Why are all gravity wells and stars the same size?

[Grubsnik]

I'm thinking, the relative size difference amongst stars is gigantic, some are smaller than our normal sun, others can have up to 1600 times the diameter and 320 times the mass of our own sun.

Given this information, it doesn't really make much sense that every single system in the game has the exact same size of gravity well, given the massive scale of differences that are possible. Also considering that black holes are a thing. So what do you guys think?

 

[Surimi]

For the same reason the distance between Mercury and the Sun looks bigger than the distance between Uranus and Neptune, when in reality the latter is many, many times larger.

It's an abstraction.

 

[Technotopia]

Well. There are a lot more implausibilities in the game. E.g. space combat at distances like hundreds million kilometers, so even laser shots would travel from shooter to aim for minutes with zero chances to hit anything. And projectiles are even slower.
Gameplay >> realism

 

[Tim_Ward]

Because if they were portrayed to scale some of the larger stars would fill the entire screen and other objects would be too small to click on, and you'd have to spend several minutes scrolling to get to them.

Basically

a) accurately represent the size and scale of astronomical objects and distances or
b) have usable interface

Pick one.

Also relevant:

http://joshworth.com/dev/pixelspace/pixelspace_solarsystem.html

 

[jalapen0]

Also relevant:

http://joshworth.com/dev/pixelspace/pixelspace_solarsystem.html

Thanks for the link. I really enjoyed that.

 

[The Founder]

Also relevant:

http://joshworth.com/dev/pixelspace/pixelspace_solarsystem.html

That certainly is relevant
Of speciel note should be the "this is how fast light would travel" autoscroll button.

Another mater would be the movement withint the Solar System, much less within the Galaxy:

 

[Grubsnik]

Well. There are a lot more implausibilities in the game. E.g. space combat at distances like hundreds million kilometers, so even laser shots would travel from shooter to aim for minutes with zero chances to hit anything. And projectiles are even slower.
Gameplay >> realism

I wasn't asking for 100% realism. I was wondering why every single battleground (star system) has the exact same size. For me it would make sense if some of them were small and others large, while also adding a potential tactical aspect to which systems you may decide to fortify in.

 

[The Founder]

I wasn't asking for 100% realism. I was wondering why every single battleground (star system) has the exact same size. For me it would make sense if some of them were small and others large, while also adding a potential tactical aspect to which systems you may decide to fortify in.

Because it is easier to design the whole System Generation and Combat AI code for one set of values. Rather then all the miriad values.
The game simply evolves to such a scale and such an amont of FTL ranges, defenses would not mater out of Hyperdrive only games. Or for laying a trap/defending a important system.

 

[Stripes]

Stars have same sizes for same reason why Star Systems have same size and area:

Disparity between different examples is absurd. Not a single mainstream space game "got" stellar topography right - there is a stars which can fit everything inside Solar System Asteroid Belt in their diameter with room to spare... And this part of our home system is simply tiny in comparison to outer gas giants orbits.

TL;DR: It is extremely convenient, with opposite enforcing too many compromises (everywhere).

 

[Davor]

Because if they were portrayed to scale some of the larger stars would fill the entire screen and other objects would be too small to click on, and you'd have to spend several minutes scrolling to get to them.

Basically

a) accurately represent the size and scale of astronomical objects and distances or
b) have usable interface

Pick one.

Also relevant:

http://joshworth.com/dev/pixelspace/pixelspace_solarsystem.html

Ok how many people broke their mouse or key board scrolling through all this? I scrolled all the way and disappointed we didn't get to Pluto. Thanks for this link, this just blew my mind that no matter how small we think our start and planets in the solar system is, how freaking huge it is as well.

 

[Foraven]

I wasn't asking for 100% realism. I was wondering why every single battleground (star system) has the exact same size. For me it would make sense if some of them were small and others large, while also adding a potential tactical aspect to which systems you may decide to fortify in.

From having modded the "solar_system_initializers" extensively, i can say not all systems are the same, but a lot of them are. It's just a matter of how the star systems have been created, most of them use the basic template that makes 2 to 10 planets with a possible moon at 20 units for each orbits. We can make much more complex systems with variable orbit distance, many moons and plenty of asteroids if we want to. Heck, multi stars systems are also possible. There is a limit on how large a system can be though, and at some point the camera struggle to show all objects that should be visible even if they are within the system limits.

So the answer to why most systems seem the same is just that the devs only created a few star system templates that are way too similar to each others so we have very little variety.

 

[Cruxador]

Guys, there are other options besides just "everything is the same size" and "display things with realistic sizing". It would be possible to have giant-type stars rendered significantly larger than now, and dwarf-type stars (and black holes) rendered much smaller. Personally, I think that would be a good idea. It doesn't need to be to the extent of scientific literalism, just to make stars a bit more visually distinct.

 

[The Founder]

Ok how many people broke their mouse or key board scrolling through all this? I scrolled all the way and disappointed we didn't get to Pluto. Thanks for this link, this just blew my mind that no matter how small we think our start and planets in the solar system is, how freaking huge it is as well.

If you tap the middle mousebutton (basically click the wheel) over a scrollable area, you get a special scroling mode where scrolling speed is relative to distance to the starting point.

So the answer to why most systems seem the same is just that the devs only created a few star system templates that are way too similar to each others so we have very little variety.

The question was not realy if we can make more detailed Systems. But if it would add anything to the game, justifying the work to be put into it (both now and in the future).