Grid on/off question

[FullMetalJack]

I bet it's right in front of my nose and apologies for asking but...

In SMAC, when I start the game, the 3D grid shows in the unexplored black space!

Just by looking at that grid shape you can tell what's land and what's sea easily which spoils exploration somewhat.

Can someone tell me how to get rid of the white grid lines from the blackness please?

[wgabrie]

It sounds like a bug. Although I've not heard of it. But it sounds like the bug where you can zoom all the way out and see the shaded map height sometimes.

You could try to turn the grid off, restart the game, then turn it back on. Also, try reinstalling the game. Even checking that you have all the updates may do it.

[Googlie]

It's been a feature for me sice I got the game - and the patches.

I usually play with the grid off until I get my first noodles in the air (where the grid then becomes important as I also play without the "automatic return to base" checked)

I agree - knowing where the land is somewhat detracts from the exploration phase of the game

[FullMetalJack]

Hi Googlie / wgabrie thanks.

Googlie, when you turn your map grid off (Ctrl-G), do the white lines disappear though along with the explored grid lines that should be there?

Here's a screen shot of a zoomed out start game. Planetary Pack btw, which is pre-patched to 1.4 anyway, plus the XP patch.

[Xian]

Wow, I had always assumed thsi was a critical part of the game, Ive never played or seen any other games where this is NOT true!

Realsitically shouldnt it be quite obvious anyway? seeing as how you crash landed from above and your scout patrols have eyes and cameras?

[Leon Trotsky]

Originally posted by Xian
Wow, I had always assumed thsi was a critical part of the game, Ive never played or seen any other games where this is NOT true!

So did I, until now.

Realsitically shouldnt it be quite obvious anyway? seeing as how you crash landed from above and your scout patrols have eyes and cameras?

Well... if you can spot every little elevation, you could also scan for oceans. It would be "realistic" only when Unity Survey were "on".

[Humphrey]

I can always see the grid in the black space, I thought it was normal.

[Straybow]

If you toggle the map to low relief it is much harder to discern the landforms.

[Illuminatus]

This is normal.

[Senethro]

I plan campaigns and exploration around this.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Straybow
If you toggle the map to low relief it is much harder to discern the landforms.

That's what I do, I find the grid useful generally. I prefer look first anyway, it doesn't seem realistic to me that people who have landed from orbit wouldn't have any idea of where the land and water were on the surface.

[FullMetalJack]

Well, if it can't be changed then so be it. I'll live with it.

But, those who say this is realistic... well according to the manual, the map is a spherical surface projected onto a rectangular image.

So, to have mapped the whole of Planet must have meant at least one complete orbit before landing, but the Unity crash-landed.

So, 'realistically' the map should only display the half of the planet that was visible before crashing?

[Chaos Theory]

Who says just half of Planet was visible before the crash? Planet rotates, you know?

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Chaos Theory
Who says just half of Planet was visible before the crash? Planet rotates, you know?

yeah, they must have had several days to observe decellerating, unless, of course, the damages prevented any manual views / electronical ditto.

[FullMetalJack]

Originally posted by Chaos Theory
Who says just half of Planet was visible before the crash? Planet rotates, you know?

OK, but it's still not as simple as that.

Assume Planet rotates on its north/south pole axis such that the equator is rotating fastest similar to Earth.

If the Unity approaches Planet at either the south or north poles then the maximum it will be able to observe is exactly half of the planet irrespective of how many times it rotates on its axis.

You're assuming that the path from the Earth to Planet will cause an approach exactly towards its equator in which case you will be able to map the whole planet.

However any other angle will not allow a complete mapping.

Manual P.22
When you first arrive on Planet, you’ll have no idea where you are, where the other factions are, or indeed what might lie over the horizon.