Need a scientific adviser for space-strategy game

[AaronD]

Hello, I have come to these forums to request help a guidance on how to develop specific portions of a game that I'm working on. To keep it simple, I'm working on a text based space strategy game where players start with a single planet, and must construct structures, research technologies and colonize other planets to expand their empire.

 

I'm working on solar system formation at the moment. I could simply make every planet in the system random, and take the easy route, but I really ant to do this right. I obviously can't build a full-fledged simulation, but I can make it realistic as possible.

 

 

I know that every solar system should start with a certain amount of "Mass" and that most of the mass should be dedicated to the star, but what percentage should I use for planets, asteroids and other objects?

 

Also, should I divide this "Mass" into different gasses to create more realistic atmospheres? If so, what gasses should I include, and is there a certain way that I should spread these gasses? What gasses mix, and what does that mixture create? What gasses are naturally destroyed/consumed, if any, by the formation of the solar system?

 

I want moons and their atmospheres to be as realistic as possible, If a moon's atmosphere is a certain way in real life, I want to include that in the game to create more realistic formations. If there are less asteroids in a system because of the presence of a as giant, I want to include that as well.

 

I ask for some one who really know this topic well, that will explain things in a simple manner (not because I'm dumb, but because I need to code it in a simple way), or I can just continue to post on this forum when I need some help.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Przemyslaw.Gruchala]

Two the most common elements in the Universe are Hydrogen and Helium.

 

rand() function is using currently set srand().

 

So, if you have 1 million star systems, create array, and initialize like this:

 

srand( 0 );

for( int i = 0; i < 1000000; i++ ) data[ i ] = rand();

 

everytime data[ x ] will be the same value.

 

Then use data[ x ] as argument to srand()

 

srand( data[ x ] );

 

it's some star system.

 

Then use rand() with always the same order - randomize mass of star, randomize number of planets, their masses etc.

 

It'll be all generated in fly just from index to data[] always looking the same.

And you won't need large database to create and store on disk.

[Spyman]

Some of the facts you might need can be found here: Solar System

[AaronD]

Thanks guys. I just want more natural feeling solar systems, and to create systems that are likely to actually exist.