Orbital units - 2 directions

I do. But with never stopping fake orbital, a left click to move command can still work as on a planet. The unit just doesn't quite moving in that direction

How do you feel about load/unload type commands out of curiosity? I think I have a new spin(for the forum at least) on orders for orbiting units that I'm trying to flesh out a bit more before I let it get crushed.

Also, thank you for putting up with the chaos and doing this Neutrino, I'm sure we've managed to take several days of productivity from you.

Just had a convo about that here actually.

Clear your mind and imagine for a moment a PA where…
Orbital Units ARE Celestial Bodies​

· Traditional Celestial Bodies Definition: Planets, Moons, Asteroids, etc.
· The game does not distinguish between celestial bodies and player made “orbital units”
· Size of an orbital determines it’s parent object and distance.

o (assuming all other variables =) If A>B, then B orbits A
o If A=B, then A and B orbit in a binary (donut) orbit around each other
o Size also determines distance of orbit. At a size difference of 1:1 both objects enter binary orbit

§ This ensures most “orbital units” are close to the object, followed by asteroids, moons, planets (like Metal ones).


Orbital Wreckage and KEWs:
· To move a celestial body, simply select any or all of the engine structures you own on it’s surface (engines are something most “orbital units” have built in).

o This allows you to give move orders to the celestial body with 1 button
o or Kamikaze into another celestial body (perhaps only of greater size) with another button (maybe just ctrl-left click or shift left-click etc).​

· When an orbital object kamikazes or dies in orbit of another celestial body it crashes with an explosion appropriate to it’s size, leaving an appropriate crater and mass deposit.
· Weapons on the surface of an orbital object fire at enemies within range as they orbit (things like the Metal planet’s ray might just target orbitals themselves) this is also how anti orbital weapons work (they are the same thing)
· To target a specific spot on a celestial body simply give a move command and the orbital automatically chooses an orbit that will take it over the indicated spot (firing weapons that are in range)
· Orbitals don’t have noclip! If a changed orbit brings it to collide with another object at least 1 will die and cause orbital wreckage

In summery This method has the following benefits:
· No additional UI complexity
· Truly orbital units
· Few additional code requirements (celestial bodies needed this anyway)
· Unit diversity = the map!
​

Load and unload commands for specific cases should be automated in my opinion. If you order your Commander to move to a different planet he should move to the nearest orbital launcher and get in himself.

Dude noo.... that's insanely complex. We do not need n-body simulations for units, even if you are "faking" it. Units should not orbit other units. That's just... too much.

Load/unload is part of the design and is being worked on right now. In fact Forrest has a build with units attaching to landers for transport on his machine.

Yep, not allowing the units to stop is something that will be fairly trivial to try.

My concern would be 'how does one get orbital units to group under that paradigm?'

Why would you want to encourage Orbital Deathballs?

I just realised..are wrecks going to be floating in orbit too? kinda neat to see some trashed large orbitals.
Or is that just going to be so messy that it would be better off just blowing them up?

Maybe not deathballs haha, some tasteful spacing would be nice for semi large groups.

I'm not sure you do.

I don't see why it would be different than any other unit.

Depends on whether they can spin round and smack into other units... causing mutual annihilation.

Neutrino I just layed out a well thought out and fairly unique idea (thats what I thought u wanted most...). Can you please at least comment on it?

As cool as that would be, sounds messy.
I think mostly I was thinking of those standard black charred wrecks being hard to see or becoming obstructive but thats what art revisions are for. I am imagining a sort of Wall-E intro after a nice battle. haha.

Is that tidal locking as well as normal rotations?

Because if it was, then it would be awesome. Seeing a moon/has giant hovering perpetually above would be...mesmerizing, to say the least.

Also, to stay on topic, I like the 'geosync on the equator, forced orbits above 40 degrees' orbit idea the most.

You've basically described exactly how the planetary orbit stuff is going to work. So theoretically we could do something like this. However, you've just completely made orbital units work differently from everything else in the game. There are also issues with the fact that the solar system itself is locked to a 2d plane at the moment.

So one of the big objections to that idea is that it make the equator less valuable. Maybe that's a good thing but it seems like a weird thing to have to keep in mind.