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Author Topic: New October Update Coming Soon  (Read 6133 times)

Dan Dixon

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New October Update Coming Soon
« on: October 13, 2010, 08:54:59 PM »
I wanted to let everyone know that I've been hard at work on the next update (that I hope to release this week):


Here are a few of the over 30 changes and fixes coming in the next update:

Major improvements to make adding new bodies, easier, more intuitive, and error free:
- Add multiple bodies to the simulation without having to click the icon in the add panel every time.
- New ability to set the velocity of a placed body by dragging the mouse after you click to place it.
- Set the height of a body by dragging when you place a body in auto orbit mode.

And more:
- Added File Tools for easy extraction and packaging when manual editing UBOX files.
- Improved the accuracy of the calculations for the habitable zone around stars.
- Improved internal handling of dust in preparation for adding a dust saving feature in a future update.
- Universe Sandbox will no longer ask if you want to exit when you end its task from the Task Manager or if you're shutting down or restarting windows.
- Updated the 'Auto Orbit' command to use the same function as the 'Orbit Parent' code when multiple objects are selected (this makes more perfect orbits).
- Added Ambient light slider.
- Bodies can now have negative mass. Note that this may cause strange results with collisions and the orbital element values.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2010, 01:08:05 PM by Dan Dixon »

atomic7732

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Re: New Update Coming Soon
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2010, 09:52:57 PM »
yay ;D

Naru523

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Re: New Update Coming Soon
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2010, 11:34:24 PM »
Aweshome.

Chaotic Cow

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Re: New Update Coming Soon
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2010, 08:22:58 PM »
Saawweeet!

Darvince

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Re: New Update Coming Soon
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2010, 10:11:53 AM »
2.1.0 much?

Me likey...
Yay I can make 31 planet systems now!

Negative mass of any amount eventually causes complete chaos.

everytime.
calucations
habital
preperation
shuting

every time
calculations
habitable
preparation
shutting

Dan Dixon

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Re: New Update Coming Soon
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2010, 01:07:49 PM »
I've added another feature. Automatic handling of trail length based on the frame rate. I'll be curious to know what you all think of it. I'm really excited about it. Now if you have a fast enough computer your trails will automatically grow longer.



It would seem that Chrome doesn't add red underlines to text that's pasted into a text box and I forgot to run spell check on the text in the editor that I typed up that list.

That was bad of me. Thanks and fixed.

Dan Dixon

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Re: New October Update Coming Soon
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2010, 11:32:14 PM »
The new update is almost ready... So close.

Dan Dixon

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Re: New October Update Coming Soon
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2010, 12:47:56 PM »
Here's my stats on editing and testing the upcoming release:

1207 runs
3.73 days of run time

I always reset it right before releasing to make sure I haven't broken the introductory experience for new users.

Sanduleak

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Re: New October Update Coming Soon
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2010, 04:14:19 PM »
Sweet! Cant wait to play with the ambient light slider   ;D

Darvince

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Re: New October Update Coming Soon
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2010, 04:15:38 PM »
Hmm... A new large update will get me back into Universe Sandbox.

Why do my 2 favorite programs be releasing big updates so close to each other?