Priorities

[testtubegames]

It's a long and awesome list of features to add into the sim.

But as I thought about it the other day -- when I choose which thing to work on next, I want to make sure I'm picking *the most important things* to add. So I've been working on rotation, and viewing the world from the surface of a rotating planet... cause that's been mentioned a lot.

So here's an experiment -- everybody in the forums here picks *one* feature they are most dying to see in the sim. (Tidal forces, or inputting formulas for potential energy, or black holes, or some bug that peeves you). And I'll move it to the top of the list, adding it to the next build, if possible. Once that feature is added, you get to pick another.

If it's a particularly *big* request (an extensive scripting language, say) -- it may not get added right away, but your vote will move it *higher* on the priority list.

The Stuff

Round 2
Stargate: More functions to use in the force laws!
NealCruco: Save slots
wtg: zooming more!


Round 1 (complete!)
Stargate: Transverse Forces (Done! Coming in next upload)
AlternateGravity: Change # of dimensions (Done! Coming in next upload)
Random: Rotating axis Tracking (Done! Coming in next upload)
NealCruco: Black Holes (Phase 1 complete. Coming in next upload)
Robly: setting potential energy (Done! Coming in the next upload)
Andy: UPDATER (deleted...)
exfret: Better, interactive Instructions (Phase 1 complete!)

[Stargate38]

I think custom, radius-dependent, transverse forces should be added, with a second force box and a toggle switch in the options. Here's an example:

Radial (Real part), the one that's currently used: f(r)=r
Transverse (Imaginary part divided by 1i): g(r)=sin(r)/r^3

It could be shown in the load/save code as "ForceGr: f(r)+1i*g(r)", where g(r) is the transverse force. If you don't want transverse forces in your individual simulation, just put in the f(r), omitting the 1i*g(r) part. This could be used to produce Kirkwood gaps in your protoplanetary disk or other sim.

Please add that. I've been wanting to do transverse forces so I don't have to manually pause the sim, change the object's speed/heading angle, then start it up again repeatedly.

[AlternateGravity]

I think the ability to adjust the number of dimensions in the game would be nice.

[A Random Player]

For the rotation, I assume you will be able to track two planets and fix one, the other on an axis, right? The screenshots don't show that.
For me, I've always wanted to see a multiplayer version of GSim with spaceships, but that is probably a *big* request (maybe even more so than a scripting language). So for now.. actually I'm not sure. I guess I'll find out when rotations get added (and the dust bug gets fixed) in the next update.

[NealCruco]

Save slots. Need I elaborate?
Edit: Actually, scratch that. Save slots would be second. Black holes are first.

[robly18]

I'd say my vote would go for changing the potential energy.

[A Random Player]

The Stuff
AlternateGravity: Change # of dimensions (Done! Coming in next upload)

And here we were all thinking it was going to be hard!

[testtubegames]

And here we were all thinking it was going to be hard!

Ha, well, just to clarify -- this is merely the physics effect I'm talking about. I'm not actually making the simulator work in 3D, say. It'll always appear in 2D, you'll just be able to select whether the laws of physics are treated like you're in a 2D world (1/r), 3D world (1/r^2), 4D world (1/r^3), or beyond.

Hence why it's a simple change Actually making the sim work in 3D would be quite a bigger deal! (You'd probably lose the infinite-orbits, say. Still not sure how you'd launch things sensibly with a mouse, but others have solved this problem before, I suppose.)

[exfret]

No, it is 3D, it's just an extremely thin slice of it!

[testtubegames]

No, it is 3D, it's just an extremely thin slice of it!

I suppose it's just a thin slice of 4D, too A very advanced sim we have here...

Oh, and my latest priority: FIXING THE DAMN UPDATER. Going to pester the people who made it constantly until it actually works. Because without an updater, how can I get these rad new features out to you all in a timely fashion?