The Future of Starship Controls
While not often talked about, the controls a Space Center uses have a big impact on how that center operates. The strengths/weaknesses of these programs will naturally push the staff to adapt, shaping the stories that are told for years to come. There have been over a dozen different controls used in simulators across Utah, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. In this issue of the Lion’s Gate Newsletter, we are going to be talking about yet another big step for LGSC, new controls!
What Came Before
In terms of controls currently used in Space Centers, there are two big ones; Thorium, and Dream Flight Adventures. Each of these programs have the same end goal, serving as the interface by which crew members fly a spaceship. I could speak for hours about the intricacies and nuances of how these systems operate, but to avoid this becoming an essay, I’m going to greatly simplify things.
Thorium Logo
Thorium
CONS:
Long Crew/Staff Training Times
Increased Instability
UI Issues
Tedious Timeline Creation
Dated Viewscreen Format
PROS:
Highly Interactive
Highly Customizable
Increased User Expression
Integratable with External Systems
Amazing Inner-Ship Simulation
Dream Flight Adventures Logo
Dream Flight Adventures
CONS:
Less User Expression
No External Integration
Over-Reliance on Special Procedures
Obtuse Customization Limits
PROS:
3D Environment
Great Outer-Ship Simulation
Improved Crew/Staff
Training TimeSimple UI
Improved Timeline Creation
We wanted our new controls to build on what made previous control sets stand out, and improve on the mistakes of the past. We knew that if we wanted to take this next step, it would have to be big, it would have to bold, and it would have to be custom built for the future of Space Centers. So a couple years ago, work began on the project we currently refer to as Artemis.
Dynamic & Vibrant Environments
Dream Flight introduced 3D environments to the scene, a massive step forward in it’s own right, but limitations of the system meant it failed at truly representing the scale of objects such as planets, stars, or even solar systems. Artemis will improve on this massively. Not only will planets be rendered at scales more indicative of their real-life counterparts, but they will operate as part of full solar systems, allowing for seamless interplanetary travel.
Bigger planets and stars are cool, but we’re taking things one step further! Thanks to the new physics engine, objects will move more realistically, collide with one another, and objects such as stars will have actual gravity! Soon there will be missions with ships drifting between asteroids, planets orbiting around stars, and weapons homing in to targets, all in real time! So get ready pilot fans, because your jobs are going to get a whole lot more… fun!
I think deep down, most of us know that graphical fidelity has never really been the Space Center’s strong suit. Innovations seen in other entertainment sectors have been slow to reach the screens of starships, but we intend to fix that. Everything from ships, to asteroids, to stations will have upgraded models and visuals. In addition, a new lighting system will dynamically illuminate scenes to make for a better viewing experience.
The Fleet Simulator
Every few years, a new set of controls comes out that introduces something new to the scene. Thorium made connecting digital and physical systems far easier, and generally raised the bar on what a starship control set could do. Dream Flight brought viewscreens into the 3rd dimension, allowing for a higher-level of interactivity and immersion. With Artemis, we hope to take that next big leap by not just simulating a single ship, but an entire fleet!
Thanks to the connectivity of Fleet Sim, crews will no longer be stuck to the confines of a single ship! When multiple ships are flying at once, the different simulators will be able to interact with one another! Communications automatically relaying between ships, sensors update as they fly around, and (maybe) even allowing for crews to fight each other ship-vs-ship…. When the upcoming station simulator is in play, ships will dock/undock with the station, allowing for transfer of crews between ships, or between ship and station!
This new interconnectivity won’t just be for the ships though. Frameworks will be inplace to connect props (medical scanners, panels, etc) directly to the controls for even more ways of interacting and playing through the worlds of tomorrow!
When Will It Be Ready?
We’re over 2 years into development of this project, and progress has been steady. While I wish I could give a concrete date, there is still a lot of work to do before Project Artemis enters active use. So while I can’t give one yet, I’ll be talking about it non-stop when we do have one. So stay tuned for that!
Until next time,
Fly Safe Out There!
