Constellations

Things I’d like clarified:
1) Are all constellations visible across the map, but only identifiable from specific viewpoints? For instance, even if I identify a constellation, will it’s outline only appear if I’m in a certain spot?
2) What action or series of actions prompts a constellation’s drawing to appear?
3) What benefits do I gain from finding a constellation and how long do those benefits last?

Things I disliked:
1) The constellations had way too many stars and, therefore, lacked a clear visual identity. Too many stars clutter the constellation and make it hard to pick out key elements that are easy to identify (like the 3 stars that make up Orion’s belt).
*playing star brightness may also help create a visual identity, without removing any stars, by making certain arrangements more or less visible.
2) The arrangement of stars that make up these constellations were too neatly organized. Real constellations tend to create more ambiguous shapes, so I’d like to see slightly more chaotic arrangements.

Things I LOVED:
1) Each constellation has its own lore and history!!!
2) The white drawing that appears around them once they’ve been discovered!
3) Stars aren’t visible in every region because of weather/terrain/light pollution/etc.

Things I’d like to see:
1) Regions with their own sets of constellations, which should have some overlap.
2) Constellations that are tied to the changing of seasons, and some rarer ones that appear on yearly, bi-yearly, or tri-yearly cycles.
3) Constellations that move across the sky during the day and night.
4) The ability to collect and catalog constellations in an item (like a book or staff), or at the very least in on achievement’s page.
4) Craftable astronomy tools like telescopes which are used to find and catalog constellations. (These tools would be required to catalog them, but players could still identify them regularly.)
5) A reactive system where constellations can give you abilities and buffs, both of which are dependent on the constellations’ locations in the sky and your familiarity with them.

6) I’d also love to see astronomy-based skills and achievements include the various aspects of moons. Especially if they have phases and move across the sky. Things like eclipses, lunar-lunar eclipses (one moon eclipsing another), special lunar alignments (moons creating a specific pattern in the sky like a line or triangle), and so on.

Thank you, you guys are doing incredible work!!!!!!

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Comments

Craiken

I agree we need a lot of clarification on how constellations work. And I liked your point about using a few bright stars to form the core of a constellation.

Diamaht

At one point in the video the constellation materialized on the screen with lines connecting the stars and making stars brighter than the others. If this is a toggle mechanic exclusive to folks who have a vested interest in constellations then this is actually really cool. You would have classes that "read the sky" and tell the other players what they see, which is great.

It is, however, a bit of an eyesore on an otherwise beautiful sky. Thus, I don't like the idea of this being always on and needed, or usable, by everyone. It should be usable by a select group of classes for very specific purposes and it should, otherwise, be turned off most of the time.

Starry22

That’s a fair point. They do muddy the sky a bit, so I really like giving players the option to toggle them on and off. I also really like how it would be an option only available to those vested in astrology!

However, as an alternative mechanic, constellations could require astrology equipment to be seen. This would achieve the same result as you mentioned, while feeling more immersive. Players who don’t want to see constellations won’t, and those who do will need to work towards that end. This would also tie astrology into other systems, like crafting and commerce.

These systems aren’t mutually exclusive though, so it would be nice to see both. Astrology paraphernalia to see constellations, and the ability to toggle them off and on once they become visible.

Diamaht

Dedicated equipment would be a good idea for sure. Anything that adds to crafting arsenal, that is not a weapon or armor, is great.

lisa1

It's taken me a while to actually come to the forums, especially with the topic of astronomy, but my brain can be so easily distrac---SQUIRREL!

Also, my apologies, I haven't read through the entire thread...or forum...as I'm horrible at keeping up with forums.

In any case, better late than never...One thing I thought about when it was first announced that there constellations, and I'm wondering if this might be a good thing: what if, when creating our characters, we get to pick, or the game randomly chooses for us, our birth constellation. Verra's own Zodiac, so to speak, and depending on what constellation you were born under, it can give you some boosts under certain things.

Toothpaste

lisa1 wrote: »

It's taken me a while to actually come to the forums, especially with the topic of astronomy, but my brain can be so easily distrac---SQUIRREL!

Also, my apologies, I haven't read through the entire thread...or forum...as I'm horrible at keeping up with forums.

In any case, better late than never...One thing I thought about when it was first announced that there constellations, and I'm wondering if this might be a good thing: what if, when creating our characters, we get to pick, or the game randomly chooses for us, our birth constellation. Verra's own Zodiac, so to speak, and depending on what constellation you were born under, it can give you some boosts under certain things.

No lie, I don’t pay attention to zodiac signs IRL mainly because they don’t give me a buff. But that would be cool if you got a buff if, this is an example, you are a Sagittarius and 2 of Verra’s moons are full and a specific constellation is in the sky.

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