Planet Generation

In its final form, Astrocard will have tens of thousands of planets. Each planet will be unique, and will have its own unique features. This page will explain how planets are generated.

The Cosmos

A planet is an object which resides within a solar system, orbiting a star. A solar system is contained within a galaxy, and the galaxy is contained within the universe.

For the purposes of Astrocard, each galaxy is a Web3 smart contract. Each planet is an ERC-1155 (or in the case of the MLG planets, ERC-721) token. The solar system is stored as an attribute on the planet token.

Rarity

When a new planet is generated, it is assigned a random seed. This seed is used to generate the planet's attributes. The seed is also used to generate the planet's name, and the planet's 3D image.

Each planet additionally has a rarity. This rarity determines different values of the planet's generation, including landmarks, mine yielding, terrain, and more.

The rarity of a planet is determined by the rarity of the planet's solar system. The rarity of a solar system is determined by the rarity of the solar system's galaxy. The rarity of a galaxy is entirely random, except for the case of the MLG galaxy, which is proportionate to its prior project's rarities.

Terrain

The terrain of a planet is entirely procedurally generated using the seed of the planet. The terrain can be made of a variety of different materials, including rock, ice, and lava. The terrain is also made up of a variety of different layers, including the surface layer, the sub-surface layer, and the core layer.

The terrain of a planet is also affected by the rarity of the planet. The higher the rarity, the more layers the planet will have, and the more complex the terrain will be.

Landmarks

Landmarks are procedurally generated structures which are placed on the surface of a planet. Landmarks can be anything from a small rock to a large mountain. Landmarks are also affected by the rarity of the planet.

Landmarks are a great way to find resources on a planet. For instance, a mountain may contain a mine, or a small rock may contain a small amount of ore.

More information on ores and mining can be found in the 'Mining' section.

Atmosphere

Some planets have atmospheres. The atmosphere of a planet is procedurally generated using the seed of the planet. The atmosphere can be made of a variety of different materials, including oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.

The materials of the atmosphere affect a ship's flight characteristics. For instance, a ship flying through an atmosphere with a high oxygen content will have a higher maximum speed, but will have a lower acceleration.

A ship flying through a nitrogen rich atmosphere will be able to convert the nitrogen into fuel, which can be used to power the ship's thrusters.

Weather

Some planets have weather. The weather of a planet is procedurally generated using the seed of the planet. Weather patterns can be anything from a light breeze to a raging storm, dependent on the conditions and type of planet.

The weather of a planet can affect a ship's flight characteristics. For instance, a ship flying through a storm might struggle to use its navigation equipment, or might have a reduced maximum speed.