Planet Studio Tutorial

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The Planet Studio is a feature that allows a player to create custom planets and systems. However, using the feature can be very frustrating, since it is very complex. Below is a tutorial to better understand the features.

## Accessing

To access the Planet Studio, first click the menu button at the top-left corner. Next, click the Planet Studio button, which will take you there.

## Menu

The player gets taken to the planet studio menu, where the player can do multiple things; create planets, load planets, create systems, load systems, and save planets.

# Systems

Creating systems is much less complex than creating planets. However, entirely different systems require custom planets.

## Editing a System

A system can be loaded by clicking Load System, and selecting the desired system. It is not recommended to edit default systems, because they are the main systems.

### Edit planet button

This button will send the player to the planet designer, which can be very complex. This button has a pencil icon.

### Replace planet button

Replaces a planet with another planet. All planets plus custom planets are available. This button has arrows on it.

### Add child planet button

Adds a planet that will orbit the planet in question. The child planet can be chosen, with all planets plus custom planets available. This button has a "+" icon on it.

### Destroy planet button

Removes the planet. This button has a trash icon on it.

### Period

How long the planet takes to orbit once. It is changed by changing Semi-Major Axis.

### Color

Changes the color of a planet's orbit when viewed in Map View. The color can be any hex code.

### True Anomaly

How far the planet has traveled from the main point. If the slider is all the way right, then the planet has completed one orbit. This changes planets' positions when the game starts.

### Eccentricity

How elliptical the planet's orbit it. At full value, the planet is on a collision course with the parent planet. At 0 value, the orbit is nearly circular.

### Inclination

The angle of the planet's orbit. If the inclination slider is between 1/4 and 3/4 full, then the planet will orbit retrograde.

### Right Ascension

Changes the position of the planet's orbit, and thus, the planet.

### Arg of Periapsis

Changes the position of the planet's orbit, and thus, the planet.

### Semi-Major Axis

Changes the planet's orbit height. In a circular orbit, this is how far the planet orbits it's parent planet. In an elliptical orbit, this is how far the planet is from it's parent planet right between apoapsis and periapsis. Changing this also changes the orbital period.

### Rotation

How much the planet already rotated when the game started.

### Day Length

How long it takes for a planet to rotate once in real time hours.

### Tidal Lock button

This button will make Day Length the same as Period, which will make one side of the planet always face it's parent planet.

# Planets

## Creating a Planet

To create a planet, click on Create Planet. There will be 12 default planets which can be customized. These default planets serve as a guide to creating a planet.

## Properties

Properties can be accessed by clicking the button with sliders icon.

### Version

The version of the planet. This is not necessary to be changed, and can be left at 1.0.

### Version Tag

This is optional. If a player does set this, then systems using planets with different version tags will exclude those planets.

### Description

Allows the player to type a description about the planet for better information.

### Radius

The distance between the planet's sea level and center in meters. It is half the diameter of the planet.

### Surface Gravity

The gravitational pull of the planet at sea level. On Droo, it is 9.8. If 'Auto Update Gravity' is selected, then the gravity will be adjusted based on the radius of the planet.

### Fade Skybox During Daytime

If set, then the stars will be hidden on the planet's surface during the day.

### Has Terrain Physics

If set, then the planet will have a solid surface that can be landed on. This should always be set if the planet is has a solid surface. If the planet is a gas giant, then this should not be set because it has no solid surface.

## Atmosphere

### Has Atmosphere

If set, the the planet will have an atmosphere.

### Crush Altitude

The altitude in meters where any part that goes lower than this will explode.

### Height

The height of the atmosphere. If is changed by changing the atmosphere parameters.

### Temperature

The temperature of the atmosphere at sea level. Changing these will affect the height of the atmosphere. The sliders allow a range between 0K and 1,000K, but the player can click on the temperature number to set a custom temperature. However, if the temperature is set too high, then craft will overheat and explode.

### Surface Air Density

The density of the atmosphere at sea level in kilograms per cubic meter.

### Mean Molecular Mass

Higher values decrease atmosphere height, and vice versa.

### Fade Distance

The distance from the end of the atmosphere in meters where the atmosphere steadily fades. Lower values mean that the atmosphere fades fast in the most part, then slow. Higher values result in the atmosphere fading fast in the beginning, then fades slow. A fade distance of the same height of the atmosphere means that the atmosphere fades steadily all time.

### Atmosphere End

The air density ratio to Surface Air Density where the atmosphere is considered non-existent.

## Terrain & Atmosphere Visuals

### Effects

If set to 'Sky', then the effects will be applied to how the atmosphere looks. If set to 'Terrain', then the effects will change the visibility of the terrain. If set to 'Both', then both atmosphere appearance and terrain visibility will be affected.

### Noon Color (Terrain setting only)

The color hue of the terrain during the day. Note that this does not change the actual color of the terrain, rather, it gives the terrain a hue.

### Dusk Color (Terrain setting only)

The color hue of the terrain during sunrise and sunset. Note that this does not change the actual color of the terrain, rather, it gives the terrain a hue.

### Ambient Altitude (Terrain setting only)

The minimum and maximum altitude in meters for ambient light to be in effect.

### Wave Length

The main color of the light reflecting off the planet's surface for 'Terrain' setting. In 'Sky' setting, it is the color of the atmosphere, with inverted colors if used correctly. The color should be be opposite color of what color the player wants the atmosphere to be, and in a light tone.

### Wave Length Magnitude

The intensity of the atmosphere. In 'Sky' mode, it controls the depth and intensity of the visual atmosphere. At 0, there is no atmosphere outline. In 'Terrain' mode, it controls the visibility of the planet's surface.

### Sun Brightness

Also the intensity of the atmosphere. In 'Sky' mode, it controls the intensity of the visual atmosphere, and if set to 0, then there is no atmosphere outline. In 'Terrain' setting, it controls the visibility of the planet's surface.

### Rayleigh Scattering

Also the intensity of the atmosphere. In 'Sky' mode, it controls the intensity of the visual atmosphere, and if set to 0, then there is no atmosphere outline. In 'Terrain' setting, it controls the visibility of the planet's surface.

### Height Scale

Amplifies the height of the atmosphere outline. It also makes the atmosphere gradient more smooth.

### Scale Depth From Space and Surface (Sky setting, Lerp Scale Depth)

These sliders control the visual intensities of the atmosphere when viewed from space and from the surface. The surface scale depth should always be higher. This only applies if Lerp Scale Depth is selected

### Intensity From Space and Surface (Terrain setting, Lerp Intensity)

The visibility of the planet's surface when viewed from space and from the surface. The surface setting should always be higher. This only applies if Lerp Intensity is selected.

### Fresnel Bias (Terrain setting)

The amount of light reflected on the planet's surface. Needs more testing.

### Max Color Value

Also the controls intensity of the atmosphere. In 'Sky' mode, it controls the intensity of the visual atmosphere, and if set to 0, then there is no atmosphere outline. In 'Terrain' setting, it controls the light on the planet's surface. If set to 0, then the surface will not be visible. If Legacy Sky Shader is not set, then the atmosphere will also glow if set to high levels.