[Lucika]

I've seen that the Wiki shows some nebulae that were established as canon for a given system.
Question: if I put Mission 1 in a given system and then make an insystem jump so Mission 2 starts in the same system but in a different spot, are we supposed to see the exact same nebula?

[General Battuta]

Realistically, yes.

[Droid803]

Unless you're in the nebula, and FS2 has show that that does change.

[Vretsu]

The nebula in Fs2 change between missions set in the same system. Typically, :V: nebulas set a mood or draw the player's eye. My memory is a bit sketchy on this, but I believe that all of the nebula pointed to the Colossus in "Their Finest Hour," sort of like a frame.

Reuse the same nebula, anyways. Backgrounds are a chore (in my opinion).

[Kopachris]

Yes, when doing an intrasystem jump between missions, use the same nebulae.  Star and planet images can change, however.  (Here are some template files)

Fixed link fail -- Mongoose

[NGTM-1R]

The canon missions actually show the nebula change. The backgrounds for different missions in Capella are different, for example.

On a personal standpoint I only produced one background per system (usually swiped from a main campaign mission in the same one where possible for the continuity nod), but messed about with planets and star posistioning as I liked. This is admittedly because I sucked at backgrounds.

[Klaustrophobia]

Realistically, yes.

if we are talking realistically, most systems should appear as Sol does, i.e. no nebulas

[headdie]

Realistically, yes.

if we are talking realistically, most systems should appear as Sol does, i.e. no nebulas

on a side point wouldnt the band of the milky way be best applied as a nebual effect

[General Battuta]

Realistically, yes.

if we are talking realistically, most systems should appear as Sol does, i.e. no nebulas

on a side point wouldnt the band of the milky way be best applied as a nebual effect

The Sol skybox from BP has it, if you're interested in accuracy. Also has all the real Sol constellations.

[Kopachris]

Realistically, yes.

if we are talking realistically, most systems should appear as Sol does, i.e. no nebulas

on a side point wouldnt the band of the milky way be best applied as a nebual effect

The Sol skybox from BP has it, if you're interested in accuracy. Also has all the real Sol constellations.

And so wouldn't be appropriate for any system but Sol.

[Lucika]

The canon missions actually show the nebula change. The backgrounds for different missions in Capella are different, for example.

Soit is not a problem if Syrk features changed nebulae, right?

[Klaustrophobia]

tbh, very few people would notice.  i sure wouldn't.  unless your backgrounds are extremely unique.

[Nemesis6]

Nebulae aside, with the latest mediaVPS, I keep spotting Jupiter, just with its color changed to magenta. Very, very confusing! 

[ssmit132]

If I recall correctly the purple Jupiter has been there since retail.

[CP5670]

Yes, that was there in retail. Callisto and Europa also appear among the original planet images.

It makes sense to have the same nebula for missions in the same system (you can rotate/orient it differently each time), but the FS2 campaign missions were never consistent about it. It didn't matter as much back then since you couldn't obviously distinguish one mission's background from another.

[haloboy100]

I always wondered even back in the retail days why there were so many nebulas to begin with. Realistically you wouldn't see that anywhere in deep space, correct?

[Shivan Hunter]

Please don't get your realism in my FreeSpace. They're there because they look cool.

If FS were realistic, fighters would rarely ever be fighting within visual range since targeting would be so advanced, you wouldn't hear anything except the sounds that originate from or make contact with your fighter, explosions wouldn't be so drawn out since there's no oxygen to make a fireball, the so-called "photon" beam cannons wouldn't be nearly as visible as they are (example: laser pointer), capital ships (with their immense engines) would in fact likely be faster than most fighters, weapon damage would be ridiculously different (or weapons would shred enemy ships in no time flat - FS weapon outputs are crazy), and Alpha 1 would be able to talk.

Also, Klaustrophobia already made the same point about nebulae.

FreeSpace is far from realistic. Rule of Cool ftw.

[Kopachris]

Please don't get your realism in my FreeSpace. They're there because they look cool.

If FS were realistic, fighters would rarely ever be fighting within visual range since targeting would be so advanced, you wouldn't hear anything except the sounds that originate from or make contact with your fighter, explosions wouldn't be so drawn out since there's no oxygen to make a fireball, the so-called "photon" beam cannons wouldn't be nearly as visible as they are (example: laser pointer), capital ships (with their immense engines) would in fact likely be faster than most fighters, weapon damage would be ridiculously different (or weapons would shred enemy ships in no time flat - FS weapon outputs are crazy), and Alpha 1 would be able to talk.

Also, Klaustrophobia already made the same point about nebulae.

FreeSpace is far from realistic. Rule of Cool ftw.

Alpha 1 can talk.  Haven't you played AoA or ASW?  Just make the message come from #Alpha 1 instead of the ship Alpha 1.  Works the same way with anything not in the playing area, like Command.  The rest are valid points, though.

[Shivan Hunter]

I'm talking about canon, here. If a mod can have Alpha 1 talking, then a mod can change almost everything else. I'd actually be interested in a mod that introduces some realism to FS- but that's a discussion for another topic.

[Kopachris]

I'm talking about canon, here. If a mod can have Alpha 1 talking, then a mod can change almost everything else. I'd actually be interested in a mod that introduces some realism to FS- but that's a discussion for another topic.

I thought we were talking about physics and their effect on gameplay, but whatever. A mod that introduces some realism would be nice, but would require an almost total rewrite of the physics engine.  Perhaps someday.