What you want to see in the Next release of Orbiter

[Shadow Addict]

This isn't really a feature request, but I think Artlav's Intermod2 (found here: [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3530"]Intermod_2[/ame]) should be integrated. Being able to control the hover engines like the main engines is invaluable for lunar landings, and the new attitude autopilots are great for station-building.

 

[Nemoricus]

One of the problems that I have with Intermod is that its controls for the hover engines interfere with those used for the Shuttle-A's auxiliary engine pods. If it were to be incorporated, the Shuttle-A would need to be modified so that its compatible with Intermod.

 

[insanity]

The only thing I'd like is realistic terrain, but I know that is a messy job to render it successfully without interfering with a lot of what I love about Orbiter. I trust the Dr., his sim has expanded my way of thinking enough as is.

It's also killed my productivity.

 

[n72.75]

It's also killed my productivity.

Yeah, that happens to all of us...

 

[Artlav]

A lot of it is moving into add-ons domain, so may i show off a little?

well the first things are my mind
3d terrain

The only thing I'd like is realistic terrain

better shadows from buildings, shadows are not always just 100% black

ability to add light sources - eg lights in a hangar that cast shadows instead of your only light source being Sol, lights from mesh buildings/ships affecting the world

I for one will be stoked with photo-realistic graphics. That's all orbiter needs to be perfect.

 

[jinglesassy]

A lot of it is moving into add-ons domain, so may i


pictures here

showoff!

 

[Arthur Dent]

I like to see:
-better water
-better clouds
-everything that is included in OGLA

And an easier way to create add-on vessels. Like a combination of spacecraft.dll and multistage.dll with a minimal GUI.

 

[Artlav]

And an easier way to create add-on vessels. Like a combination of spacecraft.dll and multistage.dll with a minimal GUI.

What about http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=10383 ?

 

[Arthur Dent]

What about http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=10383 ?

Exactly like that, hopefully it will reach Beta soon (and works flawlessly with the upcoming Orbiter 20xx release)

 

[Pilot7893]

It's probably a bit far off, but I want to see vessel and building self shadowing.

 

[Hielor]

It's probably a bit far off, but I want to see vessel and building self shadowing.

OGLA already supports this.

 

[Pilot7893]

I tried serching OGLA on OrbitHanger, nothing came up. Where do I get it?

 

[TSPenguin]

I tried serching OGLA on OrbitHanger, nothing came up. Where do I get it?

You get it by searching OGLA on this forum.

 

[Woo482]

you can find it here. http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=10728

 

[eveningsky339]

I would like to see a better atmospheric model for the Moon.

 

[Hartmann]

I would like to see a better atmospheric model for the Moon.

Like this ??

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4275"]Moon with earth Atmosphere V2[/ame]

 

[The 2-Belo]

I have always imagined how cool it would be if Orbiter could get terrain images from online sources such as Google Earth. It wouldn't be in 3D, of course, but for everywhere other than the KSC or White Sands this wouldn't really be a problem. I imagine how cool re-entry from LEO across the USA in Atlantis would look if you could see populated terrain all the way to touchdown...

 

[hypersonic]

Ambient Light level gradient, depending on distance from the sun

Doesn't matter whether you are close to Earth or Jupiter, let alone Nepture, the illumination levels from the sun seem just as bright, not just the planets & moons, but also your spacecraft.

Now, I appreciate that for the sake of sim play, you need to be able to 'see' what your watching.
But there should be a selectable option, where the sim renders light levels that are correct depending on how far from the sun you are, thus how well 'lit' you are.

Take Saturn, whilst still fairly well lit, your spacecraft, Saturn, & it's moons WILL be noticeably darker than if they were as close as Earth is to the sun?

Of course, this should maybe go the other way too? When getting closer, say Venus, Mercury (& the space inbetween) .. These bodies & your ship should be making you squint at your screen
Thus would it be possible to 'calibrate' the light level, so that Earth = Base light level ...
Closer to the sun the level goes up, further away, it diminishes? - hopefully in such a manner that is close to actual levels.

At the distances of Neptune & Pluto, our sun is little more than the brightest Star in the sky... I'd imagine that it's quite 'dark' that far out?

Which brings me on to my second observation.

When you zoom away from the sun. After approx 0.147+ Parsec the Sun just disappears. This is at a distance still just under 0.5 of a light year. The only way to spot it is with F9 ..
This is obviously unrealistic, as i'd imagine our Sun would still be visable from 100 light years away. But even so, having it disappear off the screen at just 0.5 light year's distance, needs to be corrected..

The Sun was already being rendered at just 1 pixel size to match the star background long before that distance was reached, so why not simply KEEP it at that size (1pixel), even when multiple light years away.
I know this doesn't serve much purpose, but this is a SIM, so for the sake of 'realism' ... if only for visual correctness.

Just some thoughts on Lighting

 

[martins]

Take Saturn, whilst still fairly well lit, your spacecraft, Saturn, & it's moons WILL be noticeably darker than if they were as close as Earth is to the sun?

Of course, this should maybe go the other way too? When getting closer, say Venus, Mercury (& the space inbetween) .. These bodies & your ship should be making you squint at your screen
Thus would it be possible to 'calibrate' the light level, so that Earth = Base light level ...
Closer to the sun the level goes up, further away, it diminishes? - hopefully in such a manner that is close to actual levels.

The problem here is that the intensity range from a screen is nowhere close to what you would need to provide scaling "close to actual levels". Saturn has an orbit radius of about 10AU, so the radiation density would be about 1% that of Earth. If you were to calibrate intensity levels to a maximum RGB value (255 on usual hardware) for Earth, you would get RGB=3 for Saturn, i.e. black to all purpose. Even if you factor in the slightly higher albedo, it wouldn't raise the intensity to perceptible levels. Then you would have to start including other things like eye adaptation or exposure time for imaging equipment, which would make the scaling pretty arbitrary. So isn't the flat sensitivity scale used at the moment just as good as an arbitrary artificial descent profile? It's certainly ok for sensors, since you can compensate via exposure time or gain adjustment. As for the human eye - who is to say that after the years it takes for a trip to Saturn, your eyes wouldn't have adapted so that they perceive Saturn just as bright as Earth?

 

[Hielor]

As for the human eye - who is to say that after the years it takes for a trip to Saturn, your eyes wouldn't have adapted so that they perceive Saturn just as bright as Earth?

I think care would need to be taken to ensure that this is the case. Ship lights would need to be dimmed over the course of the mission so as to avoid spoiling the night vision adaptation, etc...