Galaxy: Difference between revisions
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[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the "Elite" series have no actual storyline. Is that true?|Elite Dangerous features an immersive, evolving galaxy with dynamic societies, economy and stories]], allowing pilots to join each other and influence the overarching narrative via the [[Background simulation|background sim]] in the Milky Way. | [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the "Elite" series have no actual storyline. Is that true?|Elite Dangerous features an immersive, evolving galaxy with dynamic societies, economy and stories]], allowing pilots to join each other and influence the overarching narrative via the [[Background simulation|background sim]] in the Milky Way. | ||
[[File:Terrestrial planet brown dwarf.png|thumb| | [[File:Terrestrial planet brown dwarf.png|thumb|250px|Terrestrial planet and a brown dwarf.]] | ||
* The vast 1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy is based on real scientific principles, scientific data, star catalogues and theories. It's created using a mix of [[Procedural Generation|procedural generation]] and artist direction. It has realistic astrophysics and scale. | * The vast 1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy is based on real scientific principles, scientific data, star catalogues and theories. It's created using a mix of [[Procedural Generation|procedural generation]] and artist direction. It has realistic astrophysics and scale. | ||
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Elite Dangerous players are the first people to experience interstellar travel. The sky is not a painted backdrop, you can travel to each and every star you see. The constellations change with parallax as you explore the galaxy, and the night sky viewed from Earth is, of course, accurate.<ref name=":0">[https://www.elitedangerous.com/en/features/our-galaxy Elite Dangerous: Our Galaxy]</ref> | Elite Dangerous players are the first people to experience interstellar travel. The sky is not a painted backdrop, you can travel to each and every star you see. The constellations change with parallax as you explore the galaxy, and the night sky viewed from Earth is, of course, accurate.<ref name=":0">[https://www.elitedangerous.com/en/features/our-galaxy Elite Dangerous: Our Galaxy]</ref> | ||
[[Frontier Developments|Frontier]] achieved this by starting with as much information as we could gather about the 160,000 known star systems from our galaxy.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
We know the temperature, size and metallicity (the periodic elements that make up the star's composition) of those stars. And we also know the mass distribution of the Milky Way.<ref name=":0" /> | We know the temperature, size and metallicity (the periodic elements that make up the star's composition) of those stars. And we also know the mass distribution of the Milky Way.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
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Our unique [[Stellar Forge]] system takes that information, rolls time backwards toward the Big Bang, and simulates from there the composition of hundreds of thousands of celestial bodies using the first principles that astrophysicists believe govern our universe. It uses the nebula hypothesis to simulate the composition and orbit of all the undiscovered stars, exoplanets, moons and black holes in our Milky Way galaxy.<ref name=":0" /> | Our unique [[Stellar Forge]] system takes that information, rolls time backwards toward the Big Bang, and simulates from there the composition of hundreds of thousands of celestial bodies using the first principles that astrophysicists believe govern our universe. It uses the nebula hypothesis to simulate the composition and orbit of all the undiscovered stars, exoplanets, moons and black holes in our Milky Way galaxy.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
We end up with a huge amount of technical information about each star and its planets, moons and asteroid fields, such as temperature, chemical composition and orbit.<ref name=":0" /> | We end up with a huge amount of technical information about each star and its [[planets]], [[moons]] and asteroid fields, such as temperature, chemical composition and orbit.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
[[File:Planet_lights_ring_system.png|thumb| | [[File:Planet_lights_ring_system.png|thumb|250px|Planet with city lights and a ring system.]] | ||
This delivers both an incredibly accurate and beautiful cosmic ballet, with all the motions of the celestial bodies correct, and is also the foundation for the different economies of each system in-game.<ref name=":0" /> | This delivers both an incredibly accurate and beautiful cosmic ballet, with all the motions of the celestial bodies correct, and is also the foundation for the different economies of each system in-game.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
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== '''Planets''' == | == '''Planets''' == | ||
[[File:Terrestrial planet and a Cobra.jpg|thumb| | [[File:Terrestrial planet and a Cobra.jpg|thumb|250px|Terrestrial planet and a Cobra]]For [[Planetary Landings]] they've extended the simulation still further. [[Frontier Developments|Frontier]] takes take into account the factors that govern the formation of [[planets]], from the basic chemical composition, size, neighbouring moons and tectonic activity.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
We simulate the compression of tectonic plates, so we can see where they'd move together and move apart. That creates where ridges are formed, mountains, or canyons and trenches.<ref name=":0" /> | We simulate the compression of tectonic plates, so we can see where they'd move together and move apart. That creates where ridges are formed, mountains, or canyons and trenches.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
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We simulate impact [[craters]], volcanism and ageing. The minerals and elements making up the planet determine its appearance and colors.<ref name=":0" /> | We simulate impact [[craters]], volcanism and ageing. The minerals and elements making up the planet determine its appearance and colors.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
You can seamlessly approach and land anywhere on a 1:1 scale planet and experience every square meter of terrain first-hand, either flying your ship close to the mountains and in the canyons, or landing and driving your SRV.<ref name=":0" /> | You can seamlessly approach and land anywhere on a 1:1 scale [[planet]] and experience every square meter of terrain first-hand, either flying your ship close to the mountains and in the canyons, or landing and driving your [[SRV]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
[[ | And again the simulation feeds directly into gameplay, with resources to be collected and synthesized, big [[Surface Ports|surface ports]] to trade in, [[shipwreck|shipwrecks]] to explore and fortified [[Settlement|settlements]] to be defeated.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
== Nebula == | |||
[[File:Veil-West-Nebula-and-Type-9.png|thumb|250px|Veil West Nebula and a Type-9]] | |||
People have found 141 [[nebula]] in the Milky Way galaxy and 32 external galaxies. They are all present in-game. The distances range from 380 light years from [[Sol]] to the Pleiades Nebula and up to 27,900 light years to the G2 dust cloud. | People have found 141 [[nebula]] in the Milky Way galaxy and 32 external galaxies. They are all present in-game. The distances range from 380 light years from [[Sol]] to the Pleiades Nebula and up to 27,900 light years to the G2 dust cloud. | ||
== Core Systems == | == Core Systems == | ||
[[File:Elite_Dangerous_Powerplay_Bubble.jpg|thumb| | [[File:Elite_Dangerous_Powerplay_Bubble.jpg|thumb|250px|The bubble is where powers compete for influence, resources, territory and control.]] | ||
The [[Core Systems]] also known as The Bubble is a sphere of about 150 light years around [[Sol]] with 19 thousand inhabited systems where [[power]]s compete for influence, resources, territory and control. The territory volume is about 13.8 million cubic light years, and encompasses over 20,000 inhabited systems with over 66,000 [[Station|stations]], [[starport]]s and [[Outpost|outposts]]. | The [[Core Systems]] also known as The Bubble is a sphere of about 150 light years around [[Sol]] with 19 thousand inhabited systems where [[power]]s compete for influence, resources, territory and control. The territory volume is about 13.8 million cubic light years, and encompasses over 20,000 inhabited systems with over 66,000 [[Station|stations]], [[starport]]s and [[Outpost|outposts]]. | ||
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== Hard Science == | == Hard Science == | ||
[[File: | [[File:SLF-Taipan-and-Planetary-Ring.png|thumb|250px|Taipan in a Planetary Ring]] | ||
Elite Dangerous is groundbreaking in that it's based on a lot of hard science with all sorts of star surveys that are fixed and merged to for the first time in gaming history compose a very consistent model of the Milky Way galaxy and it's rich enough to plot the night sky. | Elite Dangerous is groundbreaking in that it's based on a lot of hard science with all sorts of star surveys that are fixed and merged to for the first time in gaming history compose a very consistent model of the Milky Way galaxy and it's rich enough to plot the night sky. | ||
During a keynote presentation at Nordic Game 2014 David Braben said ''"We've taken a lot of hard science to compose the galaxy so everybody that's in all sorts of star surveys we've merged with fixed errors in the star surveys and so in one place, possibly for the first time we've got a very consistent model of the galaxy and it's rich enough that we can plot the night sky. But when we plotted the night sky as viewed from Earth it's really bright and it actually doesn't look right. So what we've then done is we've tuned the dust so that it actually matches the night sky when viewed from [[Earth]]. What's interesting is there is way more dust than most scientific theories say there should be. But we can tell by just wondering outside on a clear day and looking know that's what it should be so we are actually looking at that from sort of first principles. There really is a lot of dust, but the great thing from a game point of view is it actually makes the night sky very interesting. So you don't need to fly very far in game terms from Earth for the night sky to change quite dramatically. So for those who've played it we've actually put in most of the earth centric constellations in the sky, but when you travel a little away they all distort, but more important we are bang in the middle of this dust. So your night sky is quite dark, but if you go say a hundred light years directly out of the galactic plane it’s a bit like poking up. When you're on a plane taking off from an airport, you get that amazing view when you come out of the clouds looking out of the window and you suddenly see right across. That's what it's like and some of the systems, [[Achenar]] for example is the center of the Empire and a giant system which is actually out of the galactic plane so you can see across to the galaxy just a little bit it's just wonderful."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOYhoFYIWmw</ref>'' | During a keynote presentation at Nordic Game 2014 [[David Braben]] said ''"We've taken a lot of hard science to compose the galaxy so everybody that's in all sorts of star surveys we've merged with fixed errors in the star surveys and so in one place, possibly for the first time we've got a very consistent model of the galaxy and it's rich enough that we can plot the night sky. But when we plotted the night sky as viewed from Earth it's really bright and it actually doesn't look right. So what we've then done is we've tuned the dust so that it actually matches the night sky when viewed from [[Earth]]. What's interesting is there is way more dust than most scientific theories say there should be. But we can tell by just wondering outside on a clear day and looking know that's what it should be so we are actually looking at that from sort of first principles. There really is a lot of dust, but the great thing from a game point of view is it actually makes the night sky very interesting. So you don't need to fly very far in game terms from Earth for the night sky to change quite dramatically. So for those who've played it we've actually put in most of the earth centric constellations in the sky, but when you travel a little away they all distort, but more important we are bang in the middle of this dust. So your night sky is quite dark, but if you go say a hundred light years directly out of the galactic plane it’s a bit like poking up. When you're on a plane taking off from an airport, you get that amazing view when you come out of the clouds looking out of the window and you suddenly see right across. That's what it's like and some of the systems, [[Achenar]] for example is the center of the Empire and a giant system which is actually out of the galactic plane so you can see across to the galaxy just a little bit it's just wonderful."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOYhoFYIWmw</ref>'' | ||
== Exploration == | == Exploration == | ||
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=== Traffic === | === Traffic === | ||
[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Traffic-Report-April-3303.png|thumb| | [[File:Elite-Dangerous-Traffic-Report-April-3303.png|thumb|250px|Galactic Traffic Report April 3303]][https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNYe622-pi87uSnryKB1Xag EDSM] made traffic report videos which show ship movement and exploration in the galaxy. It's based on data taken from EDSM flight logs. ED-Board made an ''Elite: Dangerous Heatmap timelapse'' generated from the [http://www.edsm.net edsm.net] database (systems data submitted by E:D players) to show progress of the Milky Way exploration. Check the [[explorer]] page for more information. | ||
=== Circumnavigation of the galaxy === | === Circumnavigation of the galaxy === | ||
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=== Brown dwarf layer === | === Brown dwarf layer === | ||
There is a layer of systems throughout the galaxy that has a very high density of brown dwarf stars. The layer is located approximately on the galactic plane. This represents a hazard to exploration navigation because it contains very few scoopable stars. | [[File:Asp-Explorer-and-Brown-Dwarf-space.png|thumb|250px|Asp Explorer and Brown Dwarf]]There is a layer of systems throughout the galaxy that has a very high density of brown dwarf stars. The layer is located approximately on the galactic plane. This represents a hazard to exploration navigation because it contains very few scoopable stars. | ||
== Online == | == Online == | ||
The online galaxy of '''[http://elite.frontier.co.uk/ Elite: Dangerous]''' is a shared universe maintained by a central server. All of the meta data for the galaxy is shared between players on all platforms. This includes the galaxy itself as well as transient information like economies. The aim here is that a player's actions will influence the development of the galaxy, without necessarily having to play multiplayer. | |||
[[File:Gas_Giant_SRV_ASP.jpg|thumb|250px|Gas Giant SRV and Asp]] | |||
The other important aspect for the developers is that they can seed the galaxy with events, often these events will be triggered by player actions. With a living breathing galaxy players can discover new and interesting things long after they have started playing. | The other important aspect for the developers is that they can seed the galaxy with events, often these events will be triggered by player actions. With a living breathing galaxy players can discover new and interesting things long after they have started playing. | ||
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The server transparently creates free roaming sessions (instances) when meeting other players and [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7494 NPCs] within that galaxy based on a perception bubble around you, that is defined by your scanner/visual range. That means that those [http://www.wowwiki.com/Instance_limitations#Player_Limitations instances are '''not''' a fixed location in space as in most other MMOs], but they dynamically move around. The effects of those instances are then stored on the central galaxy server and shared by everybody. | The server transparently creates free roaming sessions (instances) when meeting other players and [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7494 NPCs] within that galaxy based on a perception bubble around you, that is defined by your scanner/visual range. That means that those [http://www.wowwiki.com/Instance_limitations#Player_Limitations instances are '''not''' a fixed location in space as in most other MMOs], but they dynamically move around. The effects of those instances are then stored on the central galaxy server and shared by everybody. | ||
[[File: | [[File:Anemones-planetary_ring-_SRV-Python.png|thumb|250px|SRV Scarab on a planet with anemones]] | ||
Because the game features very high speed twitch combat and very detailed damage models, this is the most reliable way to do it, also keep in mind there can be many sessions within a star system and those sessions can dynamically move around, also because this game uses a [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy]], sessions will typically be spread out much farther away [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How are players going to meet each other in such a huge galaxy.3F|(although most of the action will be within the core systems)]] and it wouldn't be immersion breaking as opposed to a space game in a smaller area. | Because the game features very high speed twitch combat and very detailed damage models, this is the most reliable way to do it, also keep in mind there can be many sessions within a star system and those sessions can dynamically move around, also because this game uses a [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy]], sessions will typically be spread out much farther away [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How are players going to meet each other in such a huge galaxy.3F|(although most of the action will be within the core systems)]] and it wouldn't be immersion breaking as opposed to a space game in a smaller area. | ||
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== Visible Galaxies == | == Visible Galaxies == | ||
[[File:External_Galaxies_Below_Andromeda.png|thumb| | [[File:External_Galaxies_Below_Andromeda.png|thumb|250px|Visible Galaxies below Andromeda.]]A total of 32 galaxies have been identified by CMDR Dr. Kaii (including dwarf and irregular galaxies). The nearest galaxy is the Large Magellanic Cloud at 158,200 light years. The furthest is NGC 6703 at 106 million light years.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=202295 List and Sky Charts of other Visible Galaxies in Elite] | ||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
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Elite-Dangerous-Codex-Galaxy-Regions.png|Elite Dangerous Galaxy regions | Elite-Dangerous-Codex-Galaxy-Regions.png|Elite Dangerous Galaxy regions | ||
Elite-Dangerous-Official-Star-Map-Poster.jpg|Elite Dangerous official Star Map poster | Elite-Dangerous-Official-Star-Map-Poster.jpg|Elite Dangerous official Star Map poster | ||
</gallery> | </gallery>[[Category:Galaxy]] | ||
[[Category:Galaxy]] | |||
[[Category:Galaxies]] | [[Category:Galaxies]] | ||
[[Category:Guides]] | [[Category:Guides]] | ||