In crafting an engaging and immersive experience for our space game, one of our most exciting challenges has been to create a detailed and interactive map of the Stellanova galaxy. This galaxy, teeming with over 16 million stars and a plethora of celestial phenomena, demanded a robust and efficient system to serve its map to players. Our solution? A powerful combination of GeoServer and PostGIS, which, while effective, brought its unique set of challenges.
Harnessing the Power of PostGIS and GeoServer
At the heart of our mapping system lies PostGIS, an extension for the PostgreSQL database that allows us to store and manage spatial data effectively. PostGIS offers us the ability to perform complex queries on our spatial data, an essential feature given the vastness of our galaxy. However, to make this data accessible and interactive for our players, we turned to GeoServer. GeoServer acts as the bridge between our stored data in PostGIS and the players, rendering the spatial data into a beautiful, navigable map.
Choosing the Right Coordinate System
One of the first hurdles we encountered was selecting an appropriate coordinate system for our galaxy. After much deliberation, we settled on the EPSG 3857 coordinate system. This system, widely used in web mapping, allowed us to integrate our map seamlessly with standard web mapping tools. However, EPSG 3857 is primarily designed for Earth-based maps, which posed a unique challenge when adapting it to a galactic scale. We had to ensure that the vastness of space and the positioning of celestial bodies were accurately represented within this Earth-centric system.
Overcoming Inverted Axes and Alignment Challenges
An unexpected challenge we faced was dealing with inverted axes when plotting our star data. The orientation of axes in the EPSG 3857 system led to some initial confusion, as it didn’t align naturally with our intuitive understanding of galactic coordinates. A significant amount of recalibration and testing was required to ensure that our stars shone in the right spots.
Aligning the Leaflet grid (our chosen frontend mapping library) with the GeoServer grid was another technical feat. This alignment was crucial to provide a seamless and accurate mapping experience. We spent countless hours tweaking and adjusting parameters to ensure that when a player zoomed in or panned across the galaxy, what they saw was a precise representation of our spatial data.
Tackling the Caching Conundrum
With over 16 million stars to map, data caching was not just a convenience; it was a necessity. Efficient caching meant that frequently accessed data could be quickly served, significantly reducing load times and improving the overall user experience. Implementing a robust caching strategy in GeoServer ensured that our galaxy map remained responsive and efficient, even under the strain of numerous concurrent users exploring different sectors of space.
Feature-Rich and User-Friendly Navigation
Our goal was to create a map that was not only accurate but also rich in features and easy to navigate. To this end, we implemented a variety of search functionalities. Players can search by system name, coordinates, type of star or stellar phenomenon, and the number of planets, among other criteria. This level of detailed search capability makes exploring the Stellanova galaxy both engaging and educational.
We also introduced a custom URI search feature, enabling players to navigate to specific locations or features on the map via custom links. This feature added an extra layer of interactivity, allowing players to share discoveries and interesting locations easily with others.
The Road Ahead
The journey to create a functional and fascinating map of the Stellanova galaxy has been both challenging and rewarding. Through the combination of PostGIS and GeoServer, along with the integration of frontend technologies like Leaflet, we have crafted a galaxy that is not only a backdrop for our game but a living, breathing entity that invites exploration and discovery.
In conclusion, our mapping system is more than just a technical achievement; it’s a gateway to the stars, allowing players to traverse the vastness of our created universe with ease and wonder. As we continue to refine and expand our galaxy, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, leveraging technology to bring the cosmos to life in the palms of our players.
P.S. It is worth mentioning that we had to increase the size of the galaxy from 100K x 100K light years to 200K x 200K light years – 4X as large. Too many stars were leading to overcrowding in some areas.
