Chucklefish, that is not a moon, and that is not a planet.

A moon refers to a natural satellite that orbits a planet.

A planet is a natural satellite of a star. The earth orbits the sun, so it's a planet. The moon orbit's the earth so it's a moon.

In starbound many planets are called moons, and many moons are called planets.

In Starbound a planet that happens to have a similar biome to our real life moon is called a moon, when in reality a moon can have any manner of biome, even in real life there are moons orbiting other planets, like Saturn that have frozen icy moons, not dustballs like ours.

Also the planets called Moons in starbound, are not moons but simply planets without atmospheres.

The game tells you to look for Liquid Erchius on moons, and I have encountered people whg get confused becuase they are looking for Liquid Erchius on what are by scientific definition, moons (but the game incorrectly calls them planets), when in the game Liquid Erchius is actually found on atmosphere-less planets that the game (but the game incorrectly calls them moons).


If you actually know what a Moon and a Planet are, the game tells you to go to the wrong place.


Here are diagrams in which I have added the correct annotations.



The large planet is indeed a planet, but the two smaller objects are actually moons orbiting the planet. Them having forests on does not make them planets and doesn't make them not moons. They are simply forest moons.

In fact Endor from Star Wars where the Ewoks live is a forest moon orbiting a gas giant.




Despite what the game says, this is not a moon, it is simply a planet with a surface similar to that of the moon that orbits Earth



If you actually know what a Moon and a Planet are, the game tells you to go to the wrong place.

 

In a game that allows me to dig to the core of the planet with no adverse side effects such as the lack of oxygen, the excess of heat, or the unbearable pressure -- I don't think sticking to the scientific definitions of moons versus planets is necessary. Nor do I feel THAT's why people tend to be unable to find moons -- as there are still a lot of people unable to find the Outpost in their very first starting solar system. Updated visuals tailored specifically to planet (or moon) types would go a long way in helping people find whatever wherever.

Not to mention that the appropriate size of a celestial body to determine whether it is classified as moon or planet is something that is always contested and often in flux (See Pluto )

If the UI tells you that something is a moon. It is a moon. Period.

That being said -- I don't know that the UI isn't showing me accurate portrayals of orbit or distance. You can assume the planets are orbiting one another, thus by definition making some of them moons -- but until that is realized, shown, or told; it is undefined. Which means you the player can define such an event to fit your whims. So you are free to think of them as moons in the strictest sense -- or you can think of them as planets with a synchronized orbit, making them a planet cluster. Unusual to be sure, but acceptable given you're expected to accept medieval robots and cowboy energy beings.

 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moon

1. C: satellite 2; specifically : a natural satellite of a planet

http://www.merriam-webster.com/inter?dest=/dictionary/satellite

2 a : a celestial body orbiting another of larger size

For it to be a moon, it needs to orbit a planet. No planet, not a moon. Period.
Barren planets are a thing, this is more likely a simple mismatch of information then an intentional labeling as such though.

 

The only way size plays into planet/not-planet is that the object needs to be big enough so its own gravity compresses it into a sphere. That's it.

Pluto's dwarf planet status isn't about it being too small, it's about its relationship to other objects within its orbital path, such as the fact that its primary moon, Charon, doesn't actually orbit Pluto. BOTH objects actually spin around a point in space between the two... thus leading to the argument that Charon itself is not a moon, but part of a dual-dwarf-planet system (with several tiny irregular moons orbiting the pair/that same centerpoint).

Which is way cooler if you ask me. Look up all the weird stuff about Pluto and Charon. It's impressive.

Any rate, as for the game, it's a minor labeling thing that maybe they'll fix, not a biggie if they don't.

 

It's just a name for the biome. We can change the biome name to something that's hopefully clearer, but please understand that we make design decisions based on what makes a better game, not based on what's realistic. We do know what a moon is

 

It's such a minor change but it would mean so much to people like me.

Because this drives me nuts. You have no obligation to care about that, nor should you, but it drives me crazy. I am typing this from a padded cell as we speak - for other reasons, not this - but it's not helping my mental state.

(Apologies for any typos. I had to bite through the guard's arm to get this phone and its crazy sticky with his blood. Thank god he's got data because I otherwise I would have done this whole thing for nothing!)

 

I am that guard, I am now missing a piece of my arm, but thankfully DukeOfRiven is back in the padded cell now, so you may return to your scheduled programming.

I think the patient still has my phone though, so they might still be posting from the cell... hmm...

 

I get that but my point is I've encountered people searching the small forest moons for Erchius because they are actual moons.

It's not the lack of realism that bothers me. Starbound is not realistic and I don't expect it to be but it's quite confusing when the game tells you to find something in a place that is only called something in the game's own rules, and has a different definition in reality.

Given the number of likes I've received a lot of people seem to agree.

 

I guess that moons (As they are now) could be renamed "Dwarf planets" and the whole mislabelling problem would be fixed.

 

You could also stress about calling star systems solar systems, because that's like calling every galaxy a milky way, but less people are pedantic about that.

I think naming the biome "Moon" isn't a big deal with regard to realism when you have a Flesh biome, lol. No one's complaining about the "Alien" biome when technically that biome would be a native biome on that planet, not something alien, or if it is, all planets are alien. But I can see how it'd be a little frustrating to see a planet labelled as a natural satellite unintentionally from the perspective of a player trying to navigate through a star system.

If it's all the same you could rename them "Lunar" biomes. Same principal, less confusion.

 

There's so much contact info on here, Fuzzy Tiger. So much personal detail... you know, its funny, but I bet you didn't know the bars in my cell window were loose, did you?

Also, I've been browsing through your previously-watched Netflix queue and I am seriously disappointed. Paul Blart: Mall Cop? The Tudors? Big Bang Theory? Sir, you have deplorable taste - you should be the one in that padded cell, not me. I mean, not that I am anyways, but you know what I mean.


... and on your Steam client: you've put over 300 hours into Petz® Horsez® 2? And 150 into Sakura Spirit? You have Crusader Kings II in your Library and you've never installed it what is even your deal?

If we do rename the barren, desolate, lifeless moons in Starbound, I say we rename them ThatFuzzyTiger's sense of taste.

 

it's insulting to insinuate that the Devs are unaware of the scientific definition of a moon and a planet.

Who the hell cares. In a universe populated by sentient turds, penguin controlled mechanical suits, and magical mystery metals used to make weapons of exceptional awesomeness... this is where you've chosen to draw the line.

They're using "Moon" as a biome type to represent a planet without an atmosphere. Keep in mind too, that's the BIOME type.

If it's one thing this game needs, it's people being nit-picky on terms.

 

People.......It's a game. Really? Does it need to be realistic? If I want realism, I'll go down the street. This is a fantasy where you can get away for awhile.

DukeofRiven...Are you a stalker? lol

 

There's a difference between Suspension of Disbelief and mislabeling. Your wizard can shoot fire out of his fingertips all day, but if you keep calling his fingers 'toes' you're going to confuse people. It's not about genre freedom, it's about language use.

No, i'm not. Stalkers follow people. I'm waiting for him to come to me.

 

will the developers ever win

 

The attack Kangaroo would deck you for saying something like that. I think if Starbound plans to use the English language in their game they should label their planets/moons correctly. Also, fuel system in the current version is BORING. I heard in the Koala version you could use coal and stuff and finding fuel took more time, giving you more of a purpose to stay on one planet.

What do you mean by "win?" I think they've sold enough beta copies of the game to set them even if they cancelled development of Starbound right now. There's pretty much always things that can be improved in a product.

 

Actually, it was really easy to get fuel in Koala by creating a dense forest and cutting in down, burning wood in the furnace (as it could be done then) and using coal as a fuel. I never found much point in searching for better fuel in Koala.

 

Please try to keep the messages on topic and a bit more friendly, guys.

 

like all people would say,I'll say it again:
Its just a game. If you want more realism? Be an astronaut, or any job that relates to space.
If you critic such simple things, you have a problem
And if it's hard for you to find those things because of "realism", there is what you call "reading"
If only people would read the surface analysis in each place you go, there will be no problem at all.
No worries, I'm not angry or being a partyer, I just want to voice out simple things like this.

Peace to all starbounders.

 

ThatFuzzyTiger's the one who had me locked up and he always curtailed my pudding privileges. Now that's unfriendly.