Shadows???

[jknilinux]

In pond mode, do we currently have "shadows"? What I mean is, if there's an algae, will it block light from reaching the algae below it? If we don't currently have this feature, I think we should implement it, because this should encourage algae to evolve into "plants" with leaves, etc... as they strive to increase their horizontal surface area while trying to stay on top of the other algae below them. This is how complex plants developed, right? Just a thought.

[Numsgil]

It isn't implemented, but I agree it should be.  It wouldn't be too hard, we would just do some simple ray casting from the top of the screen.

[jknilinux]

It isn't implemented, but I agree it should be.  It wouldn't be too hard, we would just do some simple ray casting from the top of the screen.

Great! So, Eric, could you add bot and shape shadows to your [a href=\'index.php?showtopic=2709\']work list?[/a] Thanks!

[bacillus]

I think that's a grand idea. Not meaning to complicate things already, but will semi-transparency be too hard also?
EDIT=>Ignore that, I think the gap between cells is good enough for transparency for now.

[jknilinux]

Where is Eric? I guess he's just busy.

Well, when you get a chance, here's another suggestion to add to the work list. Thanks!

[bacillus]

How about a new sysvar to measure the amount of light a bot recieves? This could helpmake plants that grow towards the sun, while not blocking others.

[jknilinux]

How about a new sysvar to measure the amount of light a bot recieves? This could helpmake plants that grow towards the sun, while not blocking others.

That's a great idea! Just like real life.

But how would it work if the sim is not in pond mode?

[bacillus]

Umm... you wouldn't use it?

[Testlund]

But how would it work if the sim is not in pond mode?

Hopefully it won't! In pond mode though it could be exciting and a way to keep populations of algea down without costX.  

[jknilinux]

Umm... you wouldn't use it?

OK. Just wondering if you had some other idea for that case.

[bacillus]

The problem then is that the plant structure would need to be made rigid and anchored (Ok, for now just use .fixpos) for this to work.Otherwise you end up with an algal blob desperately trying to grow up, king of like building a house with slime.

[jknilinux]

The problem then is that the plant structure would need to be made rigid and anchored (Ok, for now just use .fixpos) for this to work.Otherwise you end up with an algal blob desperately trying to grow up, king of like building a house with slime.

Well, couldn't .stifftie keep it rigid as well, provided that the base was anchored somehow?

[bacillus]

Assuming gravity is not a factor, which is not really realistic, the organism could be shaped simple by aiming the ties, yes. But with gravity, even with stiff ties (they never did anything for me), the plant will eventually topple without roots, unless it was conical in shape.

[jknilinux]

Assuming gravity is not a factor, which is not really realistic, the organism could be shaped simple by aiming the ties, yes. But with gravity, even with stiff ties (they never did anything for me), the plant will eventually topple without roots, unless it was conical in shape.

I thought stifftie was meant to make both bots completely fixed relative to each other. So given a big base, a plant can grow upward w/o being cone-shaped, right? Or does stifftie do something else? I never found a good overview of it.

Either way, this brings up another good point. At the bottom of a sim we probably should have a super-high viscosity area(that acts like soil/crud at bottom of lake) for plants to have roots, create different niches for life, and make the sim behave more life-like in general.

[Numsgil]

The physics probably aren't stable enough to build a large tower with gravity on.  With it off you probably can, but what's the point  

stifftie makes the tie have a stronger restorative force.  If you're familiar with the equation for springs from physics F = -kx, stifftie modifies the k factor.