Light Echoes

[geckzilla]

I was wondering if there is any chance to get a light echo simulator in the game. The light pulse feature of the first game was very helpful to show me just how big space is, and I can't help coming back to it every time I try to imagine a light echo. This is after I have put considerable effort into understanding them and then realizing I am having a dreadfully hard time with it.

It's probably not something that could be easily put into the game (scope creep? what's that?) but I thought I'd ask anyway.

[shadyJ]

Dan addressed that briefly here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/230290/discussions/0/606068060827394308/

"It hasn't been added yet to the sequel, but something that will add in the next few months."

[smjjames]

Actually, I don't see it as being too hard to put into the game. Right now, they're just concentrating on the collision system and stuff.

[geckzilla]

Dan addressed that briefly here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/230290/discussions/0/606068060827394308/

"It hasn't been added yet to the sequel, but something that will add in the next few months."

That's just about regular light pulse. Maybe you don't know what a light echo is. In that case, I have to show you! Prepare for awesome.

Video of light echo in action: http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/heic1323a/
Explaining a light echo: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/video-audio/1039-ssc2008-09v2-Dissecting-a-Light-Echo-

There's V838 Mon too but this video is a little hard to follow because of the morphing interpolation. It looks like the dust is moving when it is not moving at all.

[Gordon Freeman]

I imagine you're talking about an "echolocation" effect similar to that in the games Dark Echo and Devil's Tuning Fork?

[smjjames]

I haven't played those games so I have no idea what you mean, though I can imagine what the effect would look like.

[geckzilla]

I imagine you're talking about an "echolocation" effect similar to that in the games Dark Echo and Devil's Tuning Fork?

I looked up some videos. I think there is a big difference. These games you get to see all of the "rays" (using sound as an analogue to light) whether they bounce back or not, but with a light echo we only get to see the rays which reach our camera. The light approaching the camera which bounces off some unseen nebula will reach the camera twice as fast as the light traveling away from the camera. It's very hard for me to imagine, which is why I'd really like to play with some simulations. I was thinking the hardest part would be to create a medium for the light to bounce off, but maybe particles could be used to simulate some dusty structures.