Length of Day(light)

[noctem9 13]

The whole Arctic/Antarcic poll and discussion got me thinking of something we experience here on Earth; Length of daylight as a function of latitude and season.

The Sun's apogee changes relative to the horizon based on time of year and latitude of the observer. Given that the TFC seasons emulate the seasons we experience on Earth it should be safe to assume that the 'minecraft world' is also tilted on it's axis by 23 degrees.

Would it be possible to change the height of the sun and therefore the length of a daylight based if not on latitude + season, on season alone?

Would this subtle but definitely not unnoticed detail be worth the effort to code?

Thoughts?

[Just_Another_Guy_:) 1,066]

The reason we notice that change in real life is because days are pretty long in their own -comparatively, also depens on your boringness-, and then, the difference between the lenght of the night and the day is noticiable, even if relatively low. In the scale of minecraft days -where a day equals 20 minutes-, the difference would be so, so small, that it would be nearly impossible to anyone to notice the difference.

Now, about the sun "Height" -as it is simply a plain image :-, however, it could be noticiable, and actually nice to see. However, unless this somehow affects the average player gameplay, i don't see a reason to add this. Is, like someone which name i can't remember (: sorry) uses to say, adding something simply for realism. I'm not saying these things have no place in the mod; however, right now the mod only has two developers, and i think they should concentrate firstly in the game play aspect, and then, in the nice details.

[EternalUndeath 1,208]

I think there should be a dev dedicated solely to aesthetic changes like this, so we can still have them without needing to worry Dunk or Bioxx

[Just_Another_Guy_:) 1,066]

I think there should be a dev dedicated solely to aesthetic changes like this, so we can still have them without needing to worry Dunk or Bioxx

Yep. But we don't :

[EternalUndeath 1,208]

Yep. But we don't :

Calling all Java prodigies: Help wanted for free?

[GCountach 39]

If it could be possible, it would certainly be neat. Just like it is now in the artic circle, this could allow for times when it's always day in summer and always night in winter. Between the tropics would always be 12 hours day 12 hours night (just like regular MC). Inbetween would have logical progression of time changes. It would make living farther away from the equator more challenging, but I think many would welcome such. Just wonder if it's even possible without a significant rewrite of time and monster spawning code. Granted, I suspect the signifcant rewrite of monster spawning code is already planned....

[noctem9 13]

It would make living farther away from the equator more challenging

This is exactly what I was thinking but also it could usher a whole new aspect of TFC -- Tundra/Polar survival, which would essentially provide a more difficult challenge regardless of difficult setting. Shorter amounts of daylight translates to slower growth, or perhaps less varieties of plants that could possibly grow. It would be difficult to grow the required feed for livestock to reproduce. Perhaps more large game (Caribou, Moose, Buffalo) in the northern/southern poles could introduce an alternative hunter/gatherer "mode" of gameplay. This higher "cost of living" could be offset by having rich mineral deposits of the more rare and sought after metals.

Alas, I digress from my original post - shorter/longer days based on season/latitude.

Just to clarify for anyone possibly being misled by my post title, the length of day/night cycle that you set in your config would not change. Simply an oscillating ratio of daylight hours:dark hours. (eg. Winter Solstice in N.Hemisphere is Dec 21. Length of daylight is roughly 9 hours (where I am) and it's dark for about 15 hours. Summer Solstice is essentially the opposite. 15h light, 9 hours dark)

[Jed1314 420]

I think this would make things pretty interesting. Surviving in a northern climate would be more difficult and, as you approached the arctic circle, you could encounter a "30 days of night" style experience

[GismoT 50]

as long as there is no edward, im happy

[Peffern 94]

Calling all Java prodigies: Help wanted for free?

Maybe. Maybe. Actually, now that I think about it, build 48 added an option to configure the length of the day. All we need to have done now is have separate day and night, then it's a simple matter of increasing the day length and decreasing the night length each 24 hrs. (single for loop)

[dunkleosteus 2,425]

Maybe. Maybe. Actually, now that I think about it, build 48 added an option to configure the length of the day. All we need to have done now is have separate day and night, then it's a simple matter of increasing the day length and decreasing the night length each 24 hrs. (single for loop)

hold on there cowboy. Eternal sent out that request, not the dev team. We're ok as we are.

[EternalUndeath 1,208]

Maybe. Maybe. Actually, now that I think about it, build 48 added an option to configure the length of the day. All we need to have done now is have separate day and night, then it's a simple matter of increasing the day length and decreasing the night length each 24 hrs. (single for loop)

Not a bad idea, but it was a joke dude

[GismoT 50]

one does not simply make jokes about the devs

[Peffern 94]

I didnt mean to joke about the devs. Sorry if anyone took it that way.