This is a trickle update – very little ‘visible’ has happened this week – that I’m prepared to show yet 😉
A lot of re-factoring under the hood – so now the old “make it work” Galaxy Map is no more, and we have a nice extensible UI framework which allows me to throw up the Galaxy Map, then a Star System Map, and then a Planetary System Map using the same code, and user interactions so it all flows nicely, and will look rather nifty in action.
Making it modular means that now – as you fly about – you can bring up just the Planetary System where you are, or the Star System you are in so you don’t have to plough through the entire galaxy just to find a moon in-system.
Piggy backing off the back of the maps, is the Auto Pilot – which can then plot it’s waypoints and routes in the map for you to see.
The map will – in the future – show you your mining rigs, Observers, bases, stations and vessels in your fleet(s), allowing instant “point and click” interaction – almost RTS style.
Info panels can be invoked which show details on the current/selected system/object – and also a ‘quick look’ on the current economy and trade prices for a system, so will be able to plan your trade routes all from one spot if you choose.
I’ve got to tie the Star System map into the Galaxy Map (so it’s invoked at the right point, with the right star system) and then I’m going to “prettify” the UI framework a little – so it doesn’t look quite so “programmer-art” 😉
Fingers crossed – maybe next weekend there will be a video showing some of this in action!
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