Ringed Planets

Adding Planetary Rings into the Procedural Algorithms can change the Spacescape and Skies

No Man’s Sky can be considered as a platform to simulate and visualize many variations of planets. As far as I’ve seen, no other game provides quintillion amount of planets to explore. I have been astounded by the sheer diversity of planets that’s possible with a finite amount of variables. However, I am already starting to see some algorithmic tropes reused to generate terrains, some repeated patterns — but only because the game barely even scratched the surface of what is to come. There are still other types of planets that have yet to be added to the current set: Gas Giants and Ringed Planets.

I’m fairly sure there’ll be a lot of snapshots shared when Ringed Planets are introduced into the game. Because planetary rings are beautiful. They open up a lot of picturesque views as seen from land, and viewed from orbit — scenes that are staple of science fiction imagery. The views that our very own Saturn and Uranus provide will pale in comparison to the gorgeous vistas that will be generated when you combine permutations of gas giants, moons, rocky worlds, and rings — different types, sizes, and colors of rings!

I’m hoping Hello Games adds rings into their planet-generation algorithms to add spectacular Ringed Planets into the game. A ‘simple’ tweak will add even more wonders to an already visually astounding game.