Suggestion: Luminators

  • A lot of things that were supposedly impossible were cleverly coded in. For instance, you could have a luminator simulate multiple light source blocks. I could think of a couple ways that could be done, although it would be awkward and stupid. Perhaps someone could think of an elegant solution.


    EDIT: Pseudo-air was exactly what I was thinking of.


    There are some things that cant be simple "cleverly coded in", sometimes it takes a overhaul of the whole fragging thing that its limiting the process. Besides if it would have been possible i bet there would already been something to simulate this effect, because trying to bring a 15level illumination to a whole room its something a lot of people would have messed with around.


    Also "seudo air blocks" could cause some wonky behaviour when trying to put blocks in those spaces, even not allowing to put anything at all in there.

  • Any reason we cant use something like reeds? you can walk through them, Shoot arrows through them, and they are certainly not air. Unless it is impossible to make it have NO model, In which case a tiny 2x2x2 yellow light thingy, which you can also click past (or though maybe) would work fine, eh? Then just give it too a ligt level of 15, and project them on activation, remove unsupported ones on deactivation (just in case two luminatiors project to the same spot)

  • Everytime somebody mentions the limitation MC imposes on lighting by restricting the number of brightness values to 16, I ask myself why it is not possible to implement something more.
    Granted, this would require to update the worlds, but only one single time. (As far as the wiki's page on the level format is concerned)


    The algorithm with exponential decrease used now (http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Light#Alpha_-_Beta_1.2_02) should probably be kept, although some tweaking of the constants referring to light levels will be needed.
    Take 32 values, for example:
    Torches' value would be left at something around the one they have now, or maybe 17, but lava would be a bit brighter, maybe 20, and sunlight on a bright day in the desert could give a whopping light level of 32 :) . Luminators could then maybe deliver one upto 22.


    With MCForge ensuring consistent basefile modifications, this should be possible. Values given by non-aware mods could be auto-converted.


    Just dreaming of a better future,
    Fast2


  • The only way to actually remove a limitation is to Rebuild that fragging thing from scratch, and while doing so you will break compatibility with all the bazillions of mods that have something resembling a little light because they will ask for commands on the old engine.


    For stuff to be reasonable possible to mantein the maximum amount of compatibility, mojang itself should do such modification themselves.


    Long story short, its a clusterfuck not anyone want to try their hand at.

  • I think an rs signal(and i hope its red alloy wire compatible :p) should cut them off, and no signal they stay on. (if charged that is.)
    Using computercraft is the only one i have full control over these things for now.

    God blesses the child that can hold its own.

  • Ok, So this is fully possible, and considering there is no reason the blocks have to show up as lasers, Im pretty sure you could just place the around the luminator, two in each direction, so as to give the illusion of light level 17 (except for occlusion ofc)

  • Ok, So this is fully possible, and considering there is no reason the blocks have to show up as lasers, Im pretty sure you could just place the around the luminator, two in each direction, so as to give the illusion of light level 17 (except for occlusion ofc)


    Not that easy. Since this would limit this blocks and the luminator of course.


    Since the maximum light level is 15 creating blocks a little bit away from the luminator (one block) would only increase the range by 2 compared to torches (which have a light level of 14) and by one compared to torch-like luminators. So to increase the range by one block you will limit the usage of the luminator to spots which actually have the place to create this "phantom-blocks" (or you do a lot of checking since you have to check permanently if there is space to place a phantom-block).


    With the new Construction-Foam-Cables it should be easy to produce a electrical torch with the value of 15, which makes it a bit better than a normal torch while consuming a bit of EU.


    http://www.mytoolstore.de/imag…enstuhl/4007123031405.jpg


    Should look like this or similar, since it will hide the cable in the middle of the foam.

  • how about making 2 recipies for the luminators, a basical luminator has no storage, if you add a RE battery then it gains it's 10k internal storage? the "normal" ones only have a internal storage of 10, so when they no longer receive power they die in a second or so as previously stated by someone.


    or also as someone mentioned earlier, all they are is an inconvinient torch. so how about increase the light they produce to that of sunlight within a 3 block radius from the source. with this you could also make an artificial Sun Room for solar panels in an underground enviroment or in the nether. they would require the same amount of power (.25EU/t) but be able to power 9 solar panels if placed directly under it, i do not feel this would be over power cause your basically creating a minor Over-Unity system to run at the cost of minimal energy, when one can simply put solar panels above ground and save the trouple of placing all that additional wiring. doing it this way you could conceal your base under ground and not have a big Solar Mushroom sticking out over your "hidden" base.

    "the more people i kill, the better the chances are that i got the right one" ~Goblin Assassin: MtG

  • how about making 2 recipies for the luminators, a basical luminator has no storage, if you add a RE battery then it gains it's 10k internal storage? the "normal" ones only have a internal storage of 10, so when they no longer receive power they die in a second or so as previously stated by someone.


    or also as someone mentioned earlier, all they are is an inconvinient torch. so how about increase the light they produce to that of sunlight within a 3 block radius from the source. with this you could also make an artificial Sun Room for solar panels in an underground enviroment or in the nether. they would require the same amount of power (.25EU/t) but be able to power 9 solar panels if placed directly under it, i do not feel this would be over power cause your basically creating a minor Over-Unity system to run at the cost of minimal energy, when one can simply put solar panels above ground and save the trouple of placing all that additional wiring. doing it this way you could conceal your base under ground and not have a big Solar Mushroom sticking out over your "hidden" base.


    if we purely look at the first part, Interesting, especially if it could use energy crystals too.


    The second one is probably a bad idea, seeing as Solar panels are intended to be used with sunlight.


    If we used the pseudo-block method to extend the pseudo-light level to 17 or 18, Then you would have something far superior to a torch, despite using power.

  • if we purely look at the first part, Interesting, especially if it could use energy crystals too.


    The second one is probably a bad idea, seeing as Solar panels are intended to be used with sunlight.


    If we used the pseudo-block method to extend the pseudo-light level to 17 or 18, Then you would have something far superior to a torch, despite using power.


    Pseudo-Block for Lightlevel 17 would mean that you have to place pseudo-blocks up to 2 Blocks away, which actually means that you can't place anything 2 Blocks away from a luminator (which would make it hard to wire it). Pseudo-Blocks are a really bad idea, the only thing you will achieve for a lighting-range only 2 blocks farther is inconvenience and most likely a lot of lag. And of course they won't work with Ladders, Rails or anything transparent.

  • Pseudo-Block for Lightlevel 17 would mean that you have to place pseudo-blocks up to 2 Blocks away, which actually means that you can't place anything 2 Blocks away from a luminator (which would make it hard to wire it). Pseudo-Blocks are a really bad idea, the only thing you will achieve for a lighting-range only 2 blocks farther is inconvenience and most likely a lot of lag. And of course they won't work with Ladders, Rails or anything transparent.


    Hmm, True, It would disallow placeing things while the light is on.


    Aside from that, the other parts are not quite true, seeing as it would not be difficulty to validate for rails and other transparent blocks, to not replace them, but be able to pass them.


    However, it is unlikely to cause a lot of lag, seeing as laser mod runs fine with a bunch of light lasers. (which do nearly the same thing)

  • The pseudo block could "Pass" solid blocks, but first this is not the laser mod, and second if you place a block (Transparent or Not), it will remove this pseudo illumination block.


    Oh, So there is no problem, aside from being unable to apply full lightning to any non-air blocks.



    I didnt know you could place a block *In* a pseudo air block (seeing as apperently the minecraft engine has trouble with anything else being treated as air, and that is the main difference between air and passable blocks)

  • Oh, So there is no problem, aside from being unable to apply full lightning to any non-air blocks.



    I didnt know you could place a block *In* a pseudo air block (seeing as apperently the minecraft engine has trouble with anything else being treated as air, and that is the main difference between air and passable blocks)


    If you have the Laser mod, create a Advanced Yellow laser, activate it and then place blocks in every Laser "PseudoBlock", you will see what i meant easily that way (Of course do this in a closed room with no other light source than the laser itself).


    You can even dig a tunnel down and make another narrow tunnel (Dark tunnel) and start blocking the lasers from the tip to the source for better understanding i guess.

  • Seeing as that was kinda what I had intended, I see no real issue then with luminators projecting them.


    *Simply*, on luminator activation, Or nearby block updates, cause the luminator to check for blocks to light up. Look at all 6 adjacent sides, except the one behind it.
    If it is air, Replace it with a *light* block. If it was air, or is transparent, then use it for the second iteration.


    That would pretty much do it.