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[preyaticintent]

So, I'd been wanting to purchase this for ages from Steam, and I finally got around to it.  It's definitely not what I expected.  Is there a location where people share simulations that they've created?  I've done the tutorials where you can make your own solar system, but what about your own galaxy?  Thanks.

[vh]

Normally, we just post our simulations in this section of the forum along with screenshots and/or a description. You can't really "make" a galaxy; the galaxy's you add are dust rotating around a central mass. You can change the shape of the galaxies though.

You could add a bunch of stars and make them orbit each other in circles, to simulate a real galaxy but the more objects, the more lag.

[preyaticintent]

Yeah, I'm trying to create a binary star system right now.  But I'm failing miserably.   They don't orbit each other in a manner I thought they would.  Still working it through though.

[vh]

select both by using either the ctrl key or the drag box to multi-select. then, on the panel to the right, click the button that says "binary orbit"

[preyaticintent]

Thanks.   I do have one question, which might seem silly.  I run the simulation of our solar system.  I speed up the speed at which time passes.  And things go all chaoticy.  Earth bounces of the sun, into Mercury, and into the cosmos.  Maybe not that exact thing, but you get the idea.  Why is that?  Thanks again for all your help.   This is by far the most intriguing thing I've ever seen.

[vh]

yeah, when you speed up the simulation too much, orbits become unstable and break down. It's something called "time-step"

The program simulates each body, moves it forward in space, and repeats the process. If you turn up the time step too high, the body moves too far, and it flies all over the place.

[preyaticintent]

Just messing around with things, getting to know the program, and I made this.  Binary orbit, with an earth-like planet around both.  Changed color mode to Velocity.  And pretty, pretty colors and patterns.   I think I'm going to enjoy this program more than I thought.