Needed: new starmap texture

[BTAxis]

As of current trunk (r20965) we have a rotating starmap for the 3D geoscape. However, our current texture doesn't look that good. This post is a call of artists to create a new texture. Requirements:

• The texture must be square and the dimensions must be a power of two.
• The texture must seamlessly repeat on itself (obviously)
• The texture must be mostly dark, and the stars shouldn't be too colorful. This is a background starmap, so it shouldn't divert attention away from the globe.

Alternatively, we could use six textures, one for each side of the skybox.

[sitters]

As of current trunk (r20965) we have a rotating starmap for the 3D geoscape. However, our current texture doesn't look that good. This post is a call of artists to create a new texture. Requirements:

• The texture must be square and the dimensions must be a power of two.
• The texture must seamlessly repeat on itself (obviously)
• The texture must be mostly dark, and the stars shouldn't be too colorful. This is a background starmap, so it shouldn't divert attention away from the globe.

Alternatively, we could use six textures, one for each side of the skybox.

I render an sky-box.

Willem


Edit here the link :

http://www.md2.sitters-electronics.nl/models/star.rar

Only stars like the sky is on this moment.

Willem

[Psawhn]

Sitters, are you able to make a version with the stars only a pixel or two wide? I'm curious to see if that looks better.

I'm actually trying to find a way to reliably make a starmap with pixel-sized stars at any resolution. The problem with using an image is that they don't work well if you zoom in (Which especially makes them problematic for BSG/Firefly-style shakeycam).

[DuKe2112]

One very good looking star box would probably be one that is based on a picture of the actual celestial sphere. One very popular is this:

With a slight adjustment in brightness and contrast this looks incredibly good.

The original is 300M big. You might want to ask him if he is willing to donate a version in suitable resolution.
If not one of our textures may be willing to make something that looks simmilar.

[sitters]

Sitters, are you able to make a version with the stars only a pixel or two wide? I'm curious to see if that looks better.

I'm actually trying to find a way to reliably make a starmap with pixel-sized stars at any resolution. The problem with using an image is that they don't work well if you zoom in (Which especially makes them problematic for BSG/Firefly-style shakeycam).

Here I have one with small stars. cant be smaller then you going to lose stars

http://www.md2.sitters-electronics.nl/models/star_small.rar

@duke2112  you cant see this when your are close to earth, with your bare eyes.
                 I don't think they like it ( but I can make a skybox ouy of it ).



Willem

[DuKe2112]

Sitters, aktualle you can, these were made from ground level with a regular camera.
In populatet areas it's the slight polution and the shear amount of ground lights it reflects that overlays this and lets you see only the brightest stars.
But in any rural area on a clear night and especially in an orbit, as our camera is, the stars look like this.

Simply try it out and see what it looks like, maybe also a darkened version.

On a side note: is the earth properly tilted? as the game starts in march It' difficult to tell.

[sitters]

Sitters, aktualle you can, these were made from ground level with a regular camera.
In populatet areas it's the slight polution and the shear amount of ground lights it reflects that overlays this and lets you see only the brightest stars.
But in any rural area on a clear night and especially in an orbit, as our camera is, the stars look like this.

Simply try it out and see what it looks like, maybe also a darkened version.

On a side note: is the earth properly tilted? as the game starts in march It' difficult to tell.

Yea I know they did it with a normal camera, but then you can set the lightning on a long time, I mean with your bare eyes.

Willem

[kracken]

On a side note: is the earth properly tilted? as the game starts in march It' difficult to tell.

It should, if I didn't mess up the calculations

[Level]

Axel Mellinger has given me permission to use a version of his all sky panorama in free open source games, all he asks is that he is credited. I have it uploaded on my SkyDrive. I have tried it in game and I do think it needs to be darkened.

[bayo]

Hello. For license, we need more than an agreement to use, but an agreement to release the image into a free license. With a free license, UFO:AI can use it, but also everybody (not only a game, not only an open and free project) while they respect the license (often author credited (by), and often derivative work into the same license (share-alike)). We can use image in CC-BY-SA, CC-SA, Public domain, or GPL (and much more...)

[DuKe2112]

Although he needs to officialle state it, he practically used CC-BY-NC-SA. It's not limited to games, but the rest should be OK.

[Level]

Axel just got back to me, he said CC-BY-NC-SA is fine.

[bayo]

Just about the license, CC licences using NC (non commercial) are not free.