Comets

[gigablaze]

Hi Players,
Ok listed under Sharpnel's description of the SE4 Gold it said something abouts Comets. Can somebody tell me what they are suppose to do, if anybody know.

[Suicide Junkie]

The Last I heard, it was a system type.
A little odd, and will probably be ignored by modders in favour of the other cool new system types, like red giant star http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Val]

Do the comet systems drift around the map http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Gaurav]

Comet System Types? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
Comets are small objects taking large trips around our solar system. They should be objects in a system, not system types.

[Skulky]

But they make such a large orbit that they wouldn't realistically eb in the 'system' proper for more than a few turns at most. I guess you could have them leave the system but that would be hard too.

We'll have to wait and see then.

BTW: please give me a scenario editor/cheatmenu in GOLD!!!

[Phoenix-D]

"Comet system" might refer to a system with comets; or a system with a really LARGE number of comets.

Phoenix-D

[Growltigga]

A comet system would be interesting whatever its intepretation but query, logically, comets would be of limited use because:

1 they are general small (when we are talking population measured in millions) and therefore would only be useful for small mining facilities/remote mining; and

2 technically, they move so I would be interested if MM pick this up in SEIVG and if so, how they deal with it

still, it is nice to have more terrain

[Gaurav]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Growltigga:
2 technically, they move so I would be interested if MM pick this up in SEIVG and if so, how they deal with it<hr></blockquote>

Technically everything moves (stars, planets, moons, galaxies, etc.) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

No comets in the gold demo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Growltigga]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Gaurav:


Technically everything moves (stars, planets, moons, galaxies, etc.) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

No comets in the gold demo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif <hr></blockquote>

Alright, SA - everything technically moves but comets generally move faster!

[Suicide Junkie]

The orbital period of a comet is comparable to the orbital period of a planet. If we can ignore planetary motion, we can ignore comet motion.
Or, approximate it by having comets appear randomly, and move 3 to 5 squares past the star(s) before dissapearing again.

[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: suicide_junkie ]</p>

[Growltigga]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
The orbital period of a comet is comparable to the orbital period of a planet.
[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: suicide_junkie ]<hr></blockquote>

not sure this is striclty correct, the rotational period of an orbital body depends on too many variants to generalise

&lt;everybody reaches for their boys' book of astronomical information&gt;

[Suicide Junkie]

Most comets have periods comparable to the outer planets. 30+ years.
If the periods were any shorter, then the comet would have come too close to the sun too many times, and would have boiled off into a dead rock long ago.

[Growltigga]

alright SJ, I do not have my astromony textbook here with me abroad so you being clever, you tell me how comets will manifest themselves in SEIV Gold - the public have a right to know

[Suicide Junkie]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>you tell me how comets will manifest themselves in SEIV Gold <hr></blockquote>Uhm, as an entire starsystem, Last I heard... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif
They will possibly be converted into stationary system objects like asteroid fields & planets

[Growltigga]

As an entire star system? I think I am going to have to wait and see how they do this http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

Just download the Gold Demo (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/downloads/SE4GoldDemo.exe), and see for yourself.

[Growltigga]

nope, I refuse to download the gold demo just in case I don't like what I see - I'll will buy the game and then, hopefully, be pleasantly surprised rather than disappointed, either way, I will have spend the best part of £50 buying it so will have to live with it

[Mephisto]

"Comets" are stationary objects and fill a whole system. In fact they are no longer called "comets". The descriptions are as follows:

Name := Comet 1
Description := A massive planetary fragment is passing through this system.

Name := Comet 2
Description := A massive gas giant core is passing through this system.

Name := Stellar Core Fragment 1
Description := A hyper-dense core fragment is passing through this system.

Hope this helps.

[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: [K126]Mephisto ]</p>

[Growltigga]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by [K126]Mephisto:
[QB]"Comets" are stationary objects and fill a whole system.

Cheers Mephisto

BTW did you see me at the airport the other day? I was the green belching one standing the corner with the dumb redhead holding the sign saying "Get out of my swamp"

Hard to miss really

[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: Growltigga ]</p>

[MegaTrain]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Growltigga:
not sure this is striclty correct, the rotational period of an orbital body depends on too many variants to generalise

&lt;everybody reaches for their boys' book of astronomical information&gt;<hr></blockquote>

Not really: The gravitational attraction is determined by the mass of the 2 objects (the sun/star and the comet) and the distance between them, and the only other relevant information would be the current speed/direction of the comet. I don't have the formulas in front of me, but that should be enough to determine the orbit/period.

The only thing special about a comet is that it tends to be a fairly small (low mass) object, it tends to have an extremely elliptical orbit (as opposed to nearly circular like Earth's), and it puts out a cool trail when it comes near the sun so it's easy to see. The formulas should all work the same for planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and even manmade sattelites.

[Suicide Junkie]

I simply assumed he was referring to the influence of planets & whatnot
but the effect is small, and the actual orbit is beside the point, the period is long, or else.
or else what?
exactly.

[Gaurav]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Just download the Gold Demo (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/downloads/SE4GoldDemo.exe), and see for yourself.<hr></blockquote>

Did you even read my Last post? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I downloaded the demo and found no comets http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[ 25 January 2002: Message edited by: Gaurav ]</p>

[Suicide Junkie]

Actually, I did.
I got distracted by replying to GT, and went straight back to the main page after that...
Sorry.

[Andrés]

Asking for planets actually moving around their orbits and being in different coordinates every turn woud be too much?
Comets would just move faster and in a more eliptical orbit exiting and re-entering the system area.

[Mephisto]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Growltigga:
BTW did you see me at the airport the other day? I was the green belching one standing the corner with the dumb redhead holding the sign saying "Get out of my swamp"
Hard to miss really[/QB]<hr></blockquote>

LOL!!! Sure I did see you! Didn't you see me? I was building a wall around my part of the swamp. I would think, of all people, you would recognize a wall when you see one. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Growltigga]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by [K126]Mephisto:


LOL!!! Sure I did see you! Didn't you see me? I was building a wall around my part of the swamp. I would think, of all people, you would recognize a wall when you see one. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif <hr></blockquote>

LOL back!!!! oh yeah, I remember you, you were that scruffy gray one with the very short legs, big ears and huge teeth who sounded like Eddy Murphy - I remember you and all I have to say is 'get out of my swamp donkey' http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[capnq]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> I downloaded the demo and found no comets <hr></blockquote> Comets are a low-probability system type, even rarer than black holes. You may need to completely explore several large quadrants before you find one.

[Phoenix-D]

"Comets are a low-probability system type, even rarer than black holes. You may need to completely explore several large quadrants before you find one."

They also aren't in the demo.. none of the new system types are. I checked the data files http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Phoenix-D