Question about planets.

[dchsknight]

So lets say I am the builder of Kuat Drive Yards on a star wars server. And I want to find an earth like planet and build the Kuat Drive Yards station ring.

here is my question:

How far of off a planet can we build?

Is there a point where the building on a planet will no longer be build-able because it is in space?

 

[Admiralkio]

Infinite, really. The gravity extends with it.

 

[SkylordLuke]

yeap,infinite

 

[dchsknight]

Sexy...

 

[AdmiralGialAckbar00]

I think it might be best if there was a station created around it so whenever you are near the station the gravity doesn't pull you towards the planet. Just a personal suggestion.

 

[NeonSturm]

Somebody built a interplanetary bridge
(though without planet rotation)

Do that with planet rotation on and you get a big fast rotating sphere (could be used for large scale defence as shields from different segments could regenerate while on the other side) :D

 

[der_scheme]

I think it might be best if there was a station created around it so whenever you are near the station the gravity doesn't pull you towards the planet. Just a personal suggestion.

Actually, I think building from the planet is better. It would of course be hard to get the math right to have all parts connect right and you probably would still be able to see the segment gaps, BUT: Stations can only do 90° gravity. If you build the respective parts starting from the corresponding planet segment, you will get smoother gravity transitions than you could with stations. Also, you can basically build exactly around the planet's center, while you would have to approximate that with a station.
Of course, as I said, the shape would be harder to get right, but it may be worth it.

 

[Saber]

Somebody built a interplanetary bridge
(though without planet rotation)

Oh yeah, that was fun. And planetary rotation was on, the two planets were just rotating together around a central axis, rather than their own.

Something you might try, and it may do crazy stuff with the gravity, but I'd say pick a plate, then if you're wanting to go around (like saturn's rings) use that plate as the "top" of your planet. Then what you'll need to do is branch out from that plate, I'd recommend using symmetry, way out past the edge of your entire planet, then extend down to the "equator". Then give a ring a whirl, test it before you get to far though because I'm not sure what having that gravity, which will be perpendicular to the plate "under" you will do.

Basically you just want that "top" plate for it's gravity while keeping a ring, and not having to try and connect multiple plates. That's how I'd do it at least.

 

[dchsknight]

Thanks I will try that out! I will post here on the dock the out comes!

 

[benjwgarner]

Something you might try, and it may do crazy stuff with the gravity, but I'd say pick a plate, then if you're wanting to go around (like saturn's rings) use that plate as the "top" of your planet. Then what you'll need to do is branch out from that plate, I'd recommend using symmetry, way out past the edge of your entire planet, then extend down to the "equator". Then give a ring a whirl, test it before you get to far though because I'm not sure what having that gravity, which will be perpendicular to the plate "under" you will do.

Basically you just want that "top" plate for it's gravity while keeping a ring, and not having to try and connect multiple plates. That's how I'd do it at least.

Thank you! This worked perfectly in 0.19289. In order to make sure that the torus was centered around the planet, I did the following:

1. Choose a plate as the top and place a build block on it. Enter the Build Block and go down through the plate inside the core.
2. Use the navigation menu ("N") to select the planet core so that a marker is displayed on the HUD and fly to its approximate location. Go straight up from there to the underside of the top plate and, using Advanced Build Mode, construct a pillar of blocks down to the center.
3. Continue to build from the pillar until you can place a block so that one of its corners is the exact center marked on the HUD. It is aligned on the lines between cubes, so it would be located at the center of a 2x2x2 cube of blocks placed around it. Delete the pillar and other excess blocks except for the one at the center.
4. Choose even or odd symmetry for your torus. Even will ensure that it is not off by half of a block from being exactly centered on the planet, but this is not noticeable at all and I find odd symmetry to be much more useful for building.
5. Use the Build Helper in Advanced Build Mode to create a torus around the planet. I used a TorusRadius of 256, a TubeRadius of 7, and an X-Rot of 90 (so that the major axis of the torus will be parallel to the gravity of the top plate).

I will probably most a more in-depth description along with a video in a separate thread later on.

 

[Crimson-Artist]

I just did some tests and I'm happy to report that you can effectively create a planetary gravity work around by docking a ship to the planet and building the station off it.

ships docked to a planet do not count toward a plates gravity range. I docked a ship that had a 100+ block pillar extending off world and into space. I flew in and didn't experience gravity until i got close to the plates mountains I.E its default gravity range. with this you can effectively create orbital elevators and never have to worry about your ships crashing into the planet.

I also had the idea to create a working moon that actually orbits around a planet and spins on its own axis. i got that idea after i saw Sven_The_Slayer 's video where he discovered that you can move rail docked ships inside of a planets core.
(he shows it at 12:10)

 

[benjwgarner]

I just did some tests and I'm happy to report that you can effectively create a planetary gravity work around by docking a ship to the planet and building the station off it.

The only problem with that is that you can't use station-only blocks such as factories, shops, and warp gates that cannot be placed on ships.

 

[Crimson-Artist]

The only problem with that is that you can't use station-only blocks such as factories, shops, and warp gates that cannot be placed on ships.

isn't that what the planet is for? besides you can always drop an actual station if need be

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

I just did some tests and I'm happy to report that you can effectively create a planetary gravity work around by docking a ship to the planet and building the station off it.

ships docked to a planet do not count toward a plates gravity range. I docked a ship that had a 100+ block pillar extending off world and into space. I flew in and didn't experience gravity until i got close to the plates mountains I.E its default gravity range. with this you can effectively create orbital elevators and never have to worry about your ships crashing into the planet.

I also had the idea to create a working moon that actually orbits around a planet and spins on its own axis. i got that idea after i saw Sven_The_Slayer 's video where he discovered that you can move rail docked ships inside of a planets core.
(he shows it at 12:10)

I was thinking of making an orbiting space station as well using that technique.

 

[benjwgarner]

isn't that what the planet is for?

Well, I mostly use the planet for scenery :P I don't actually do very much on the surface.