SpaceSimCentral

Ok, I'm not certain if this is the right section, but I've come across a gem of a space related program. It's sorta like an exploration game. It's like Celestia, but it actually procedurally generates other star systems, complete with planets. You can sit on an alien moon, and watch the sun rise over it's parent gas giant, or watch the patters the shadows of the moons make on the planet. There are pulsars, (No black holes), nebulae with star systems inside, awesome stuff. http://applesforgeeks.com/space-engine-free-universe-simulatorThat link will take you to a site with a video. I think you guys will be REALLY interested by it.A word of warning, it needs a fairly powerful PC, and DO NOT go into Globular Clusters or the centre of galaxies, it will crash from the sheer ammount of calculations being done.A good place to visit is to use the built in search function to look for "Pandora". One of them is the same Pandora from Avatar. While the film was in my view was pretty poor (Save the sexy graphics), it's defiantly one of the more beautiful areas to look around.Have fun! :DEDIT: The main site is in Russian, so this is supposedly the updated version incase you can't stand Google Translate http://applesforgeeks.com/space-engine-version-93-released/

From what I read and played with, Space Engine will eventually become a game I believe and its not really a game engine that will be released is that right?

DarkOne wrote:
From what I read and played with, Space Engine will eventually become a game I believe and its not really a game engine that will be released is that right?
Yes, from what I have heard

It is going to be a Noctis-Sytle gameplay. Given the fact how awesome this engine already is and given these ( http://en.spaceengine.org/forum/14-27-1 ) features this game will be the pinnacle of infinite awesomeness. Indeed, it already IS breathtaking, simply incredible. Fortunately i am able to run it stable on my notebook (make sure to activate Win XP sp3 compatibilty). You HAVE to try this. This project doesn't even get 0.00000000000001 percent of the attention it deserves. Just btw: the engine is in an early status of development and already comparable to infinity - and - it works

Excellent find, I will be giving my quad-core a headache for the next few hours playing with this

Hey guys, version 0.94 is out!some screenshots i made are attached![attachment=797:scr00005.jpg][attachment=798:scr00013.jpg][attachment=799:scr00023.jpg]

and some more

That last pic is awesome Mathee. These screenshots have some really nice qualities to them, does it compare to Infinity's engine? I think it's getting close. Turning this engine into a Noctis sort of game would be a nice idea personally unless they have the development team to do more.

obviously nobody has ever been able to see infinity's engine on his computer. however, when you compare space engine to infinity's demo video on youtube i'd say: yes. It is definitely comparable. I suggest you to check this out: thing is, there is a whole universe to explore. not just 1 galaxy, dozens of galaxies. Next release will feature procedural galaxies so space will be infinite.it was just one guy who made this by the way...

Here are some other screens to show the planetary engine:[attachment=803:scr00000.jpg][attachment=804:scr00002.jpg]earth is implemented in high quality (with heightmap) too, watch the date: apollo 17 view [attachment=805:scr00005.jpg]

mathee wrote:
Hey guys, version 0.94 is out!
download link or it didn't happen

http://en.spaceengine.org/load/core/spaceengine_0_94_full_version/2-1-0-3there you go

Nice just wish I had a computer capable of running it.One thing I would like to see in this type of games is more planet and animal life, the only game which IIRC that has ever tried to do is Ad Astra.If Borderlands can create 1 million guns using a procedural content system why can’t the same be done for planets and animals. Granted that their would have to some basic walk/fly and swim animation for the animals. As well a system to stop trees from being put in the middle of an ocean, maybe its just wishful thinking or is it just too hard to do.

PINBACK wrote:
Nice just wish I had a computer capable of running it.One thing I would like to see in this type of games is more planet and animal life, the only game which IIRC that has ever tried to do is Ad Astra.If Borderlands can create 1 million guns using a procedural content system why can’t the same be done for planets and animals. Granted that their would have to some basic walk/fly and swim animation for the animals. As well a system to stop trees from being put in the middle of an ocean, maybe its just wishful thinking or is it just too hard to do.
I wouldn't call this a game. it's more like education/exploration tool similar to Celestia IMO.there's no game elements other than a universe simulator. you don't even have a spaceship which is great if all you want is to explore and explore...8)

It was not really a criticism of Space engine, more of general observation as there a number of these games appeared in the last few years and it’s not so much the size of their universe that counts but what’s in it. As one fractal planet can pretty much look like another one after a while.In regards to Space Engine I am not talking about finding a Civilization , space craft or little grey aliens. Just every so often you could come across a planet/ moon with an ecosystem, you could visit a thousand worlds and never see anything then one day bang there it is.

PINBACK wrote:
It was not really a criticism of Space engine, more of general observation as there a number of these games appeared in the last few years and it’s not so much the size of their universe that counts but what’s in it. As one fractal planet can pretty much look like another one after a while.In regards to Space Engine I am not talking about finding a Civilization , space craft or little grey aliens. Just every so often you could come across a planet/ moon with an ecosystem, you could visit a thousand worlds and never see anything then one day bang there it is.
I think procedurally generated alien life and civilazations are on the ToDo list posted on the main website.will be tricky to implement properly, though.

That’s a big to do list for just a single person although if manages to pull half of it off, it should be quite spectacular.Like the idea of Seasonal changes and Weather conditions, also having Underwater Worlds. Although the Modelling of water erosion maybe taking it a bit too far.See there’s also mention of doing something with the waves.

It's obvious that this project still has a long way to go. However, he started this one 2 years ago and look at the result. If somebody can do it, then he's the one.

doing well so far

Think this is vid for the new planetary texture in space engine 0.95Not sure as I have not been keeping up with what has been going on with space engine.