Oolite Bulletins

So, why not put a big scanner in the middle of the screen, instantiate one ship to represent each system within 7LY, then position those ships around the player in the correct relative positions so you see a 3D chart instead of the current flat chart? Not that I'm bothered by the flat chart, but some people seem to be impressed by anything 3D. Anyway, I'm just asking if it'd be feasible, if not, why not?

Also, seen on the WWW today:-

Why isn't it No PERSON'S Sky? I am SO FUCKING OUTRAGED about video games, you guys!

I guess we'd need 3D galaxies before a 3D chart would make any sense. And before that we'd need to have a big argument about whether 3D galaxies would be a massive improvement to the game or whether the old ones are just fine, thanks.

There is already a 3D chart available - PhantorGorth's Interactive Maps do this.

There's also Jens' 3D prototype.

The problem potentially being solved there is that the inter-system distance uses a slightly odd algorithm so that the distance between systems is not what you would expect by using Pythagoras on their positions - so you get oddities like Usinribe-Teusatve being a 7.2ish LY jump, but Usinribe-Enonis-Rareat-Eszaan-Teustave only using 6.8LY of fuel, and all jumps being multiples of 0.4LY.

If you just switch to simple Pythagoras with the current positions, then a bunch of the longer links break because they're actually 7.1 or 7.15 LY.

So you have to slightly 3D-ify the positions to maintain connectivity and approximate distance. It's a lot of work for a relatively small gain, though it would theoretically open up being able to do a full 3-D galaxy ... though a 50LY radius circle requires far fewer stars than a 50LY radius sphere.

cim wrote:

There's also Jens' 3D prototype.

The problem potentially being solved there is that the inter-system distance uses a slightly odd algorithm so that the distance between systems is not what you would expect by using Pythagoras on their positions - so you get oddities like Usinribe-Teusatve being a 7.2ish LY jump, but Usinribe-Enonis-Rareat-Eszaan-Teustave only using 6.8LY of fuel, and all jumps being multiples of 0.4LY.

If you just switch to simple Pythagoras with the current positions, then a bunch of the longer links break because they're actually 7.1 or 7.15 LY.

So you have to slightly 3D-ify the positions to maintain connectivity and approximate distance. It's a lot of work for a relatively small gain, though it would theoretically open up being able to do a full 3-D galaxy ... though a 50LY radius circle requires far fewer stars than a 50LY radius sphere.

In my 3D algorithm I have kept the distances less 7.0 LY using the normal Oolite/Elite distance formula but tried to maximise the spread of z-axis positions. Yes you could alter the algorithm to keep the distances as close to the original as possible whilst varying the z-axis but as that is fairly similar to scrunching up a flat piece of paper so there is the risk that some systems will then be in reach of each other when they weren't before.

When I finally finish of my 3D map app:


I simply used the government type number * 3 to make my z position. Not the best thing in the world but it seems to give a nice spread.

I'm gonna try and get a release out for this over this christmas holidays.

!m!

PS: Oh and there is my OOliteInfo link in my sig.