Procedurally generated space "noise" (electrmagnetic white noise)

[Valiant70]

This electromagnetic white noise was apparently recorded by the Voyager probe and rendered audible electronically.


I think it would be neat to have something like this in Starmade. Different ambience could coincide with different procedural backgrounds. This would certainly be adjustable and toggleable.

Please note that crap about "EM waves aren't sound" etc. is off-topic. This is an AUIDIBLE RENDITION of EM radiation with similar frequencies. I'm suggesting a simulation of this, presumably synthesized by one's helmet/ship instruments.

 

[Megacrafter127]

Please note that crap about "EM waves aren't sound" etc. is off-topic. This is an AUIDIBLE RENDITION of EM radiation with similar frequencies. I'm suggesting a simulation of this, presumably synthesized by one's helmet/ship instruments.

Another possibility would be the EM waves causing the ship's hull to vibrate in audible frequencies. Since EM waves cause currents in metal, currents cause magnetic fields, and we all know that magnetic fields exert forces on both each other and ferromagnetic metals. No need for a device synthesizing the sound. And in case frequency and amplitude of the background EM waves won't allow it, both of those 2 variables may be different in StarMade's universe.

 

[MrFURB]

I'd also imagine that there could be game-play elements tied to EM radiation in such a way that one could use the white noise to determine how 'busy' a star system is. If there's a bunch of big heavily shielded ships moving through the system, odds are that they will be making quite a bit of noise which may tip off travelers or scouts who have a good ear. Space-sonar!

 

[Megacrafter127]

I'd also imagine that there could be game-play elements tied to EM radiation in such a way that one could use the white noise to determine how 'busy' a star system is. If there's a bunch of big heavily shielded ships moving through the system, odds are that they will be making quite a bit of noise which may tip off travelers or scouts who have a good ear. Space-sonar!

And then those with malfunctioning sound will be at a disadvantage. However, normally in suggestions we're talking about an "ideal" installation, with no malfunctioning hard/software.

 

[Valiant70]

And then those with malfunctioning sound will be at a disadvantage. However, normally in suggestions we're talking about an "ideal" installation, with no malfunctioning hard/software.

I'm already at a disadvantage with a lower power computer and a bug that makes my control sensitivity drop when my FPS gets low. If you're worried about such a small situational awareness disadvantage as this, spam Schema about the control frame rate bug first!

 

[Megacrafter127]

I'm already at a disadvantage with a lower power computer and a bug that makes my control sensitivity drop when my FPS gets low. If you're worried about such a small situational awareness disadvantage as this, spam Schema about the control frame rate bug first!

The sloppy controls can be "fixed" by increasing the mouse-sensitivity setting and the OS' DPI setting to ridiculous values.
I e.g. can move my mouse across an entire 1600x1200 screen by moving it 5 mm.

 

[aceface]

This electromagnetic white noise was apparently recorded by the Voyager probe and rendered audible electronically.


I think it would be neat to have something like this in Starmade. Different ambience could coincide with different procedural backgrounds. This would certainly be adjustable and toggleable.

Please note that crap about "EM waves aren't sound" etc. is off-topic. This is an AUIDIBLE RENDITION of EM radiation with similar frequencies. I'm suggesting a simulation of this, presumably synthesized by one's helmet/ship instruments.

this would add so much feel to the game! 1+

 

[keylan118]

I'd also imagine that there could be game-play elements tied to EM radiation in such a way that one could use the white noise to determine how 'busy' a star system is. If there's a bunch of big heavily shielded ships moving through the system, odds are that they will be making quite a bit of noise which may tip off travelers or scouts who have a good ear. Space-sonar!

Good idea, but maybe it's based off the size and composition of the ship, the bigger the ship the farther the noise travels, the more armor the deeper the sound, the more shields the higher the sound (or a version with more static), etc.

 

[Megacrafter127]

Good idea, but maybe it's based off the size and composition of the ship, the bigger the ship the farther the noise travels, the more armor the deeper the sound, the more shields the higher the sound (or a version with more static), etc.

Well, considering armor is completely passive(just a chunk of metal), it won't send off any EM waves, unless something else causes it to do so(e.g. currents within it). However, EM waves emitted by currents induced by EM waves cancel out the EM waves which created them, essentially reducing background noise a little. Shields however, (in most cases in any lore) only work on specific freuquencies, giving the background noise a little sine-hum. Amounts of shields may determine frequency.
So basically(although I think it will never come THIS elaborate):

• Shields add a "hum" of a specific frequency to the background noise
• Armor/mass on a different ship reduces the background static
• Armor/mass on your own ship increases the reception of background noise?
• The distance from other ships reduces their impact on the background noise

 

[MrFURB]

The distance from other ships reduces their impact on the background noise

With Stamrod's large scale and focus on efficiancy I'd imagine that it'd be easier to track and emit the total noise of the loaded star system instead of trying to track each individual object.

 

[Megacrafter127]

With Stamrod's large scale and focus on efficiancy I'd imagine that it'd be easier to track and emit the total noise of the loaded star system instead of trying to track each individual object.

If objects are tracked clientside only, make it a clientside option if distance shall be taken into account or not. If it's all done serverside and the client is only told the volume of the static and the frequency and amplitude of the shield-hums, make it a serverside option weither or not distance is also tracked. Or maybe just count the distance in sectors(and as EM waves loose amplitude squared to the distance, the sqrt cancels out and the effect is simply divided by dx²+dy²+dz²)