Orbiter Forum Planetary System

[Kaito]

(Thread inspired by My and Izack's blog post, Name inspired by fireballs619)
The idea for OFPS is to create our own planetary system of worlds created by orbinauts. Purpose: I guess someone could make orbiter planets out of them, but It'd be cool to see everyone's idea on a planet: how it looks, it's history, it's people, etc.

Yesterday I scanned in my hand-drawn map of my world Kanjamin (Kaan-juh-min) and started coloring it in GIMP using this tutorial: http://www.zompist.com/howto2.htm (the link was provided by fireballs619)

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m267/Kaito_06/?action=view&current=Kanjamin.jpg

I have some work to do still, but so far so good

I also am attempting to draw all the capitol cities, the "Great River" boundary (I'll explain later), the inhabitants of all the continents, and probably some other life forms.

I'd like to see everyone else's planets!

EDIT:
General Guidelines to follow (Provided by fireballs)
1: The goal here is to create a planet with a rich history, which can be made into a planet for Orbiter. At the very least, this planet should have a map and a description of its. Is it earthlike? Is it a dieing planet? A gas giant with habitable moons? Tell us about the cultures of your planet, if you have any. Be as in-depth as you want!

2: Once you feel your planet is good enough to be put into orbiter, start making it! If you feel as though you don't have the skills to make one, post the information here and we will see what we can do.

3: Once we have all of the planets in, we will decide if we need multiple systems, or if the planets can fit into one. In the case that we need multiple, we will decide which planets go where, based on viability.

4: There is not deadline at this moment, but if this picks up, we'll put one in for release date.

5: Have fun doing this! This isn't meant to be work.

 

[fireballs619]

I'll repost these here, just for fun

These aren't all one world, but I'll condense them into one later on. A few short explanations I suppose. My maps are largely in the style of JRR Tolkien's maps, as at one point I was obsessed with Lord of the Rings. I don't represent mountains realistically, etc.

For this one, I was going for something that could have been earth at some point. If you look at the eastern edge of the most prominent landmass, you will see features that resemble Russia, China, and India. The new world in no way resembles the Americas, however.

These two were my standard for a long time, until I drew more realistic projections. This isn't the final incarnation of the world, however.

This region was the first I drew (though this particular map is not the first version). As such, you will find this area in most of my globes.

And at last, My work in progress. This is most likely the one I will put into orbiter. It is mostly water, but besides that, I haven't determined much. I will have to make cultures and languages for this one, I suppose. Let alone a history.

If more people do this, and we have enough to make a solar system, I suggest we make one big pdf file detailing the histories of each planet. The section on your planet will be written by you, and this will be packaged with the system if it is released as an add-on. I just think it would be cool to have histories all in one place.

Again, If anyone is interested, I have some links for you.
http://www.zompist.com/ this site has some great details on making languages, cultures, and some maps. He is soon coming out with a guide on making a planet.

This site is fantastic- http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~fc503/geoff/worldkit.html

There are more links at the bottom of the guide.
Happy Worldbuilding!

 

[Kaito]

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m267/Kaito_06/?action=view&current=BuImen.jpg
A rough sketch of a capital city. What do you guys think?

 

[T.Neo]

Nice idea... is it going to be planetologically plausible, or just random world-ings?

 

[Izack]

Cool!

I'm still learning my way around all the different configuration files...I haven't even started on textures...It could take a while. :facepalm:

 

[River Crab]

So, here's my system:

Their star, initially, is called Lenin. However, as it descends the main sequence, it becomes Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko, and finally Gorbachev, before collapsing into the singularity known as Yeltsin (and later becoming a black hole, Putin).

The system has one planet, Soyuz. It is the center of trade and government in the system. Its capital is Moscow, and its two major spaceports are Kapustin Yar and Baikonur. Its first manned interstellar spacecraft was Vostok, and it is a major spacefaring power. Soyuz has 8 satellites: East Germany (in a binary orbit with West Germany), Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Albania. They are in unstable orbits and will eventually be ejected from the Soyuz gravity well.

There is an ongoing interstellar conflict over the Germanys with a force of nearby systems, the Allies. Separating them across their L1 Lagrange point is a force field known as the Iron Curtain.

Additionally, at their L5 Lagrange point, within Soviet territory, is the Germany's capital city, space colony Berlin. Separating Berlin in this period of strife is another barrier, the Berlin wall. It is heavily guarded to prevent East Berliners from escaping to the west side. Space travel to and from East Berlin is restricted, and the poor state of affairs has initiated action by the Allies. Thus begins the Berlin Spacelift. *cue epic music!

​

OK, now seriously...

I was first inspired by the globes of Ukraine and Estonia, and the term "Satellite State". But I then realised that Ukraine wasn't even considered a satellite state. I think I decided to do a satire on the Soviet satellites, so only 8 moons rather than like 14; Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Moldova... I dunno. Basically I wanted to scale everything up to planetary size. Also, perhaps the time scale is also scaled up. In that case the "Berlin Spacelift" might happen out of order...

Soviet Union sounds more like government than planet, so I called it Soyuz rather than Russia. Not sure of that name though...

If anyone can think of a better arrangement of bodies or any other funny parallels, then tell me so I can add those. I mean, I've never even been to the Soviet Union. So anyone from former Soviet Union, help!

And of course, no offense to anyone. This is satire, people.


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[Kaito]

Nice idea... is it going to be planetologically plausible, or just random world-ings?

My planets are

OK, now seriously...

I was first inspired by the globes of Ukraine and Estonia, and the term "Satellite State". But I then realised that Ukraine wasn't even considered a satellite state. I think I decided to do a satire on the Soviet satellites, so only 8 moons rather than like 14; Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Moldova... I dunno. Basically I wanted to scale everything up to planetary size. Also, perhaps the time scale is also scaled up. In that case the "Berlin Spacelift" might happen out of order...

Soviet Union sounds more like government than planet, so I called it Soyuz rather than Russia. Not sure of that name though...

If anyone can think of a better arrangement of bodies or any other funny parallels, then tell me so I can add those. I mean, I've never even been to the Soviet Union. So anyone from former Soviet Union, help!

And of course, no offense to anyone. This is satire, people.

Get drawing

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m267/Kaito_06/?action=view&current=BuImenTorn1.jpg

Beginning work on War tearing the capital city

 

[donatelo200]

I would like to help when i finish the Ups And system. Unless it's coverd. This sounds to be alot more advanced of a system than i've ever created. I need a challenge. I hope this will be plausible. Unlike my Xexina and Neutron star solar system witch need more editing. Here is an idea for a planet. A high mass jovian (lets say 3x jupiter mass) with a high eccentric orbit and it's average distance is in the habitibal zone. It's orbit eccetricy is 0.724. It has a moon that is Earth like. At Periastron the inhabited moon's temp is 1,430F and at Aprestron it's temp is -173F. Life here is is extremely touf. It's multicelular too.

P.S. i'm no good at drawing.

 

[Kaito]

If you cant draw, then just describe it in such detail that we get the same mental picture

And, drawing a planetary map isn't hard. Just draw some random enclosed squiggles, then refine the squiggles, and viola, you have a continent.
That's what I did anyway

 

[fireballs619]

Some General Guidelines

Okay, I was thinking about this, and figured that this project would need some guidelines so everyone is on the same page.

Basically, you create a planet (or moon), whether through maps, history, description, or a combination of mediums. The eventual goal here is to create a system in orbiter, where all of the planets have rich histories. Of course, if we all are inhabiting the same system, there are going to be some interactions between planets throughout the course of the histories. Therefore, I propose we have a universal 'system' timeline, so it is easier to record interactions, when planets histories overlap, etc. When should this timeline start? If life is going to evolve on all of our planets, it is likely there will be one point when all planets have life on them.

Anyone got anything else to add? I'm just trying to make things a bit easier here, so sorry if it sounds like I'm being bossy

 

[Kaito]

I completely agree with you. I actually had the idea for guidelines at work (work gets boring after a half hour )

A planet/moon should have some sort of map, whether it be a simple hand drawn one, or a fully colored terrain map, it should exist so we can see the basic layout. Any other drawings are optional.

A planet/moon should have at least some sort of history/description associated with it. This can be a simple description or a full fledged history.

As for a time line, I don't see a huge need for one, since each planet will develop at it's own pace. If interactions develop between user-made planets, we can develop a time line.

 

[donatelo200]

Yea we probly need to think of what planets to put. Like the jovian with the mass of three jupiters and a high eccentric orbit. Not friendly to planets in or near habitibale zone.:chainsaw:\
P.S. i have a tex for the gass giant and the inhabited moon. Actual res is 7.

 

[River Crab]

I guess Soviet Union is disqualified then? :lol:

Anyway, I think we really need some more interesting planets. If people are going to make scenarios for this system, it has to be versatile to allow all types of missions plus more, and have some room to tell stories.

I think we have great potential for a new Orbiter experience here. With the right planning, we could make a convincing system with an interesting gas giant, icy to mild to Io-like moons-of-moons, an Earth-like moon teeming with life, a planet with species which could only come from Exogenesis, a benevolent Venus with multi-cellular organisms just waiting to be "sampled", a captured, resource-rich asteroid to mine, and a close-to-home red planet, ripe for the terraforming. This really could be the system for everything, and within the bounds of reality.

This may be blasphemy I speak, but I think we could engineer a system that is "Better than Sol."

So best of luck to you, "Reach for the Stars!"

 

[donatelo200]

Be in mind that the planet and moon are eccentric. Witch maks it more fun to make. So there temp swings wildly from above venus's temp to around jupiters temp. O and i havent named it and not going to.

P.S. I'm tired.:goodnight:

 

[fireballs619]

This may be blasphemy I speak, but I think we could engineer a system that is "Better than Sol."

So best of luck to you, "Reach for the Stars!"

Burn the heretic!

But seriously, this is a good opportunity to make an ideal system for exploration, but also to make some very interesting stories. I have some geological ideas in mind for mine. *goes off to scheme*

 

[SiberianTiger]

Oh, what a topic!

All listen to me, I'm going to win a wacko prize here now! :lol: When I was a teen, I devised a whole galaxy populated by immortal and unkillable flying cat-people who had tens habitable worlds (and I drew maps for all of them) - you see why they needed to expand to space, don't you? There was a homeworld, few capital worlds, many very special worlds, and one sacred world, which actually was a habitable oasis located in an outer layer of sun-sized stable space-time anomaly which was constructed of interfering gravity and anti-gravity fields in spherical arrangement, and generally looked from outside like and enormous hazy desert which had golden (really golden!) sands and horrendous creatures inhabitating wilderness. The entire thing was located in the center of our Galaxy, moving at random paths around the central body, which was a "White" hole, constantly erupting huge amounts of simple matter (which dimmed the light source right to the bearable illumination level). And they had a many miles tall central temple in that place.

Now, go model THIS in Orbiter. :rofl:

PS. Crab, I'm from there! What pattern do you want?

 

[fireballs619]

Oh, what a topic!

All listen to me, I'm going to win a wacko prize here now! :lol: When I was a teen, I devised a whole galaxy populated by immortal and unkillable flying cat-people who had tens habitable worlds (and I drew maps for all of them) - you see why they needed to expand to space, don't you? There was a homeworld, few capital worlds, many very special worlds, and one sacred world, which actually was a habitable oasis located in an outer layer of sun-sized stable space-time anomaly which was constructed of interfering gravity and anti-gravity fields in spherical arrangement, and generally looked from outside like and enormous hazy desert which had golden (really golden!) sands and horrendous creatures inhabitating wilderness. The entire thing was located in the center of our Galaxy, moving at random paths around the central body, which was a "White" hole, constantly erupting huge amounts of simple matter (which dimmed the light source right to the bearable illumination level). And they had a many miles tall central temple in that place.

Now, go model THIS in Orbiter. :rofl:

And I thought I was pretty creative...

 

[Artlav]

If you cant draw, then just describe it in such detail that we get the same mental picture

What about mathematically defined planets?

B0x0-2:
0.59g of gravity, 188 degrees in 4 atmospheres of carbon dioxide, spinning around itself in 30 hours. Long time ago there was life and intelligence there, the latter got plagued by stupidity, and the first was quickly gone after that.

 

[River Crab]

What about mathematically defined planets?

B0x0-2:
0.59g of gravity, 188 degrees in 4 atmospheres of carbon dioxide, spinning around itself in 30 hours. Long time ago there was life and intelligence there, the latter got plagued by stupidity, and the first was quickly gone after that.

Sounds like fun for the species that decides to terraform it...:uhh:

Oh, what a topic!

All listen to me, I'm going to win a wacko prize here now! :lol: When I was a teen, I devised a whole galaxy populated by immortal and unkillable flying cat-people who had tens habitable worlds (and I drew maps for all of them) - you see why they needed to expand to space, don't you? There was a homeworld, few capital worlds, many very special worlds, and one sacred world, which actually was a habitable oasis located in an outer layer of sun-sized stable space-time anomaly which was constructed of interfering gravity and anti-gravity fields in spherical arrangement, and generally looked from outside like and enormous hazy desert which had golden (really golden!) sands and horrendous creatures inhabitating wilderness. The entire thing was located in the center of our Galaxy, moving at random paths around the central body, which was a "White" hole, constantly erupting huge amounts of simple matter (which dimmed the light source right to the bearable illumination level). And they had a many miles tall central temple in that place.

Now, go model THIS in Orbiter. :rofl:

PS. Crab, I'm from there! What pattern do you want?

:blink: That...was...AWESOME!:11sign: I shed tears of joy!
Did the immortal cats, by any chance, look like this?

Longcat is loooong...


As for making the Soviet system, I was thinking of something like this:
Diy local globes on English Russia
Basically, the Soviet Union wrapped around a sphere, and globes of satellite states orbiting it. Like this globe of Ukraine, although Ukraine will be part of Soyuz:

Kind of like the new Federation-shaped island they planned to make for Sochi Olympics, on a planet (not sure if they're still doing this):

 

[T.Neo]

We have to consider other things like stability, accretion, orbital resonances.

The first problem I see here, is that everyone is going to submit a habitable planet, and they can't all fit in the stellar habitable zone, even if we give it a wide definition. And there'd obviously be tons of other planets in the system as well... dead terrestrial planets like the Moon or Mars, gas and ice giants, perhaps runaway greenhouses like Venus...

I think the Soviet Union globes are utterly awesome. Same for the Russian Federation-shaped island concept. :hmm:

See also The Universe proposed archipelago of artificial islands.