Variable max travel speed
The max speed of 100 m/s has continuously annoyed me, especially when leaving the atmosphere. Inspired by Elite: Dangerous, which doesn't do exactly this, but something with almost the same effect, I thought about increasing the max speed dynamically depending on the object's distance and speed difference compared to other simulated objects.
Using this approach, ships and players would be able to hover around their main ship (especially fitting with the new relative damping feature) without causing a max speed decrease. Should the ship come near a voxel structure or another simulated object, their max speeds would be reduced gradually to around the current limit of 100 m/s.
Being a game dev myself, I'm very keen (no pun intended) on hearing your response. I could imagine checking relative distances between every nearby object continuous has a potential performance implication.
I like this feedback
What about local pockets with their own max speed ? :-)
If I am at space and nothing is around me ~50km there is no chance I would cause collision in 1s when travelling at speed 50km/s.
Also, to compute whether two grids collided - do I need to compute potential collision for each combination of block of these two grids ?
I think that to compute whether two grids collided between t and t+1 is to compute if there was intersection of two cylinder-like objects or cuboids, each created from grid boundaries and positions at t and t+1. Only then I'd compute block collision.
Or even compute intersection of two spheres with center = position at t, radius = position difference between t and t+1 plus size of the grid boundary box.
What about local pockets with their own max speed ? :-)
If I am at space and nothing is around me ~50km there is no chance I would cause collision in 1s when travelling at speed 50km/s.
Also, to compute whether two grids collided - do I need to compute potential collision for each combination of block of these two grids ?
I think that to compute whether two grids collided between t and t+1 is to compute if there was intersection of two cylinder-like objects or cuboids, each created from grid boundaries and positions at t and t+1. Only then I'd compute block collision.
Or even compute intersection of two spheres with center = position at t, radius = position difference between t and t+1 plus size of the grid boundary box.
I actually really like this solution, makes for interesting gameplay of small vs large ships etc.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1359618037
I actually really like this solution, makes for interesting gameplay of small vs large ships etc.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1359618037
Also having atmosphere being a barrier to speed could be quite cool...
Going fast in space > hitting planet atmosphere > slowing down.
Also having atmosphere being a barrier to speed could be quite cool...
Going fast in space > hitting planet atmosphere > slowing down.
For comparison, the game Rebel Galaxy uses variable speed quite well (sometimes annoyingly so) based on the proximity to nebulae and clouds, asteroid and debris thickets, planets and stars, stations, and other ships.
For comparison, the game Rebel Galaxy uses variable speed quite well (sometimes annoyingly so) based on the proximity to nebulae and clouds, asteroid and debris thickets, planets and stars, stations, and other ships.
I have been playing with a max speed of 2000m/s for the last six months or so, and frankly I could never go back to a pathetic 100m/s ever again
I have been playing with a max speed of 2000m/s for the last six months or so, and frankly I could never go back to a pathetic 100m/s ever again
I hope this idea will never make it to vanilla. Variable speed limit seems even worse that just having speed limits at all. That does not make sense. It's ok when you have a drag in atmosphere, but in space it seems like it's gotten from some stupid sci-fi. Don't do it.
I hope this idea will never make it to vanilla. Variable speed limit seems even worse that just having speed limits at all. That does not make sense. It's ok when you have a drag in atmosphere, but in space it seems like it's gotten from some stupid sci-fi. Don't do it.
To make the speed unlimited, you need to make the variable a minimum unit of time (the faster the object, the less often it synchronizes). Maybe then it will turn out to make the speed "unlimited". And the player will be in his local time on his computer.
Then the simulation of battles at high speeds, for example, will have to be left to the customers. The server here will be just an extra.
Generally need distributed simulation. Then it will be possible to organize the nonlocality of time.
To make the speed unlimited, you need to make the variable a minimum unit of time (the faster the object, the less often it synchronizes). Maybe then it will turn out to make the speed "unlimited". And the player will be in his local time on his computer.
Then the simulation of battles at high speeds, for example, will have to be left to the customers. The server here will be just an extra.
Generally need distributed simulation. Then it will be possible to organize the nonlocality of time.
This method lead to less realism on the physics because in open space a ship would decrease speed without any thruster.
I think there is an alternative:
when two object with more than 100m/s of relative speed come closer to a possible collision in the surrounding area a slow motion effect starts.
Doing so the server can elaborate the collision maintaining the fps stable.
The player can see the animation in a more spectacular way. Of course this is a compromise between elaboration time and user experience but I think this is the best solution.
This can be make by decreasing the speed and increase the collision damage of all object(also players, bullets, ...) in the surrounding area
This method lead to less realism on the physics because in open space a ship would decrease speed without any thruster.
I think there is an alternative:
when two object with more than 100m/s of relative speed come closer to a possible collision in the surrounding area a slow motion effect starts.
Doing so the server can elaborate the collision maintaining the fps stable.
The player can see the animation in a more spectacular way. Of course this is a compromise between elaboration time and user experience but I think this is the best solution.
This can be make by decreasing the speed and increase the collision damage of all object(also players, bullets, ...) in the surrounding area
While different top speeds for different zones don't make sense, having a slider bar to set a top speed for a world does. I would love atmospheric drag added with this, as I find a speed mod and drag mod are complementary for my feel of realism. The drag mod that does no damage seems to me to be the best balance of realism and playability. As mentioned above, 2000 m/s seems to have no issues for the engine to handle, and is plenty fast for most purposes.
While different top speeds for different zones don't make sense, having a slider bar to set a top speed for a world does. I would love atmospheric drag added with this, as I find a speed mod and drag mod are complementary for my feel of realism. The drag mod that does no damage seems to me to be the best balance of realism and playability. As mentioned above, 2000 m/s seems to have no issues for the engine to handle, and is plenty fast for most purposes.
Experiments have shown that SE vanilla can do ~500 m/s under very specific situations. Extending faster speeds in space (at the very least) should be fair.
Experiments have shown that SE vanilla can do ~500 m/s under very specific situations. Extending faster speeds in space (at the very least) should be fair.
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