Inspired by this thread http://star-made.org/content/planet-size-density, I've got some ideas (which don't add lag, maybe even reduce some).
Fog (or a gas atmosphere) could hide parts of planets.
Atmosphere:
[*]usefull to get credits as newbe or with AI-trade-routes.
Note: Oxygen doesn't need to be a requirement for space ships or astronauts. Just some over-populated NPC-space-stations where the oxygen generators / plant-sections got randomly attacked by pirates.
Fog (or a gas atmosphere) could hide parts of planets.
- It adds a tactical effect, as you can hide stuff inside it (just don't render things after certain distance and use some foggy-sky
- It adds a unique feeling to something like gas planets (not bigger than a moon (300 or 200 diameter) but don't need to be in a system with rotation (you won't see it anyway).
They can even share a system with a planet (as gas-moons), because they don't need own rotation. (You don't need, what you can't see)
Atmosphere:
- We don't need any code to show atmosphere - we already have it.
- Space stations (mainly NPC stations) may demand oxygen-supply if they don't have own plants.
Oxygen storage is limited by core-basic + gas-storage blocks (maybe later free space inside your ship) and regenerates with number of plants.
[*]usefull to get credits as newbe or with AI-trade-routes.
Note: Oxygen doesn't need to be a requirement for space ships or astronauts. Just some over-populated NPC-space-stations where the oxygen generators / plant-sections got randomly attacked by pirates.