What do you think is the best terrain\planet generation in the game so far?

[theicewind]

I don't mean animals\plants, but terrain generation only.
Let's share our opinion

1. 2016-2018, from release to Next.

I think it was pretty interesting, it felt like an adventure. The graphics, the colors, the plants and animals weren't impressivem but terrain generation, while felt chaotic, seemed interesting to me when I replayed version 1.01 last summer.

2. Next (2018-2025 until purple systems). It was an interesting upgrade. The planets got more variety, became far more complex.

3. The new purple systems with entirely new planet generation introduced in 2025, Worlds Part 2 update.
IMO, the new systems(aside from gas giants and ocean planets) is flat and boring. Among standard planets, I've visited like 40 already and they all seemed extremely flat, no promised deep oceans(those only existed on ocean planets), no interesting terrain generation. While it's better than nothing, I think the original release version and Next are far better.

What do you think?

[Mr. Bufferlow]

The style has changed a lot over time. I enjoyed each phase. From a "That is really awesome looking" view, the current terrain is probably the best. There are some stark differences now where some worlds look very bleak and primarily rock piles to worlds with so much beauty and depth of flora and terrain features.

That said, I really enjoyed the crazy procedural generation of the initial game. Caves with only one entrance that went for great distances underground...and sometimes also underwater. Drowned in one of those caves. While some of the critters were really peculiar looking, that was part of the charm on letting the math play a bigger role.

Now it feels much more contained and controlled. Pretty as hell sometimes though.

Still miss Crack Rock, a landmark so unique in the early game that it always let me know I was coming home to my base.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1449104649

[UNBREAKABLE]

I think you should explore purple systems more. Some are indeed flatter than others, but that's how variation should work. In general the variety of terrain in purple systems is superb and even different areas of the same planet have dramatically different formations. They even brought back snake terrain and other formations that could only be found pre-next, and the colossal planets are just on another scale. Pictures can't do it justice.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422403947
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422459647
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422047738
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422420662
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422416668
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422421100
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422421314
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422421200
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422395877
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422416607

[Lindy Bomber]

There have been three or four major changes to terrain. Post NEXT the terrain and color pallet was actually rather bland. There were a few minor changes to fix this. I think the next really big change was Origins.

Origins was the update that really made planets pop. There were only minor changes until Worlds 1 which really upped everything

[theicewind]

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

There have been three or four major changes to terrain. Post NEXT the terrain and color pallet was actually rather bland. There were a few minor changes to fix this. I think the next really big change was Origins.

Origins was the update that really made planets pop. There were only minor changes until Worlds 1 which really upped everything

I think Origins only changed the planets' colors, plants, animals and so on? Not the actual terrain shape. Only Next did that, hence there was a full universe reset.

[UNBREAKABLE]

Originally posted by theicewind:

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

There have been three or four major changes to terrain. Post NEXT the terrain and color pallet was actually rather bland. There were a few minor changes to fix this. I think the next really big change was Origins.

Origins was the update that really made planets pop. There were only minor changes until Worlds 1 which really upped everything

I think Origins only changed the planets' colors, plants, animals and so on? Not the actual terrain shape. Only Next did that, hence there was a full universe reset.

Origins added new planets to existing systems that used "prime" terrain. Those planets with tall mountains spammed everywhere are an example of a prime planet. Biomes and colors were shifted of course, but their approach to new terrain seems to be to add on top of what is already there.

Purple systems are just a step up from that, entire systems now inherit thew new traits instead of just one planet per system.

[swingline]

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

There have been three or four major changes to terrain. Post NEXT the terrain and color pallet was actually rather bland. There were a few minor changes to fix this. I think the next really big change was Origins.

Origins was the update that really made planets pop. There were only minor changes until Worlds 1 which really upped everything

The color change was what I remembered when coming back to the game after a playthrough following Atlas Rises I think. The game went through a dull color phase that had me taking far fewer photos and screenshots than I took in earlier versions of the game. Terrain generation might have been part of that too, but the color is what I remember.

[theicewind]

Originally posted by swingline:

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

There have been three or four major changes to terrain. Post NEXT the terrain and color pallet was actually rather bland. There were a few minor changes to fix this. I think the next really big change was Origins.

Origins was the update that really made planets pop. There were only minor changes until Worlds 1 which really upped everything

The color change was what I remembered when coming back to the game after a playthrough following Atlas Rises I think. The game went through a dull color phase that had me taking far fewer photos and screenshots than I took in earlier versions of the game. Terrain generation might have been part of that too, but the color is what I remember.

I'd love to have that generation in the new purple systems. Pre-Atlas Rises color palette looked terrible(very often, not always).