Product question (I checked the forum and didn't find this answered)

[elostirion]

What I'm looking for in a solar system simulator is to be able to define a star (group), a planet(s), and then switch the perspective to the planet and observe the solar prestation- to see the pattern of when and where the sun(s) rise, set, etc.

Can this product do that?

Thanks sandbox denizens.

[blotz]

you can spawn a system, zoom in on the stars and the planets and the moons, but there's no view from on the planet afaik. not sure about the sunrise/set thing

[C7]

You can fly down to the surface of a planet and land the camera on it. This would allow you to view the suns in the scene and get an idea about the sunrise and sunset. We've been working on and experimenting with an atmospheric scattering solution, which would be a lot more accurate and interesting, but at this point it is not yet implemented into the Sandbox. I can't guarantee any features until we're putting them in the patch notes for a release, but at least this should give you a better idea of where we are, and where we're trying to go with it.

Current Solution - (Current implementation of planetary surface landing, mind the volume.. I drop the moon on Earth, and it's a little loud)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMH7pigByV8&index=3&list=UUxJjsUsKXjvUbfbQ2pd51-Q

Highly experimental testing stuff for atmosphere rendering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gfFPfgovoY&list=UUxJjsUsKXjvUbfbQ2pd51-Q
 

[blotz]

wow the second video looks really cool even though it hasn't been finished yet
i can't wait to see it

[Gordon Freeman]

Interesting, US2 is starting to resemble Space Engine isn't it?

[Plutonium]

Second video is just wonderful!!