I haven't played the game, and I don't know if it matters, but I would think that considering the processing necessary for attractive graphics in today's world, doing the physics right would have a cost too small to practically measure.
I don't understand how something that could easily be done on an 8 MHz computer in 1985 could strain a modern machine. Especially if you look up a decent algorithm and don't do the naive one.
Maybe there is some misunderstanding. Like, "n-body" to me doesn't imply a detailed simulation of inhomogenities in the celestial objects, like in real life they talk about mascons and such when landing on the moon. I'm assuming it's just that you calculate the forces of each body on every other body. And while you can do better than a simple N^2 calculation, if you have less than a dozen what does it matter?
I don't understand how something that could easily be done on an 8 MHz computer in 1985 could strain a modern machine. Especially if you look up a decent algorithm and don't do the naive one.
Maybe there is some misunderstanding. Like, "n-body" to me doesn't imply a detailed simulation of inhomogenities in the celestial objects, like in real life they talk about mascons and such when landing on the moon. I'm assuming it's just that you calculate the forces of each body on every other body. And while you can do better than a simple N^2 calculation, if you have less than a dozen what does it matter?