Something to keep an eye on:
http://freegamer.blogspot.com/2011/01/o ... e-and.html
Several free projects working on procedural planet generation. Maybe it would be an overkill, but there's the potential down the road to use one of these engines to actually make each planet visually unique-- and to zoom in as closer as we want.
Procedurally Created Planets (other projects)
Re: Procedurally Created Planets (other projects)
Amazing...!! If this sort of thing gets rolling then it could really revolutionize space exploration gaming...
Re: Procedurally Created Planets (other projects)
Definitely check out http://pioneerspacesim.net then. It already is revolutionizing it.