Sizing Suggestions and a couple other questions

Hey everybody,

I am looking for a couple of educated opinions related to object size.

Here is the scenario: Currently, I am building a twitch-based space combat game with role playing elements. Player's can create a pilot and then buy parts to create their own ships. The main ships are small personal fighters which I would like to have a decent or borderline "generous" amount of detail. I would also like to have huge freighters, carrier ships and space stations that easily outsize individual fighters. The game is played from the cockpit view primarily, but a third person view will also be an option.

The Questions

• My first problem has to do with UV maps and texture details. At what size does Unity limit UV maps and texture sizes? At what size is it going to be a huge performance issue? Should I scale models down so that fighters are incredibly small and carriers and whatnot are medium to large? Or will this ultimately come down to a preference thing?

• Can the camera be scaled too or is this one of the reasons that objects should be a 1:1 ratio?

• What implications should I be aware of regarding the physics system since I'm dealing with objects in space? I know that the physics engine has limitations on sizing.

While I'm here, I thought I might also ask a few other questions:

• Suggestions for creating huge planets that are in the background. Maybe with moving clouds and a glowing effect would be fantastic. I would love to have this seperate from the sky box.

• Generating debris like asteroids. Is this as simple an instantiate/clone set up with a number generate on the transform? Main question would probably be keeping it in the player area or possibly generating more if the player ventures out from the main area. Maybe a suggestion on keeping a player from going out forever?

• Final Question... Space debris. I've tried simply tacking a particle generator in front of my player object, which works okay. Except that the particles fade away and it would be nice to have them remain constant if the player isn't moving (because dust and debris doesn't just vanish). Anyone have an alternate solution?

I'm by no means, asking for the answers I just want to hear preferences, ideas, suggestions and personal experiences to get better understandings of starting points and what to possibly avoid. I am trying to pay close attention to performance but all ideas and suggestions are welcome!

Thanks everybody!