Universe Sandbox 2.1.4 Now Available - December 17

[Dan Dixon]

Currently this is only available on Steam. The update will be coming to all other users in a few days.

Please let me know if you run into any problems.

What's New in 2.1.4? Full list of improvements and fixes:
http://universesandbox.com/whatsnew/

Can everyone help test the new Snowball Earth achievement?
You need to make the Earth's temperature less than 0 Celsius.

[atomic7732]

Is it just me or does the What's new page not have 2.1.4's list of changes?

[Kreifi]

Wow, nice. Snowball worked fine. Got archievement after loading new simulation.

[smjjames]

Currently this is only available on Steam. The update will be coming to all other users in a few days.

Please let me know if you run into any problems.

What's New in 2.1.4? Full list of improvements and fixes:
http://universesandbox.com/whatsnew/

Can everyone help test the new Snowball Earth achievement?
You need to make the Earth's temperature less than 0 Celsius.

That would be easy enough, get it slingshotted out to plutos orbit or simply place the earth in a sim with no sun. I don't use Steam for US though.

@Neutron: I guess he doesn't have it up just yet.

[Dan Dixon]

Thanks. What's New page is now updated.

Let me know if I broke anything in the new update or if you have any problems with the new achievement.

[smjjames]

Cool, so does the simple atmosphere temp function work ONLY for the Earth object or does it work for any object?

[Dan Dixon]

It's only turned on for Earth, but you can turn it on for almost any object manually (although currently, the atmosphere model values default to that of Earth).

Select a body and switch to the "Physical" tab... toward the bottom is the checkbox.

[atomic7732]

So we can expect temperatures on all bodies in the near future?

It seems like the temperature takes into account Earth's atmosphere, for the other bodies, does it assume an atmosphere as well?

Snowball Earth worked, btw.

[Dan Dixon]

So we can expect temperatures on all bodies in the near future?

It seems like the temperature takes into account Earth's atmosphere, for the other bodies, does it assume an atmosphere as well?

Look for an improved implementation of this feature in the major update coming out next year. I expect this will be on for all bodies and will have good defaults for all planets (and it will support more than one star, currently it only shows the temperature from it's parent star).

[smjjames]

He said that the atmosphere values default to Earths for all bodies at this time.

I have a question though, as far as atmospheres go, did you include a cutoff point for thick atmospheres? Titan might be at or near the lowest end of the scale for thick atmospheres, then again, it's shielded from the solar wind by Jupiters magnetic field.

[Dan Dixon]

It's a really simple atmosphere model.

There are 3 properties: Albedo, Infrared Emissivity, and Visible Emissivity.

Albedo is how much energy the planet absorbs or reflects. And the Emissivity is how much energy the atmosphere absorbs or allows to escape.

Try playing around with the values for Earth and let me know if you have any questions.

[smjjames]

I meant in determing the atmosphere for exploded objects, collided objects, etc in the major release.

[Dan Dixon]

I meant in determing the atmosphere for exploded objects, collided objects, etc in the major release.

Yes, it's still my plan to have atmospheres that affect objects (introduce drag) in the next major update.

[FiahOwl]

I meant in determing the atmosphere for exploded objects, collided objects, etc in the major release.

Yes, it's still my plan to have atmospheres that affect objects (introduce drag) in the next major update.

This will make things epic.

[smjjames]

*facepalm* I'm talking about determing the density of an objects atmosphere, a 100km object isn't going to have an atmosphere for example.

Still though, introducing drag is just a step towards flaming meteors

[Dan Dixon]

*facepalm* I'm talking about determing the density of an objects atmosphere, a 100km object isn't going to have an atmosphere for example.

Still though, introducing drag is just a step towards flaming meteors

Yeah... I'm still not sure exactly how it will work, but you'll be able to put a thick atmosphere on a 100km object (even though that wouldn't work in reality).

[Bla]

Tested all of the new features (except fixes), and they all worked.

The temperature calculation on Earth only happens in the Solar System simulation right? It didn't show the temperature in Earth and Moon. If it did, it would also be too easy to get the achievement just for opening a simulation.

[smjjames]

You need at least a sun, I got it by making a new sim, placing a star (used the sun) and placed the earth 20+ AU out from it. I got the snowball earth badge that way.

Edit: Putting the visible emissivity to 0.65 or a little bit above breaks the temp number and it goes into NaN M C. It doesn't break the sim or anything, it just breaks the number displayed on that setting.

Also, could there be an option to use Fahrenheight? Not all of us use Celcius. Sure I could use a temp conversion thing, but it would be great to at least have the option. Also luminosity has no affect at this time, although star temp and luminosity would generally go hand in hand so to speak

[Dan Dixon]

Tested all of the new features (except fixes), and they all worked.

Thanks!

The temperature calculation on Earth only happens in the Solar System simulation right? It didn't show the temperature in Earth and Moon. If it did, it would also be too easy to get the achievement just for opening a simulation.

The temperature calculation requires a star that emits energy and considers its distance.

The achievement is pretty easy to get. You can lower the temperature of the Sun, move the Sun and Earth further from each other, or change the albedo of the Earth to absorb less energy.

[Kevin1994]

went will we see the new update?

[FiahOwl]

You need at least a sun, I got it by making a new sim, placing a star (used the sun) and placed the earth 20+ AU out from it. I got the snowball earth badge that way.

Edit: Putting the visible emissivity to 0.65 or a little bit above breaks the temp number and it goes into NaN M C. It doesn't break the sim or anything, it just breaks the number displayed on that setting.

Also, could there be an option to use Fahrenheight? Not all of us use Celcius. Sure I could use a temp conversion thing, but it would be great to at least have the option. Also luminosity has no affect at this time, although star temp and luminosity would generally go hand in hand so to speak

I second what he just said. Putting the visible emissivity to 0.65 about breaks it. And I would like a Fahrenheit option.

[Bla]

I vote for Kelvin, as default. For science!

[FiahOwl]

I vote for Kelvin, as default. For science!

How about all three?

[smjjames]

I vote for Kelvin, as default. For science!

How about all three?

Why not?, star temperature already uses Kelvin. I like the idea of using all three.

[FiahOwl]

So I have this Binary star system, and the temperature of this one planet fluctuates to -64 Degrees to 22 Degrees Celsius.


It's cool, as the larger star moves away, it drops down to -64 Deg Celsius, then when the Larger star moves closer, it jumps from -64 to 22.

[Kevin1994]

can you  show a pic about this new atmosphere I would like to see it  

[FiahOwl]

can you  show a pic about this new atmosphere I would like to see it 

There are no visual effects yet

[Kevin1994]

But it says Added simple atmosphere model to calculate surface temperature of the Earth

[Bla]

I vote for Kelvin, as default. For science!

How about all three?

I didn't exclude the others. I just said as default.

Although I am personally offended by other units.

[smjjames]

@Kevin: It's an abstract representation at this time.