Simulation Controls

Teskooano provides comprehensive controls for managing the physics simulation and celestial system generation. This guide explains how to use these features to explore different celestial scenarios.

Time Controls

The simulation time controls allow you to manage how quickly the simulation runs.

Basic Time Controls

• Play/Pause Button: Toggles the simulation between running and paused states
• Time Scale Slider: Adjusts the speed of the simulation, from 1x (real-time) to 10,000,000x
• Time Display: Shows the current simulation date and time

Time Scale Presets

Quickly set common time scales:

• 1x: Slow time
• 16x: Real-time (1 second tick)
• 100x: 100 seconds per second
• 1,000x: Good for observing moon orbits
• 10,000x: Good for observing planetary orbits
• 100,000x: Good for observing outer planet orbits
• 1,000,000x: Good for observing long-term system evolution
• 10,000,000x: Maximum speed (for very long-term observations)

Time Management Tips

• Use slower speeds for accurate observation of close approaches and interactions
• Use higher speeds to observe complete orbital cycles
• Pause the simulation for detailed examination of specific moments

System Generation

Teskooano uses procedural generation to create realistic star systems based on seed values.

Seed Generator

• Seed Input: Enter any text to serve as the generation seed
• Generate Button: Creates a new system based on the current seed
• Random Button: Generates a random seed and creates a new system

Generation Options

• System Type: Choose from different system templates:
  • Solar System: Similar to our own system
  • Binary Star: Two stars orbiting each other with planets
  • Compact System: Many planets in close orbits
  • Giant System: Gas giant dominated system
  • Chaotic System: Unusual and unstable configurations
• Star Class: Configure the main star's spectral class
• Planet Count: Set approximate number of planets to generate

Physics Engine Settings

Teskooano allows you to adjust the underlying physics simulation parameters.

Physics Model Selection

• Newtonian Gravity: Standard gravitational simulation (default)
• Point Mass: Simplified model treating objects as point masses
• N-Body Full: Complete N-body simulation (more accurate but computationally intensive)

Integration Methods

Select the mathematical method used to calculate object positions:

• Euler: Basic integration (fastest, less accurate)
• Symplectic Euler: Better energy conservation for orbital mechanics (default)
• Verlet: More accurate for complex gravitational interactions (slower)

Physics Parameters

• Gravitational Constant: Fine-tune the strength of gravity (default: actual G value)
• Time Step: Adjust simulation accuracy vs. performance
• Collision Detection: Enable/disable collision physics

Object Creation & Modification

Adding New Objects

• Add Object Button: Opens dialog to create a new celestial body
• Object Type: Select from Star, Planet, Moon, Asteroid, or Comet
• Starting Position: Set initial coordinates
• Starting Velocity: Configure initial velocity vector
• Physical Properties: Set mass, radius, and other physical attributes

Modifying Existing Objects

• Select an object: Choose it from the Focus Control panel
• Edit Button: Opens properties editor for the selected object
• Delete Button: Removes the selected object from the simulation

Saving & Loading

• Save System: Save the current system configuration
• Load System: Load a previously saved system
• Export/Import: Share system configurations with others

Realistic Mode vs. Sandbox Mode

• Realistic Mode: Enforces physical laws and realistic constraints
• Sandbox Mode: Allows "impossible" configurations for experimental purposes

System Stability Analysis

• Stability Indicator: Shows whether the current system is stable in the long term
• Orbit Prediction: Projects the future paths of celestial bodies
• Collision Warning: Highlights potential future collisions

Simulation Performance

• Physics Detail Level: Adjust simulation complexity for better performance
• Object Count Limit: Set maximum number of simulated objects
• Performance Stats: Monitor FPS and physics calculation time

Tips for Interesting Simulations

• Binary Star Systems: Create dramatic orbital patterns
• Resonant Orbits: Set up planets in orbital resonance (like 2:1 or 3:2 ratios)
• Transfer Orbits: Create objects on transfer orbits between planets
• Retrograde Orbits: Set up moons or planets with orbits opposite to the system trend
• Rogue Planet Encounters: Send a massive object through an established system
• L4/L5 Points: Place objects at Lagrange points to observe stability