A Lack of Environment

I like it a lot, but the mock ups you did are a bit strong. The indoors one looks weird, too, not quite sure what's up with that one. Be very careful about blur and darkness at the edges, that's a place where making things pretty interferes with play, it has to be VERY subtle there. I love that last image though, all of them nice job on the prettyness.

 

You'd apply the filter in the game itself, it's called postprocessing, and Starbound already does a touch of it.
Postprocessing is generally pretty lightweight for a computer to do, cel shading was often used to cover the fact that older consoles couldn't handle 3d models that don't look like ass, so they postprocessed it to hide that fact. My computer is now 696 times better than a PS2, so some postprocessing shouldn't be any problem at all. (Also, some people hate the idea of postprocessing, thinking that it's just bloom, but Okami and its aesthetic is entirely about postprocessing, that distinctive style is entirely because of the gratuitous use of cel shading and a few other things.)

If you were to write a script to do this, then if you changed the filter, then you'd have to go through and refilter every single image with the new one. Also, a lot of information, like how far away an object is from the character doesn't even exist at that point, so you couldn't filter it ahead of time.

 

Yea, I know what postprocessing is, I just can't seem to find anything in the files we currently have regarding it. And you're right, the script isn't the best idea. Have you seen anything in the files where a filter could be applied?

 

Launch Starbound (OpenGL) OpenGL definitely has postprocessing in it.
And i'm not sure if it's a lighting thing or a filter thing, but on sunset on my planet, everything becomes quite reddish.
I'm also pretty sure that the whiteout effect as you freeze to death is a very basic filter.

 

If it was perfected it would be nice, but It might be more complex then we think. Simple on and off filter when we go in and out of buildings might actually come out to be less immersive. Its still a good idea.

 

have you noticed how it rains outside of structures but not inside? that same system could be used in filtering so that is is only visible outside? even while you're indoors you could see it going on outside. even while safely indoors it is all clear.

 

I wanted/intended them to be excessive just to get my point across. I actually want them to be more faint, EXCEPT for really extreme planets, level 100 stuff. then I want it to be this strong.

 

Maybe something like for planets that are closer/further away from a sun that they get a little bit darker/brighter or something?

 

WHST!?!?!?!? NO WAY!!! OMG now my brain is melting please some call me a doctor or a naked nurse

 

This is a neat idea. Its been said already but just to kinda recap how I feel about it. To much being done to the image, to much blurring, to much brightness, to much of a busy feel and it would get annoying. Get the right balance, the right kind of transitions between above ground and below ground it would add a very .... well a very immersive feel to the game as well as a very unique feeling from planet to planet. Overall I would love for it to be added in.

 

I originally created the idea as a way to make the game more optionally immersive, (from the title) but now I think it NEEDS something like this as a way to make the planets feel more different/dangerous. its easy to see how different they are by colors of different things, sure. I feel like somethings you can't really show with different colored grass. maybe a planet has radiation, or is always in a sandstorm, or has microorganisms floating in the air, who knows. but we need something to show it. maybe not this, maybe more weather patterns, I don't know.

 

I love all details. Definitely a good idea.

 

Moved to General Discussion as requested by the OP.

 

I agree. When running from planet to planet to planet to planet its easy to kinda have them meld together. Having different effects around each planet because of the different atmosphere. Add that to having different gravity levels, the already different monsters, the different terrain blocks, and everything else and it helps to make each planet a very unique experience.

 

Haven't been around Starbound or the forums for ages. Anything new as far as enviromental presentation goes that I have missed? I know the thread is dead, but since necro'ing isn't forbidden no need to create a new thread. So, anyone want to fill me in?

 

http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/august-26th-biomic-enhancement.83757/

 

whoa thanks. This is really promising advance! But looks like it from the latest update? I'll have to look into other changes as well.