ORBITING SUNS?

Since orbiting planets seem to be allmost impossible (if you wanna land on them and assign Deathzones and atmospheres).

HOW ABOUT ORBITING SUNS?

i bet it would give a orbit like feel to the systems if the was a giant sun orbiting it and should give some illusion of the planets themselves orbiting.

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MAKE ORBITING SUNS?

Orbiting Planets

Written by Roo Avery
Originally posted by Rimshot

This is about making orbiting planets, here we go:
(note: since this is an advanced project i could not be bothered to write an easy step by step tutorial, experienced modders should be able to follow me)

The main approach (only one i could ever think of) is to have a center object (invisible) with hardpoints far out of it`s origin and to connect “planets” to it (via loadout), then make it spin.

I said “planets” cause you might know usual freelancer planets arent 3db/cmp but sph files (not capable of having hardpoints assigned to them) -so youd actually have to make planets 3db/cmp for this to work. (use space_arch_shield.sur and flmodeltool by anton to add proper collision detection)

In order to connect them to the center object, planets need a hardpoint ex.SpConnect01 at their origin.

That`s it, planets done …

Next, use any 3db/cmp for the center object, doesn`t need mat, neither sur file -but in order to connect planets to it, add some hardpoints: ex.HpMount01 - HpMount09 (remember they need to be far out, i used 50k - 200k distance from center)

Now there is a problem, orbiting planets would just disappear if its center object gets out of sight (cause "they are one" -lodranges dont work on some things things, trust me …)

Here`s the solution:

open up the center object with utf-editor, expand multilevel-level0 vmeshpart->vmeshref

Select interpret data as float array, click on vmeshref and edit:
scroll down to the very last number and change it a very high value (I used 1 mio)

This defines the objects radius and is important for visibility.
That`s it -job done,now off to the required ini files …

data/equipment/select_equip.ini: typical entry for orbiting planets

[CargoPod]
nickname = custom_planet_01
DA_archetype = xxx\xxx\your_custom_planet.cmp
material_library = xxx\xxx\your_custom_planet.mat
LODranges = 0, 999999
HP_child = SpConnect01
hit_pts = 4000
mass = 2000
explosion_arch = explosion_large_debris

data/solar/solararch.ini: typical entry for the center object

[Solar]
nickname = orb_planets_center
ids_name = 1
ids_info = 1
type = NON_TARGETABLE
DA_archetype = xxx\xxx\your_center_object.cmp
LODranges = 0, 999999
solar_radius = 100000
shape_name = NNM_SM_ROCK_ASTEROID
hit_pts = 999999961690316250000000000000000000.000000
mass = 10000000000000000000
loadout = orb_planets_loadout_01

data/solar/loadouts.ini: typical entry for a center objects loadout

[Loadout]
nickname = orb_planets_loadout_01
equip = custom_planet_01, HpMount01

data/universe/systems/xxx/xxx.ini: typical system entry

[Object]
nickname = xxx_orbit_01
pos = 0, 0, 0
archetype = orb_planets_center
loadout = orb_planets_loadout_01
spin = 0.000000, 0.100000, 0.000000
rotate = x, y, z

Ok thats it folks, go ahead with questions if you have any. but dont ask about docking, it just wouldn`t work because of the auto pilot. This was supposed to add to the scenery / atmosphere !!

A known issue: too low value for spin might result in them orbiting planets stopping after some time … you have to fiddle with it. Also take care there`s nothing in their orbit they could collide with.

and a thread on it:

Tut by rimshot
Re: [General Tutorials] Orbiting Planets

You can get “it” dockable
by using it as a kind of docking ring
to dock a (hidden) base.

Problem: the docking_sphere has 2 be as big or a bit bigger than the orbit

And setting that will give strange effects
on targetting that orbiting base.

Besides i had the problem,
that a ship ramming the orbiting stuff can
make it change directions and speed up.

For those who are curious:
(The script evolved from a destructable clan base)
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