Alternative spotlight concept to flashlight block. Lower system hit?

[cyberus111]

Ok, this is a little weird so maybe hard to follow.

Salvage beams when they hit created that checkerboard "we are eating the block" animation.

IF a salvage beam type block we created, removing the actual beam (since unless there is something interfering with the beam you wouldn't see it anyways and I'm good with that) and replacing the animation with a 'lighten' effect to the block and making it innate "explosive" (ie: block plus surrounding blocks) would make it effectively a spotlight in space without the raytrace issues (I think?)

From there possibilities include making more blocks = longer range, adding explosive comp to make a bigger beam spread (tho that would likely be a lag inducer to have it do 4x4 or more).

If someone wanted a mobile spotlight a turret with AI set to "selected target" would most likely work for lighting up dark roids or wrecks.

Might be a screwy idea but I thought I would toss it out there.

 

[therimmer96]

hmmm...

I like it, but I do see an issue or 2.

• Shadows casting on to other entities wouldn't work
• Using a spherical explosion, you would cast light onto the inside of ships aswell. Could use the new explosion system, that would remedy it a little I guess, but iirc, it's quite demanding
• Moving the light would be very blocky, moving from centring on one block to the next.

I like it, its a good idea, but it feels abit ghetto, and I suspect if it even just got implemented as a placeholder, it would be forgotten about and ruin the visuals of the game abit.

 

[Criss]

The roadmap states there will be a graphics update, which will include the possibility to add some form of directional lighting.

 

[therimmer96]

The roadmap states there will be a graphics update, which will include the possibility to add some form of directional lighting.

We already know that, I suspect he is trying to provide some way of doing it without the performance hit mentioned by bench.

 

[cyberus111]

We already know that, I suspect he is trying to provide some way of doing it without the performance hit mentioned by bench.

Yeah, I was just tryin to maybe toss out something different that may plant a seed somewhere .....

 

[Criss]

Schema already laid out a possible solution. Basically LOD. Only a certain number of lights would be active within a given range of you. Considering schema already has thought of this long before he plans on working on this update I wouldn't be surprised if he figures out a solution by then. Or perhaps that update is on the roadmap because he knows what he needs to do already.

 

[cyberus111]

hmmm...

I like it, but I do see an issue or 2.

• Shadows casting on to other entities wouldn't work
• Using a spherical explosion, you would cast light onto the inside of ships aswell. Could use the new explosion system, that would remedy it a little I guess, but iirc, it's quite demanding
• Moving the light would be very blocky, moving from centring on one block to the next.

I like it, its a good idea, but it feels abit ghetto, and I suspect if it even just got implemented as a placeholder, it would be forgotten about and ruin the visuals of the game abit.

Yup, it would be ghetto and blocky, but ya know, at this point, I'm the guy stranded in the dark wilderness and if all I can get is a greasy muskrat hide wrapped around a big stick to light on fire thats what I'll use.