Ringworlds

[Exan]

You know the giant artificial planets from SE4 which can wreck your economy when you built them. Anyway, I was thinking about modelling one and I have few questions.

Should I model a sun inside the ringworld or is it possible to just put the world around the sun in the map txt file?

Also, was the outer side of the ring metallic or was it like a planet surface? My brother loaned my Se4Gold CD and I can't remember which way it was.

Third the size, I remember ringworld was about 5 times larger than a large planet, correct? Is it wise to model it to Starfury as large? On the other hand it is an impressive structure.

[Phoenix-D]

You could put the world around the sun, but I'm not sure it would show up. Starfury may not support transparent planets.

[Combat Wombat]

The outside of a ring world is metallic the inside looks like a planet, look at Halo thats basicly what it should look like.

[Suicide Junkie]

The outside is metal, the inside is where you grow your crops and put your houses, since that's the side the sun shines on.

You might want to model the ringworld as a set of "arc" planets. If you also tilt the ring, then ships will be able to fly inside.

edit: whoo crazy typo.

[ May 06, 2004, 23:58: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Ed Kolis]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
You might want to model the sphereworld as a set of "arc" planets.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking???

GIANT TIME DISTORTION BURST!!!

Just imagine what THAT thing could take out!

[Suicide Junkie]

The original poster specifically mentioned ring and ringworld multiple times.
Nobody has yet mentioned a Dyson Sphere, except you.

The ring would be more interesting graphically and navigationally, although the sphere would be much simpler to add.

[Exan]

I modelled a simple ring which would be good expect I can't quite figure out the texture mapping system of 3dsMax. I can't save the texture to decent form. Currently it looks something like this. The sun and stars have been made using a program called Universe.

This model does look kinda nice but I think the ring is too thick. Anyway, comments please. Oh, and the terrain is pretty crappy also. Does anyone have a good planetmap? I have planetgen program to make them but it makes grid to every picture.

[DeadZone]

Looks ok, I do agree that its too thick, something to put into TPM when I get back to doing it

[Vortex]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
The outside is metal, the inside is where you grow your crops and put your houses, since that's the side the sun shines on.

You might want to model the sphereworld as a set of "arc" planets. If you also tilt the ring, then ships will be able to fly inside.

Be careful not to confuse ring-worlds and spher-worlds. The latter should, correctly be called dyson spheres and as such will completely enclose the star.

This means that for most purposes the star doesn't exist, all you see is the 'metallic' outside of the planet. A very large planet at that - the exact size dependant upon where the 'habitation' zone for the star type falls. For G3 type stars, eg Sol, thats 1AU - the distance between the Earth and the sun.

[Suicide Junkie]

If you make a nice-looking terrain, I can edit out the grid lines for you, no problem.