Make Suns have an actual luminosity value (pretty self-explanatory), and appears in the PlanetStudio. The luminosity value is on [1 Sun/1 Juno] by default, and that applies to all solar systems that have been created before the update or not messed with. By a value of [1 Sun/1 Juno] that is the brightness is 100% at 1 AU.
The luminosity effects the brightness (depending on the distance) in space, on planets, and from the reflection of its moon/s. I could say temperature would have a role in this but that seem a little complex and could crash some solar systems? But that’s up to you. Currently just visuals.
[For devs, I’m not a developer but I think this might brighten the idea as plausible]:
- For the Sake of simplicity, how would it work is: First, it calculates the distance from the sun and measures the brightness. Then, (if you’re in the night and there’s a moon visible) it calculates its size and its “moon phase” then gives the ambientlightat_night value.. It converts the moon’s texture to grayscale and gives the brightness value, e.g. a really dark moon would not increase the ambient night value.
- The in-game settings of the ambient lights are a different thing and would just act as a volume slider for the actual brightness of the solar system.