I think what Lostboy is talking about is somthing far more intricate than one of four selected at start up. But instead all four merged into one. AT THE SAME TIME.
I know that sounds ridiculous, but wait, what about this....
Instead of an aquarium or terrerium or garden, how about....
The SS starts... you can see an ocean, shoreline, and a small house complete with picket fence, smoking chimney, and flower garden. (as if you are floating above)
You see birds flying about... past your field of view. Some land on the house even, or in a nearby tree. Your view changes, as if you drift out over the ocean. Your view changes so you are now looking at the house from out over the ocean... and begin to slowly float toward the house.
Your view floats you through the flower garden. You see many butterflies, flowers, and you continue to drift around the house.
Behind the house you might see birds eating seed in the grass, or singing in the tree. The view slowly moves again, back to the sea.
As your view takes you out to the sea, you can see a reef below the water, and slowly get closer until the view is submerged below the waves. The view takes you across the reef, around it, covered with life. and you slowly rise out of the waves again, and float out above everything, and it starts all over again, perhaps in another random path through this world.
Sounds a bit much, but it would work. I have seen some demo programs that were similar to this. Just the detail wasn't there. And with the newer 3D cards this should be a very simple thing to acomplish. I think the draw back to this would be memory. But I'm sure there must be some trick to use to "swap" things around "between" scenes.
OK, enough ramblings... I need to go do something, and not just hang around here all day....
