Today in TechWatch an astonishing interactive simulation of our solar system
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. When life handed game developer Christopher Albeluhn a pink slip, he made a solar system. Or at least a working model of our own using a game engine.
Built in the Unreal Engine 3, which powers hit games like Gears of War 3 and Batman: Arkham City, Albeluhn's creation, The Solar System, actually began as a 3D model of the Earth for his portfolio. He continued to work on it, adding the remaining seven planets, along with their moons, the asteroid belt, and even all 88 constellations. What sets his simulation apart from others is its astonishing amount of detail, including cutaway views of the Earth and a Sun that looks hot enough to singe your screen.
After a friend posted the video above on Reddit, Albeluhn decided to develop the program further into a full-fledged product, with plans to release it for home computers, iPhone, and iPad. He's accepting donations via the crowd funding site Indiegogo to make his starry-eyed dream a reality.
[via FlowingData]
This article was written by Randy Nelson and originally appeared on Tecca
More from Tecca:
