Solar System Simulation

Table of Contents

• Solar System Simulation
  • About This Game
  • Game Controls
    • Right Controller:
    • Left Controller:
    • Dashboard Capabilities:
    • Back Monitors
    • Troubleshooting and FAQ
  • Information for Particular Project Aspects
    • Starry Sky Creation
    • Audio
  • Sources, Assets and Relevant Links
    • Trello
    • Data/Information Resources
    • Unity Assets
    • External Models
  • Author and Acknowledgements

About This Game

This game is a simulation of the Milky Way solar system. Our goal was to create a simulation that focused on the sheer size of the solar system and the time that it would take to travel the distances between planets. While limiting the player to realistic speed would not be an enjoyable experience, we attempted to emphasize the experience of time and distance by keeping a realistic distance, allowing the speed to be extremely unrealistic, and using time to warp the user's experience. The user starts at the sun and is able to pilot their spaceship between Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

Game Controls

Right Controller:

Thumbstick Up: Accelerate Ship

Thumbstick Down: Decelerate Ship

Press A: Reset speed to 1 m/s

Press B: Revert to Original Speed

Point index finger to activate/deactivate objects on mini map

Left Controller:

Thumbstick Up: Move Ship Forward

Thumbstick Down: Move Ship Backwards

Thumbstick Left: Rotate Ship Left

Thumbstick Right: Rotate Ship Right

Point index finger to activate/deactivate objects on mini map

Dashboard Capabilities:

Left Side Dashboard- 3D Mini Map:

Map shows the current positions of the planets and spaceship in the solar system.

Highlight a planet using your index finger to point and touch the planet on the planet tracker/mini map. Touch the planet again to deactivate the planet tracker. Highlighting a planet on the planet tracker causes a position marker to appear above the actual planet outside the ship, along with planet name, current distance from planet, and estimate time of arrival to planet at current speed. Multiple trackers can be activated at a time.

Center of Dashboard- Planet Proximity and Information:

Display warns if a planet is in close proximity and the information related to the respective planet. The type of information displayed is the planet's average distance from the sun, radius, number of moons and/or rings, as well as type of planet (i.e. Terrestrial, Gas Giant, Ice Giant)

Right of Dashboard-Speed:

Display shows current speed in meters per second and in multiples of the speed of light.

Back Monitors

Behind the player is a set of computer monitors that display the instructions of the game for the player to reference during the game.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Planets aren't highlighting on mimi map when I touch them

Make sure that the hand being used to touch the planets has the index finger extended in a pointing gesture. To do this, make sure your index finger is not touching physically touching the Oculus controller.

I keep moving past the planets without seeing them

It is most likely that you are moving too quickly. To slow down, press the A button on the right controller to reset your speed to zero, and slowly increase your speed from there.

How do I see what planet I am selecting on the mini map?/ Where is the planet I selected?

If you are having trouble finding the planet marker for the planet you selected, physically rotate yourself to look around the ship. The planet may appear anywhere 360 degrees around the spaceship. The marker will tell you which planet(s) is selected.

Where am I?

If you look at the mini map, there is a small red cone. This represents your current position in the solar system.

Why is baby Yoda here?

Because why not. He's cute.

General Gameplay Tips?

• You can move the ship with the left controller and change speed with right controller at the same time.
• Slow down as you approach a planet

Information for Particular Project Aspects

Starry Sky Creation

Created By: Viet Than

The only guide is outdated so Viet is trying to recreate that with the newer version of Unity.

Read guide and progress log here: Starry Sky Creation: Working with Unity3D Particle Effect System

Audio

Planet Sounds: The planet sounds are created from converting the radio frequencies gathered from satellites near planets into audio.

Sun Audio

Mercury Audio

Venus Audio

Earth Audio

Mars Audio

Jupiter Audio

Saturn Audio

Uranus Audio

Neptune Audio

Pluto Audio

Ship Background Music: Blue Danube Waltz by Dieter Goldmann Strings

Sources, Assets and Relevant Links

Trello

To access our Trello board: Link

Data/Information Resources

Planet Information

Unity Assets

Solar System Assets V3.0: Planet prefabs with textures

Sci-Fi Styled Modular Pack V1.0: Projector Prefab and Hologram Material

External Models

Spaceship Model created by Quinton Hoffman

Smile Baby Yoda created by Multiverse3DDesigns

Author and Acknowledgements

Student Group: Quinton Hoffman, Adrian Florea, Dayana Espinoza, Malia Latimer, and Viet Than

Client: David Weintraub (Prof. Department of Physics and Astronomy)

Class instructor: Ole Molvig (Prof. Department of History) and Bobby Bodenheimer (Prof. Department of EECS), Vanderbilt University, US.