Holographic space-streets help orientation in 3D space

[NeonSturm]

Holographic tunnels/spheres in space showing the nodes and paths to ease the orientation.
Nodes are points of interest (planets, stations, wormholes, ...) paths are connections.

• It only would be visible to a pilot with Navigation-Software MK1 installed in one of his navigation computers
  • and for objects discovered (starmade-mapping-a-response-to-macthules-maps.22015)
• and appear like an illuminated water stream/bubble between 2 points, obeying the laws of a Bezier-curve algorithm through a point that only has 2 links.

They don't need to show you the shortest path to a destination, they are just for making space less empty and give you an idea to where you can fly.

When looking at these images, imagine 1 node with a tube (1)through (2)into it.
Imagine a sphere around the node similar to a water-bubble using a texture similar to (1)'s or (2)'s tube/link.

The algorithm could be:

1. Connect closest 2 nodes (points of interest)
2. Search for a new link at the opposite of it
   1. with n nodes connected to this node
      1. first get the opposite vectors, these are like lines extending the previous links out of their destination but with a fixed length.
      2. get the average coordinate of the outer ends of these vectors/lines
      3. draw a new line/vector to this average coordinate.
   2. Make a proximity search for points along(x) and aside this line.
3. Approve the strongest link.
4. Re-do step 2 for all nodes with an altered number of links, altered by step 3.
5. Repeat step 3+4 until all points are connected.

To make it cheaper on the CPU, it could use:

1. 
   
2. all nodes in a sector
   
3. all sectors as nodes in the system
   1. link is between 1 node of each sector with the shortest distance.
   2. the link from this node to the most connected linked node get stronger/thicker to visualize a higher order.
      1. repeat 2 from this point, to the next one
      2. even results in an node-list creating the next iteration of itself without altering itself.
      3. each iteration, clear weaker nodes from this list.
4. all systems as nodes in the galaxy
   1. 
      
   2. are similar to sectors in a system, but
      
   3. connecting 2 systems uses the strongest link of all possible links between 2 border-sectors.
      1. 
         
      2. to avoid too many stronger/thicker pathes

I can write all that code, but not the visualisation of it.
I can provide all nodes with vectors and links, but it would be far easier to have a data-structure input and output to work with.

Should I use floats or rounded integers, unique IDs or IDs prefixed/extended by the environment-ID/structure?​

Should I use Java for it or do it in LUA/whatever language is going to be mod-supported?

It could be just graphic effects for the player, but you could also use that for a resource-cheap pathing system using nodes to avoid enemy or unidentified territory on the greater magnitude.​

 

[Andem]

Wow. Even better than I had imagined. This would really make tedious navigation more interesting.

 

[NeonSturm]

no more opinions?

 

[Sha3es]

This would be a major improvement in how we navigate between points.. I love it

Additionally, would you consider a display of this in real time say done with a separate block to be a worthy consideration. This way you could display navigation data in real time in say like a command center room or some sort of navigation display area of a ship?

 

[Darkkon]

I think that while a great idea, it should have an option to be turned off if so wished.

 

[nightrune]

Why not just have a nav bouy block that people are allowed to build themselves? Especially if they are faction specific!

 

[Darkkon]

isn't that what beacons are supposed to be for?

 

[nightrune]

isn't that what beacons are supposed to be for?

Yes but I think he's wanting trading lanes and specific routes.

 

[NeonSturm]

Holographic tunnels/spheres in space showing the nodes and paths to ease the orientation.

Think about it as a:

• A: node-network to align trade routes on (if they are not too far away from origin or destination) to optimize AI-pathing along "safe-guarded routes"
  
• B: tourist guide for the player.
• C: shape the universe - make it more interesting.

 

[NeonSturm]

• D: Draw paths between warp-gates so you don't lose orientation and your faction-mates will instantly know where to travel to.