Matrix Games Forums

Its so hard to conceptualize distances with the meters and km measurements.

How about we look at system distances in AUs and interstellar distances in parsecs. Would be easier.

lb

Yes please. And a grid on the map!

Is it even possible to measure distances without a grid in the game?

Or maybe some sort of measurement tool in the corner of the map that displays the distance from your selected object to the end of your mouse cursor. Command Modern Operations has a feature like that which is automatic.

LoBlo wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:47 am Or maybe some sort of measurement tool in the corner of the map that displays the distance from your selected object to the end of your mouse cursor. Command Modern Operations has a feature like that which is automatic.

This!

I so badly need to be able to see distances -- a simple galaxy tool that starts at a point, and a radius circle is drawn as I move the mouse, showing me exact distances... so I can genuinely judge distance between points or overall influence zones. Something like that. Point to point tool is "meh" but okay. Radius with the ability to anchor one or both endpoints is "100" IMO.

Who said DW2 measures distance in meter?

If DW2 and our universe share the same constants the only number we could compare is the speed of light. In DW2 it's 5000 unit/s.
~300,000 km/s / 5,000 unit/s = 60 km/unit or 1 unit is ~ 60,000 m

Does it matter? No. Why?
Meter is based on a late 18th century measurement and stands for one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a great circle of our Earth, not DW2 Terra.
AU is an artificial unit based on the average Earth-Sun distance, again, our Earth-Sun, not DW2s Terra-Sun, which an Ackdarian would not care about in the slightest.
Parsec is another Earth-Sun based unit, only this time π gets added to the equation. Seriously, that would make it easier for you to conceptualize distances in DW2?
It's a game, an you as the higher entity define the size of the galaxy... in DW2 there are no reasonable distance comparisons, because there are also rifts to other universes...

WiZz wrote: Sat Jun 18, 2022 2:31 pm Is it even possible to measure distances without a grid in the game?

As for measurement, pick any ship with more fuel than for one jump, switch to top view, take a screenshot, and use the graphic program of your choice for measuring distances. While I still don't know how to translate !@#$!#@$, it seems to fit

LoBlo wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:47 am Or maybe some sort of measurement tool in the corner of the map that displays the distance from your selected object to the end of your mouse cursor. Command Modern Operations has a feature like that which is automatic.

That is too simple, therefore it must be too complicated to implement. Otherwise it would have been added for a long time, right?

Thineboot wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:36 pm Who said DW2 measures distance in meter?

If DW2 and our universe share the same constants the only number we could compare is the speed of light. In DW2 it's 5000 unit/s.
~300,000 km/s / 5,000 unit/s = 60 km/unit or 1 unit is ~ 60,000 m

Does it matter? No. Why?
Meter is based on a late 18th century measurement and stands for one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a great circle of our Earth, not DW2 Terra.
AU is an artificial unit based on the average Earth-Sun distance, again, our Earth-Sun, not DW2s Terra-Sun, which an Ackdarian would not care about in the slightest.
Parsec is another Earth-Sun based unit, only this time π gets added to the equation. Seriously, that would make it easier for you to conceptualize distances in DW2?
It's a game, an you as the higher entity define the size of the galaxy... in DW2 there are no reasonable distance comparisons, because there are also rifts to other universes...

WiZz wrote: Sat Jun 18, 2022 2:31 pm Is it even possible to measure distances without a grid in the game?

As for measurement, pick any ship with more fuel than for one jump, switch to top view, take a screenshot, and use the graphic program of your choice for measuring distances. While I still don't know how to translate !@#$!#@$, it seems to fit

LoBlo wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:47 am Or maybe some sort of measurement tool in the corner of the map that displays the distance from your selected object to the end of your mouse cursor. Command Modern Operations has a feature like that which is automatic.

That is too simple, therefore it must be too complicated to implement. Otherwise it would have been added for a long time, right?

Sounds a bit rude, but maybe you do not intend to be like it.

Why not take an measurement like AUs to better understand the distances.
And I really do not care what universe we are in.. it is easier to grasp when we say one AU is the distance from earth to sun. Better than meters for sure.
And we as players do understand that. Otherwise, why not talk a different language in game - but hey, they use english. Good for us...

And there are other places in this forum where there is the wish for a measurement - and I do not know why they do not implement it. But sure they will. It just makes sense.

Sounding rude wasn't my intention at all, sorry for that.
As for the language used in game and in most western countries, I'd prefer my own language but I have to go with English Sounds like I'm not a native speaker, so forgive me if I fail sometimes to hit the right tone

As I've said, measurement itself would be nice. A simple top bar would be better than nothing. Zooming in and out, you have no real idea about distance. You can draw circles to find a working pattern for asteroid mining. Sure, fun... or not.
Great scale measuring would be nice to plan colonies. At the moment it's again only possible by using a 3rd party software for measurement... A simple button showing your (and the opponents) colonization range would be nice. Should be easy...

Besides that, there is still no meter used in DW2. That was the whole point of what sounded rude, sorry again. None of these units, meter, AU, parsec, have any real value in DW2. Speed of light is 5000 in DW2, that's all we know. And since suitable planets have diameters greater and smaller than 5000 that would mean planets have a diameter of greater or less than 300,000 km and that sounds pretty much impossible in this universe. So the whole DW2 universe has other constants than our universe.

DW2-Sol has four planets, Terra, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, or Mars, Terra, Saturn, Jupiter... yes, they change positions, too. So what's an AU in DW2? If it's Sol-Terra it changes from game to game - and I'm pretty sure the exact circular orbits change a bit in every game, too. The first time they call it AU there will be a lot of people complaining about that. Calling it nothing circumvent all those discussions about AU being not AU back and forth. It's an elegant solution.
All those diameters of planets are nice but pointless, too. Gravity is a big part of suitability - not in DW2. At least not if you try to compare the universal rules you may know of our universe.

So measurement, yes please. But for Shakturis sake neither meter, AU or parsec, please.


ETA would be great. We have a clock ticking - is there a 29th of February every four years? And none every 2000 years? Having an estimated time of arrival doesn't mean it has to be accurate. But at least a bit help for planning any operation that involves more than one ship and/or fleet would be great.

Nice points about the made up universe.
Measuring in game-based-LY would be spiffy.
And an ETA is another one I keep wanting. It needs to account for jump drive delay times - but would be very handy - even if approximate.

Thineboot wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:36 pm Who said DW2 measures distance in meter?

If DW2 and our universe share the same constants the only number we could compare is the speed of light. In DW2 it's 5000 unit/s.
~300,000 km/s / 5,000 unit/s = 60 km/unit or 1 unit is ~ 60,000 m

Does it matter? No. Why?
Meter is based on a late 18th century measurement and stands for one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a great circle of our Earth, not DW2 Terra.
AU is an artificial unit based on the average Earth-Sun distance, again, our Earth-Sun, not DW2s Terra-Sun, which an Ackdarian would not care about in the slightest.
Parsec is another Earth-Sun based unit, only this time π gets added to the equation. Seriously, that would make it easier for you to conceptualize distances in DW2?
It's a game, an you as the higher entity define the size of the galaxy... in DW2 there are no reasonable distance comparisons, because there are also rifts to other universes...

Maybe AUs for systems and Light Years for interstellar would be the best combination.

lb