Beanstalk (space elevator) model

I am just wondering if any modellers out there would consider the task and or feasibility of creating a very thin and long tube model that could be attached to a station to create a 'space elevator'. The model could then be placed in super low orbit, such that the tube of the elevator extends towars the planet, into the area of the atmosphere that is unapproachable by ships (i.e. they will burn up) If the model was thin enough and long enough, it would look to the player like it was descending down to the planet's surface.

I suppose I could figure this out bymyself, with a lot of effort and self tutoring in lightwave, but it seems like a simple task that could be handled in a jiffy by some of the more experienced modellers out there. Additionally, such a model could be used by any modders to represent space elevator stations.

If anyone feels like tackling this, I will gladly texture it.

Sure. I'll have it ready for you by the weekend.

One issue might be the 200km clipping distance. If I remember correctly, when Mehrunes was trying to prototype planets you could land on, he found that anything larger than 200km vanished. (I am guessing that is why planets in the game are odd and handled specially).

of course, 200km is long. And the end will be far out of view of the player. So the illusion should be quite good.

Wow, thank you Shane!

I guess I could make the tube as well, but I am lost when it comes to inserting and or attaching the object to a station. Didn't you do some work on stations a while ago? Is it tricky attaching a new object to an existing model?

I also think the clipping distance won't be a concern, provided the tube is thin enough. It should fade to point long before the clipping distance culls it. Then...I wonder how long it should be...20 km maybe?

Originally posted by GrandpaTrout
If I remember correctly, when Mehrunes was trying to prototype planets you could land on, he found that anything larger than 200km vanished. (I am guessing that is why planets in the game are odd and handled specially).

Shouldn't be a problem; I'll keep the tube at 150 km in length. The Death Star I placed in the game was that diameter, so I know that size works.

Didn't you do some work on stations a while ago? Is it tricky attaching a new object to an existing model?

It takes a huge amount of trial and error. But I'd determined yesterday that Asylum would require me to place some more habitation pods on the Poor Settlement station (groan). So I'll be back into that particular fray this weekend anyway. Might as well attach the Beanstalk cable while I'm there.

Some questions:

1.) What thickness do you imagine this cable would be? I'm thinking anything under two meters would be invisible to the player. And possibly 3 meters (diameter) to be safe.

2.) Are you after a collision hull for it?

3.) What station model will we be using? I'm assuming the station itself will be the beanstalk's counterweight.

4.) Where would you like the cable to connect? What hardware do you envision at the connection point (i.e., a big bell-housing connection point)? Or just have the cable terminate at the station's surface in a suitable area?

After Cambragol's success with the planet textures I thought a similar process/format might be used to access the material shaders. So I'll take care of texturing the cable (not that it requires much... it'll be so small).

5.) Orientation will be important. I you already have a particular station type in mind and in place in the Middle States I'd need to know its model type and orientation.

Built the beanstalk. It is comprised of 5 cables 150 kilometers in length. The middle cable is 3 meters in diameter. The four smaller guide cables which surround the central cable are 1 meter in diameter. Here's a quick render showing the cable attached to the habitation module of the Administration Station collision hull:




The collision hull is a simple 'box' which just encompasses all the cables (since no ship is small enough to fit between the cables).


Some initial problems with beanstalks.

1.) The planets in the game rotate. The stations do not. This would look a bit strange unless the station was located in a polar stationary polar orbit. (Otherwise you'd see the planet's terrain moving rapidly under the beanstalk.)

2.) Fine. Easy enough to do. So we've got our station placed right above the planet's pole (either North Pole or South... doesn't matter which). But, if you want to get really technical, then the beanstalk cables themselves should rotate on a bearing located on the station. (Which would make the lifting platform spin as it moves upward; talk about your 'vomit comets'. )

However, to do this in the game would call for an animation of the beanstalk cables. Not saying this is out of the question; it is feasible. However, I am rather inexperienced with EoC animation channels and this will add a layer of complexity. I believe this will take the weekend to build and implement.