I'm planning on creating the largest computer program ever devised

[3D_world]

I want to simulate the entire planet. I plan to make this an open-source, not-for-profit, anybody-can-join project. A basic 3D engine for displaying massive terrain. It will need tons of people, especially artists and coders. Here's what I've figured out so far about the project.
I will need to create program that can simulate and display entire cities, and massive terrain - parts of the planet. I'm planning on using C++ and OpenGL. DirectX 9.0c is a possibility - but it's not compatible with other platforms so I'm deciding against it. This can be difficult - but with the use of advanced occlusion culling and software optimization, it should be possible. Plus we have relatively cheap, quad core processors now - and video cards with 300+ GB/s video memory.

• I'll use the internet to recruit people (no pay of course) from all over the world - they'll probably be mostly from Europe.
• We will need many 3D artists to create the world, and the cities of the world. They make the projects in Maya 3D - then the programmers import it into the world. There'll likely be many different skill levels involved - so I'll have to sort the data created by quality.
• It will need many 3D programmers to take the art from the artists and insert them into the 3D engine's world. This will probably be best done by additional tools we develop.
• It will need a website, with DNS, which should cost $40.00 per year.
• Since it is completely open-source and there are many ideas - the project will likely branch into several different directions. We will need to keep track of them via the website. I.e. some people may want to take the project in a different direction - programming-wise.
• It will need many play-testers. To test out the program and find faults with it.
• It will need many database-entry people. I plan to make a search function for this digital planet, where people can search for anything. Rich areas, poor areas, areas with lots of trees, etc.
• It'll need tons of programmers to port the code to other platforms, operating systems, and possibly programming languages.
• It'll need programmers to create additional tools for the project. Such as tools for creating the world itself.

Any tips for improving this while it's still in the planning stages?

 

[WhiningKhan]

I think you should consult mice.

 

[Grall]

I'm thinking Adolf Hitler here...riding a chrome T-rex.

 

[zed]

I think you should charge money to join
>>I plan to make this an open-source, not-for-profit, anybody-can-join project.<<

now if I had to pay like $1000 to take part in helping out I would think about it, but Im not gonna work for nothing

 

[I.S.T.]

I'm thinking Adolf Hitler here...riding a chrome T-rex.

Will never not love that thread.

 

[Billy Idol]

Cool idea! This guy has a vision!

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

<looks out window> It's already been done.

 

[Billy Idol]

<looks out window> It's already been done.

What a weird thing to say in a forum about computer graphics and games...

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

What a weird thing to say in a forum about computer graphics and games...

Look up "simulation argument".

 

[Billy Idol]

Look up "simulation argument".

Isn't every game sort of simulation?

 

[Exophase]

Isn't every game sort of simulation?

What does Tetris simulate?

 

[Billy Idol]

What does Tetris simulate?

Simulates maybe a puzzler, or how to build a wall, physics of droping things?!? Lol...come on guys, you know exactly what I am talking about...no need to be on such a high pedestal!

 

[Davros]

So 3d_world what work are you going to do on the project
and what have you done before

 

[sebbbi]

• I'll use the internet to recruit people (no pay of course) from all over the world - they'll probably be mostly from Europe.
• We will need many 3D artists to create the world, and the cities of the world. They make the projects in Maya 3D - then the programmers import it into the world. There'll likely be many different skill levels involved - so I'll have to sort the data created by quality.

Just a tip: No pay, and a 4000$+ Maya license are not a good combination if you want to get plenty of artists to the project. Better stick to free alternatives such as Blender for open source projects.

 

[3D_world]

At least some people found the thread amusing. I'll have to start serious work on it before I can expect a lot of suggestions.

to sebbbi:
Blender is no good. If we want geniuses in art to create the best art possible, we need the best software. Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013, price at autodesk, $9,995.00. We'll have to change this capitalistic structure to allow us to get this for free, or nearly free. Considering that this is not-for-profit, and therefore we have more personal incentive, I think we can succeed.

to Davros:
I don't yet know what work I will be doing on the project. I'm stating what I have in mind thus far. Another possibility for the project: online. It will need extensive online capabilities for the "players", or people who run it. There's no way this project will not have internet support. What's the final size of the entire simulated world? 1 TB+ - thus, the largest program ever devised.

 

[Grall]

At least some people found the thread amusing.

I don't think a single person on the board actually take you seriously, because your proposal is so obviously propostrous. It stands to reason you might be aware yourself of the unrealistic nature of your "project", and that you are posting anyway simply to...errr...try to make waves, or in other words, troll. Your suggestion that $10k software is your preferred development choice and might be acquired for nothing is a pretty dead giveaway for example.

...While this is the general forum and thus somewhat more tolerant, I should perhaps point out that few people are amused by trolls for very long, especially at Beyond3D.

Food for thought, for your future participation (?) on this board.

 

[3D_world]

Actually I was quite serious. I was interested in receiving some suggestions for this mega-project of mine.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Isn't every game sort of simulation?

The simulation argument has nothing to do with games, it postulates that the whole universe is a simulation running on a massive computing system and that we (and everything else) are merely programs. It argues that the constant expansion of computing capacity combined with the amount of time/matter in the universe makes it more likely that we're historical simulations run by superbeings than happening to be really alive at the time of the emergence of our technological civilisation. It's a bit sophilistic, but it's more of a thought experiment, as everyone pretty much agrees that you still have to treat a simulation of such depth as if it's the real thing anyway. If it looks and feels real, you treat it as if it is.

Therefore, 3D_World's "project" has already been completed in far more detail than he suggests, but not in a way that anyone can prove.

Obviously my original reference was too obtuse, and telling people to go and google the exact term needed to explain it was also too much effort.

 

[Arwin]

Actually I was quite serious. I was interested in receiving some suggestions for this mega-project of mine.

I think first of all you need to ask yourself where you are between a Minecraft on the one hand, and stuff like Google Maps on the other ...

 

[KimB]

So basically Google Earth, then. I would take a long, hard look at Google Earth, in particular trying to get a sense of the scale of the computing required for it.