Editing Star Control II (section)

=== Technology ===
The creators started by asking "what people do when they go out and have an adventure in space", while keeping in mind what they could actually implement.<ref name="warstories">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ZgN4Mta86OE Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20181023141647/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgN4Mta86OE Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|date=October 23, 2018|title=War Stories: How Star Control II Was Almost TOO Realistic (Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgN4Mta86OE|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This led them to create numerous stars and planets, through a combination of [[procedural generation]] and handcrafted assets.<ref name="Bycer20182" /> Despite the fact that [[exoplanets]] had yet to be fully discovered,<ref name = "warstories"/> Reiche initially took on the challenge of simulating [[planetary systems]] based on scientific principles.<ref>{{cite web|author=Hutchinson|first=Lee|date=December 27, 2018|title=How Star Control II was almost a much more boring game (Article)|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/video-how-star-control-ii-was-almost-a-much-more-boring-game/|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref> They ultimately decided to bypass some details of the simulation, due to its lack of distinct planets to explore.<ref name="DeMaria2018"/> Instead, they imagined cracked planets with magma chasms, ruby planets with precious [[zirconium]], and even rainbow colored planets.<ref name = "warstories"/> The planets were created with a procedurally generated height map, which required difficult programming solutions to simulate the appearance of a 3D sphere.<ref name = "GDC2015"/> They additionally simulated 3D asteroids by digitizing images of [[pumice]] they had taken from a parking lot.<ref name = "GDC2015"/>

The ''Star Control II'' team also invented their own fictional, flat version of space, so that the stars could be arranged in a more clear and interesting way.<ref name = "GDC2015"/> The algorithmically assisted generation of the star map helped to create a vast, mysterious setting for players to explore.<ref>{{cite web|author=John|first=Harris|date=January 1, 2008|title=Game Design Essentials: 20 Mysterious Games|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/game-design-essentials-20-mysterious-games|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=Gamasutra}}</ref> The map also added circles of influence for the aliens, not just to describe their location, but to provide narrative hints about their changing power, relationships, and stories.<ref name = "GDC2015"/>