A little background:Geoff the Medio wrote:Not extremely difficult, but a bit of work due to all the different places the current set of values is used and some where all the possibilities are listed out...eleazar wrote:How hard would it be to add more star colors?
But why are more star types needed? Just to have a few different colours of star icon on the map doesn't seem worth the effort or attention.
Currently we have an awkward fusion of:
* semi-realistic simulation in galaxy generation, star types and distribution,
* science-fantasy gameplay-driven planet types.
I don't see much-- if any-- gameplay value in the simulating different galaxy ages, making toxic planets more common in the first slot, or setting up subtle tweaks in the probability of white stars to have Desert planets.
This kind of stuff sends the wrong message about what kind of game we're making-- leads newbs to think that Solar Masses, Gravity, Time Dilation and Insolation, etc. should be part of the game mechanics.
In theory certain color stars could be more likely to have certain type planets, but there's no fair, user-friendly way of mapping 9 planet types onto 5 or 6 star types.
So i'm considering 2 related changes:
A) Aesthetics: Making more unrealistic variation in star appearances (green & purple stars, etc.)
B) Gameplay: Giving each planet type a unique star color where it is most likely to appear.
I haven't yet found out if I can make nine different, (plus neutrons, which remain rare and special) easily distinguished star colors yet, so, i don't know if "B" is possible.
"A" is possible with the current system, though perhaps a little awkward, but "B" would need new types that the effects recognise.