, it wouldn't work.

See, a lot of younger people will be playing US2, and younger people tend not to know much about astrophysics and how planets work.

For example, a kid could say his planet was 30% lava but in reality it was an Oceana planet.

The Ventifact

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2014, 10:25:21 PM »
I see what you mean, but since US2 already gives us accurate, real world equivalents with orbital periods, temperatures, and radii, this just adds the "fun" part. Sure, this idea of descriptions will probably make it more fictional, but that doesn't have to take away from the real world learning of Universe Sandbox.

Xriqxa

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Re: Suggestion: Custom Planet, Moon, and Star Descriptions
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2014, 10:51:42 AM »
But so many people will have Star Trek logic/be a jerk to the point that US2's Steam Workshop will be a mess.