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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 18 Jun 2010 07:14:46
Message: <4c1b5526$1@news.povray.org>
The Day/Night banding is good. Are the mountains not a bit high or is 
that a mountainous part of the landscape?

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 18 Jun 2010 07:30:30
Message: <4c1b58d6$1@news.povray.org>
"Stephen" <mca### [at] aolDOTcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1b5526$1@news.povray.org...
> The Day/Night banding is good. Are the mountains not a bit high or is that 
> a mountainous part of the landscape?

Yes, the banding is "better" because no light is leaking around the Shadow 
Squares. As soon as some leaking occurs, there is some diffuse lighting of 
the night areas, which may lead to interesting effects. Quite inadvertently 
I came across that phenomenon.

The "mountains" are fairly high although scale is difficult to judge here. I 
shall add simple trees to give an idea.

Thomas


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 19 Jun 2010 12:28:41
Message: <4c1cf039$1@news.povray.org>
On 6/18/2010 4:45 AM, Bill Pragnell wrote:
> Looks nice! I really need to set aside some time to play with this - another
> ringworld-off, methinks.
>
> Don't forget that the rim wall in the book was described as a continuous,
> impossibly high mountain range, not a literal wall - although I realise this
> will be much harder to model...!
>
> Bill
>

Are you sure? I thought it was just a flat wall.

-- 
http://isometricland.com


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 20 Jun 2010 03:38:48
Message: <4c1dc588$1@news.povray.org>
"SharkD" <pos### [at] gmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1cf039$1@news.povray.org...
>
> Are you sure? I thought it was just a flat wall.
>

I should look this up of course, but I seem to remember indeed that the Rim 
Wall was carved into mountain shapes. In the later books, spill mountains 
were added too for the necessary feeding of rivers.

Thomas


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 20 Jun 2010 05:17:30
Message: <4c1ddcaa$1@news.povray.org>
On 6/20/2010 3:38 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> I should look this up of course, but I seem to remember indeed that the Rim
> Wall was carved into mountain shapes. In the later books, spill mountains
> were added too for the necessary feeding of rivers.
>
> Thomas
>
>

Must have missed that bit, thanks!

-- 
http://isometricland.com


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From: Christian Froeschlin
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 20 Jun 2010 19:23:08
Message: <4c1ea2dc$1@news.povray.org>
Thomas de Groot wrote:

> I should look this up of course, but I seem to remember indeed that the Rim 
> Wall was carved into mountain shapes. In the later books, spill mountains 
> were added too for the necessary feeding of rivers.

I think the rim itself was just a wall, non-withstanding that the
terrain was mostly shaped such that it was blocked of by mountains
(although the rim wall is much higher than the mountains).

Here's a nice viewpoint from the rim:

http://www.dennisantinori.com/RingworldRPG/14109.html

Allegedly 1600 km high? About 5 times the ISS orbital height ;)


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 03:56:46
Message: <4c1f1b3e@news.povray.org>
"Christian Froeschlin" <chr### [at] chrfrde> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1ea2dc$1@news.povray.org...
> I think the rim itself was just a wall, non-withstanding that the
> terrain was mostly shaped such that it was blocked of by mountains
> (although the rim wall is much higher than the mountains).

As I said, I should look this up. I think the inner wall face is 
sculpted/hidden behind mountain shapes. The transport system functions 
behind that fake landscape.

>
> Here's a nice viewpoint from the rim:
>
> http://www.dennisantinori.com/RingworldRPG/14109.html
>
> Allegedly 1600 km high? About 5 times the ISS orbital height ;)

In this image, the width of the wall seems much too narrow! And yes, it is 
1600 km high indeed.

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 04:53:48
Message: <4c1f289c@news.povray.org>
Here is a view that I start to find acceptable. 50000 trees were planted. 
Rendered in 14 minutes.

macros and techniques used from: John VanSickle, Zeger Knaepen, Bill 
Pragnell, Kirk Andrews. My thanks, gentlemen! And Larry Niven for the 
concept of course! :-)

Thomas


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 05:25:01
Message: <web.4c1f2ed6325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
"Thomas de Groot" <tDOTdegroot@interDOTnlANOTHERDOTnet> wrote:
> Here is a view that I start to find acceptable. 50000 trees were planted.
> Rendered in 14 minutes.

Very nice. I love the way the wall looms over the regular foreground mountains.
Maybe a sheer wall is more dramatic than spill mountains. I anticipate future
iterations!


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 07:26:59
Message: <4c1f4c83$1@news.povray.org>
On 21/06/2010 10:20 AM, Bill Pragnell wrote:
> "Thomas de Groot"<tDOTdegroot@interDOTnlANOTHERDOTnet>  wrote:
>> Here is a view that I start to find acceptable. 50000 trees were planted.
>> Rendered in 14 minutes.
>
> Very nice. I love the way the wall looms over the regular foreground mountains.
> Maybe a sheer wall is more dramatic than spill mountains. I anticipate future
> iterations!
>
>
Is that the side wall? It looks a bit strange to me, hidden behind the 
mountains. If you could see it continuing just slightly above the 
mountain it might be more recognisable.

To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 08:15:00
Message: <web.4c1f5799325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
Stephen <mca### [at] aolDOTcom> wrote:
> Is that the side wall? It looks a bit strange to me, hidden behind the
> mountains. If you could see it continuing just slightly above the
> mountain it might be more recognisable.
>
> To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)

I believe the locals name one Louis Wu. :)


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From: Jörg 'Yadgar' Bleimann
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 08:19:08
Message: <4c1f58bc$1@news.povray.org>
High!

On 06/21/2010 10:53 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> Here is a view that I start to find acceptable. 50000 trees were planted.
> Rendered in 14 minutes.

Impressive! Is the "local landscape" a simple heightfield or an isosurface?

See you in Khyberspace!

Yadgar

Now playing. Santa Fe (Deuter)


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 08:40:06
Message: <4c1f5da6$1@news.povray.org>
On 21/06/2010 1:14 PM, Bill Pragnell wrote:
> Stephen<mca### [at] aolDOTcom>  wrote:
>> Is that the side wall? It looks a bit strange to me, hidden behind the
>> mountains. If you could see it continuing just slightly above the
>> mountain it might be more recognisable.
>>
>> To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)
>
> I believe the locals name one Louis Wu. :)
>
>

LOL.

I've got Ringworld as a talking book. I must listen to it when driving 
to and from work.

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 10:03:21
Message: <4c1f7129$1@news.povray.org>
"Jörg 'Yadgar' Bleimann" <yaz### [at] gmxde> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1f58bc$1@news.povray.org...
>
> Impressive! Is the "local landscape" a simple heightfield or an 
> isosurface?

Thank you indeed!

The local landscape is a patchwork macro of height_fields, thanks to John 
Van Sickle.

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 10:11:19
Message: <4c1f7307$1@news.povray.org>
"Bill Pragnell" <bil### [at] hotmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:web.4c1f2ed6325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org...
> Very nice. I love the way the wall looms over the regular foreground 
> mountains.
> Maybe a sheer wall is more dramatic than spill mountains. I anticipate 
> future
> iterations!

Thanks Bill!

The Rim Wall being so high, it "naturally" tends to loom even from far away. 
We are standing here about 99% across the ring (calculated from the center). 
So the Ring Wall still is about 5000 miles from the camera!

I wonder if it would really be visible so well, due to atmospheric haze and 
such? I think that Larry Niven has not really considered the question... On 
the other hand, the top of the wall is virtually out of the atmosphere, and 
we may be able to see better a long way up than a long way away...

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 10:15:35
Message: <4c1f7407@news.povray.org>
"Stephen" <mca### [at] aolDOTcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1f4c83$1@news.povray.org...
> Is that the side wall? It looks a bit strange to me, hidden behind the 
> mountains. If you could see it continuing just slightly above the mountain 
> it might be more recognisable.

The Rim Wall looms over the "local" landscape,, which is seen under an angle 
of 80 degrees to the Ringworld.


> To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)

As Bill said: Louis Wu is the proper god. I wouldn't trust Nessus. ;-)

Thomas


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 10:40:00
Message: <web.4c1f7974325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
"Thomas de Groot" <tDOTdegroot@interDOTnlANOTHERDOTnet> wrote:
> "Stephen" <mca### [at] aolDOTcom> schreef in bericht
> > To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)
>
> As Bill said: Louis Wu is the proper god. I wouldn't trust Nessus. ;-)

Well, the smart money would be on Nessus, but the locals never met him properly.
:)


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 10:59:19
Message: <4c1f7e47@news.povray.org>
...and a possible (mid)night view would be like this one. Render time is 35 
minutes, mainly due to the water.

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 11:02:08
Message: <4c1f7ef0$1@news.povray.org>
"Bill Pragnell" <bil### [at] hotmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:web.4c1f7974325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org...
> "Thomas de Groot" <tDOTdegroot@interDOTnlANOTHERDOTnet> wrote:
>> "Stephen" <mca### [at] aolDOTcom> schreef in bericht
>> > To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)
>>
>> As Bill said: Louis Wu is the proper god. I wouldn't trust Nessus. ;-)
>
> Well, the smart money would be on Nessus, but the locals never met him 
> properly.
> :)

Yes, he is the hidden one, if not the hindmost... ;-)

Thomas


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 11:10:01
Message: <web.4c1f8057325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
"Thomas de Groot" <tDOTdegroot@interDOTnlANOTHERDOTnet> wrote:
> ...and a possible (mid)night view would be like this one. Render time is 35
> minutes, mainly due to the water.

Now that really is nice... a bit of light bloom and more opaque clouds would
make it almost perfect.

One thing has just struck me - I don't think the top of the wall would be
properly visible, especially at night. Since the top sticks out of the
atmosphere by some 800-900 miles, it should probably be obscured by the sky in
the same way as the arch, only showing up where in full sunlight. I don't know
how to make that look believable :\


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 11:37:27
Message: <4c1f8737@news.povray.org>
On 21/06/2010 3:15 PM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> "Stephen"<mca### [at] aolDOTcom>  schreef in bericht
> news:4c1f4c83$1@news.povray.org...
>> Is that the side wall? It looks a bit strange to me, hidden behind the
>> mountains. If you could see it continuing just slightly above the mountain
>> it might be more recognisable.
>
> The Rim Wall looms over the "local" landscape,, which is seen under an angle
> of 80 degrees to the Ringworld.
>

Yes but in your image it looks, to me, as if a part of the landscape is 
veering off to the right at an angle to the ring. I know it is just a 
matter of perspective an optical illusion really.

>> To which god does one pray to, to move mountains? ;-)
>
> As Bill said: Louis Wu is the proper god. I wouldn't trust Nessus. ;-)
>
I must re-read the series again, soon.



-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 12:13:16
Message: <4c1f8f9c$1@news.povray.org>
Thomas de Groot wrote:
> I should look this up of course, but I seem to remember indeed that the Rim 
> Wall was carved into mountain shapes. In the later books, spill mountains 
> were added too for the necessary feeding of rivers.

Indeed. ALtho one must wonder why.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 12:16:18
Message: <4c1f9052$1@news.povray.org>
Stephen wrote:
> I must re-read the series again, soon.

Fans should be aware there's a whole new series out, covering what Nessus 
was doing the whole time he wasn't obvious. Basically, Known Space as told 
from the puppeteer's point of view.  Very, very fun.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 13:02:34
Message: <4c1f9b2a$1@news.povray.org>
On 21/06/2010 5:16 PM, Darren New wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
>> I must re-read the series again, soon.
>
> Fans should be aware there's a whole new series out, covering what
> Nessus was doing the whole time he wasn't obvious. Basically, Known
> Space as told from the puppeteer's point of view. Very, very fun.
>

I didn't know. What is it called?

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 13:25:36
Message: <4c1fa090$1@news.povray.org>
On 6/21/2010 12:16 PM, Darren New wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
>> I must re-read the series again, soon.
>
> Fans should be aware there's a whole new series out, covering what
> Nessus was doing the whole time he wasn't obvious. Basically, Known
> Space as told from the puppeteer's point of view. Very, very fun.
>

IIRC, there's also a book that goes into the technical details behind 
the Ringworld series based on conversations by fans over the years on 
various newsgroups (not sure which ones though).

-- 
http://isometricland.com


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 13:29:25
Message: <4c1fa175@news.povray.org>
On 6/21/2010 3:56 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> As I said, I should look this up. I think the inner wall face is
> sculpted/hidden behind mountain shapes. The transport system functions
> behind that fake landscape.

The book mentions how the bottom (or outside edge) of the ring is shaped 
like a cake mold due to the sculpting of the mountains, but nothing 
about the side walls.

-- 
http://isometricland.com


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 13:29:49
Message: <4c1fa18d$1@news.povray.org>
On 6/21/2010 1:25 PM, SharkD wrote:
> IIRC, there's also a book that goes into the technical details behind
> the Ringworld series based on conversations by fans over the years on
> various newsgroups (not sure which ones though).
>

He talks about it in the introduction to Book 4.


-- 
http://isometricland.com


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 15:51:30
Message: <4c1fc2c2$1@news.povray.org>
Stephen wrote:
> I didn't know. What is it called?

I was hoping I wouldn't have to dig it up... ;-)

The volume I have is called "Juggler of Worlds" by Niven and Edward Lerner. 
The intro/etc implies there's an entire series, but I haven't tracked it 
down yet. Maybe "Fleet of Worlds" according to the cover notes?

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 16:20:01
Message: <web.4c1fc8aa325a7df34f28787e0@news.povray.org>
Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
> > I didn't know. What is it called?
>
> I was hoping I wouldn't have to dig it up... ;-)
>
> The volume I have is called "Juggler of Worlds" by Niven and Edward Lerner.
> The intro/etc implies there's an entire series, but I haven't tracked it
> down yet. Maybe "Fleet of Worlds" according to the cover notes?

Wikipedia says "Fleet of Worlds", "Juggler of Worlds" and "Destroyer of Worlds".
I shall have to hunt these down, they sound interesting.

(I only read "Ringworld's Children" quite recently - it was much better than
Throne, I thought it had the same sort of feel as Engineers).


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 21 Jun 2010 16:26:20
Message: <4c1fcaec$1@news.povray.org>
On 21/06/2010 9:16 PM, Bill Pragnell wrote:
> (I only read "Ringworld's Children" quite recently - it was much better than
> Throne, I thought it had the same sort of feel as Engineers).
>

That's a plus I've not read "Ringworld's Children", yet.

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 04:40:42
Message: <4c20770a$1@news.povray.org>
"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1f8f9c$1@news.povray.org...
> Thomas de Groot wrote:
>> I should look this up of course, but I seem to remember indeed that the 
>> Rim Wall was carved into mountain shapes. In the later books, spill 
>> mountains were added too for the necessary feeding of rivers.
>
> Indeed. ALtho one must wonder why.

For a simple, geological reason: All the dirt transported by the rivers and 
eroded from the landscape would soon fill the seas and oceans. So a feedback 
system is installed which transports the deposited sediments from the oceans 
back to the rim and on "spill" mountains, which in turn are eroded by 
rivers, completing the cycle. Thus a balance is achieved and the original 
ring floor is not exposed.

Spill mountains did not appear in the first book but were a later addition 
because Larry Niven realized the problem. In the same way, I think that the 
description of the Rim Walls evolves from the first book till the later 
ones.

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 04:43:01
Message: <4c207795$1@news.povray.org>
"SharkD" <pos### [at] gmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1fa175@news.povray.org...
> The book mentions how the bottom (or outside edge) of the ring is shaped 
> like a cake mold due to the sculpting of the mountains, but nothing about 
> the side walls.

Sure. As I answered to Darren, the description of the Rim Walls changes from 
book to book. My memory is vague about the exact wording now. I shall look 
that up when I have got some time.

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 04:47:34
Message: <4c2078a6$1@news.povray.org>
"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c1f9052$1@news.povray.org...
> Fans should be aware there's a whole new series out, covering what Nessus 
> was doing the whole time he wasn't obvious. Basically, Known Space as told 
> from the puppeteer's point of view.  Very, very fun.

Oh? That is new to me. I shall have to dig that up somewhere. Thanks for 
bringing it to our attention :-)

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 04:49:12
Message: <4c207908@news.povray.org>
"Bill Pragnell" <bil### [at] hotmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:web.4c1fc8aa325a7df34f28787e0@news.povray.org...
> Wikipedia says "Fleet of Worlds", "Juggler of Worlds" and "Destroyer of 
> Worlds".
> I shall have to hunt these down, they sound interesting.

Excellent! Bee noted.

>
> (I only read "Ringworld's Children" quite recently - it was much better 
> than
> Throne, I thought it had the same sort of feel as Engineers).

Agreed. I shall have to revisit again...

Thomas


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 04:57:57
Message: <4c207b15$1@news.povray.org>
"Bill Pragnell" <bil### [at] hotmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:web.4c1f8057325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org...
> Now that really is nice... a bit of light bloom and more opaque clouds 
> would
> make it almost perfect.

Thanks, yes this can certainly be improved more.

>
> One thing has just struck me - I don't think the top of the wall would be
> properly visible, especially at night. Since the top sticks out of the
> atmosphere by some 800-900 miles, it should probably be obscured by the 
> sky in
> the same way as the arch, only showing up where in full sunlight. I don't 
> know
> how to make that look believable :\

Indeed. As I wrote in an earlier answer to you, how the Rim Wall is 
perceived from the ground is still a question to me. For the present image, 
I think I can do it by scaling differentially the semi-tranparant sky dome 
so that the Rim Wall lies outside of it. Hoping that no strange artefacts 
will appear in the process. In a future wip I shall experiment with media to 
simulate a proper atmosphere. That is going to be more tricky.

Thomas


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 10:38:34
Message: <4c20caea@news.povray.org>
Thomas de Groot wrote:
> "Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> schreef in bericht 
> news:4c1f8f9c$1@news.povray.org...
>> Thomas de Groot wrote:
>>> I should look this up of course, but I seem to remember indeed that the 
>>> Rim Wall was carved into mountain shapes. In the later books, spill 
>>> mountains were added too for the necessary feeding of rivers.
>> Indeed. ALtho one must wonder why.
> 
> For a simple, geological reason: All the dirt transported by the rivers and 

I meant that one must wonder why the builders would carve the walls into 
hollow mountain shapes. (I.e., your first sentence, rather than the second.)

> Spill mountains did not appear in the first book but were a later addition 
> because Larry Niven realized the problem. In the same way, I think that the 
> description of the Rim Walls evolves from the first book till the later 
> ones.

Yes. Plus, I don't think they came anywhere near the walls in the first 
book. :-) Well, not from the inside, at least.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 10:40:07
Message: <4c20cb47$1@news.povray.org>
Thomas de Groot wrote:
> Indeed. As I wrote in an earlier answer to you, how the Rim Wall is 
> perceived from the ground is still a question to me.

In the first book, it was generally very difficult to see the walls at all. 
If you measure out the angle from somewhere near the middle of the floor, 
you come to the conclusion they're really not all that hight. Even a wall 
500 miles high (or whatever it was) when seen from half a million miles away 
isn't very big.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 10:50:00
Message: <web.4c20cd6e325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> I meant that one must wonder why the builders would carve the walls into
> hollow mountain shapes. (I.e., your first sentence, rather than the second.)

Well, they only had a finite amount of material, and it was practically
indestructible. No reason to do it any other way really!

> > Spill mountains did not appear in the first book but were a later addition
> > because Larry Niven realized the problem. In the same way, I think that the
> > description of the Rim Walls evolves from the first book till the later
> > ones.
> Yes. Plus, I don't think they came anywhere near the walls in the first
> book. :-) Well, not from the inside, at least.

Nope. They crashed near the middle, headed for the nearest wall, got a small
proportion of the way there, backtracked and jumped out the meteor crater. They
did inspect the walls in some detail before the crash, but, as you say, only
from the outside.

Hmm, I'm sure the walls were sheer on the other side. Perhaps the implication is
that the spill mountains are solid? Whoknows.


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 10:54:53
Message: <4c20cebd$1@news.povray.org>
Bill Pragnell wrote:
> Well, they only had a finite amount of material, and it was practically
> indestructible. No reason to do it any other way really!

Why not leave it flat? It's not like you're planning on fooling anyone who 
lives there. That takes even less material than sculpting it.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 10:59:14
Message: <4c20cfc2$1@news.povray.org>
"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c20caea@news.povray.org...
> I meant that one must wonder why the builders would carve the walls into 
> hollow mountain shapes. (I.e., your first sentence, rather than the 
> second.)

Oops! Sorry, my misunderstanding :-)

> Yes. Plus, I don't think they came anywhere near the walls in the first 
> book. :-) Well, not from the inside, at least.

Indeed. In one of the later books, Louis Wu goes to the RimWall and uses the 
transport system at the top.It is where spill mountains are described. I 
don't remember which book that was... :-(

Thomas


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 11:15:01
Message: <web.4c20d2d2325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Bill Pragnell wrote:
> > Well, they only had a finite amount of material, and it was practically
> > indestructible. No reason to do it any other way really!
>
> Why not leave it flat? It's not like you're planning on fooling anyone who
> lives there. That takes even less material than sculpting it.

Pretty boring living on a table top tho :) If they wanted a range of ecosystems
they'd have to reproduce a planet's surface topology, surely? And anyway, where
would they put the water? :D


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 11:17:12
Message: <4c20d3f8$1@news.povray.org>
"Bill Pragnell" <bil### [at] hotmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:web.4c20cd6e325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org...
> Hmm, I'm sure the walls were sheer on the other side. Perhaps the 
> implication is
> that the spill mountains are solid? Whoknows.

Yes, the spill mountains should be solid indeed as they serve as sediment 
reservoirs for the rivers.

I am beginning to get unsure about the "sculpting" of the Rim Wall into 
mountain shapes...

Tanj! It becomes really necessary to re-read the series!  ;-)

Thomas


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 11:22:58
Message: <4c20d552@news.povray.org>
Bill Pragnell wrote:
> Pretty boring living on a table top tho :)

Mountains!  We're talking about the walls, aren't we?

Given they had islands the size of planets, I don't think they really needed 
the walls to be textured like mountains in order to have mountain terrain.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 11:35:01
Message: <web.4c20d70f325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Bill Pragnell wrote:
> > Pretty boring living on a table top tho :)
>
> Mountains!  We're talking about the walls, aren't we?

Yes, sorry, world of my own. Um, dunno. Thomas' reply, that they are sediment
reservoirs, seems the only likely explanation other than pure aesthetics, which
the builders may or may not have been concerned with. (Not, if memory serves).


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 22 Jun 2010 19:21:13
Message: <4c214569$1@news.povray.org>
Interesting flyby video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXZdaQN3r50

I didn't realize a) that the sun was so large WRT the ring, and b) that 
the inner "shadow" ring was so much nearer the outer ring than the sun.


-- 
http://isometricland.com


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 23 Jun 2010 03:50:02
Message: <4c21bcaa@news.povray.org>
"SharkD" <pos### [at] gmailcom> schreef in bericht 
news:4c214569$1@news.povray.org...
> Interesting flyby video:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXZdaQN3r50
>
> I didn't realize a) that the sun was so large WRT the ring, and b) that 
> the inner "shadow" ring was so much nearer the outer ring than the sun.
>

Nice animation indeed, but:
The shadow squares are wrong. According to Niven, they are located at the 
equivalent of the orbit of Mercury, if the ring were at Earth's distance.

Have you seen the Rama animation?

Five years ago, I distilled the following parameters for the Ringworld 
system:

 RINGWORLD parameters conversion table


      scale factor
     1,00
      sun diameter mi 1.000.000,00

     km 1.610.000,00
      ring radius mi 95.000.000,00

     km 152.950.000,00
      ring width mi 997.000,00

     km 1.605.170,00
      rim wall height mi 1.000,00

     km 1.610,00
      shadow square radius mi 13.000.000,00

     km 20.930.000,00
      shadow square width mi 1.000.000,00

     km 1.610.000,00
      shadow square length mi 2.500.000,00

     km 4.025.000,00
      spill mountain height (1) mi 30,00

     km 48,30
      spill mountain height (2) mi 40,00

     km 64,40



Thomas


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From: clipka
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 23 Jun 2010 04:25:37
Message: <4c21c501$1@news.povray.org>
Am 23.06.2010 09:50, schrieb Thomas de Groot:

>> I didn't realize a) that the sun was so large WRT the ring, and b) that
>> the inner "shadow" ring was so much nearer the outer ring than the sun.
>>
>
> Nice animation indeed, but:
> The shadow squares are wrong. According to Niven, they are located at the
> equivalent of the orbit of Mercury, if the ring were at Earth's distance.

To be precise, the shadow squares aren't "wrong" - it's just "some" ring 
world, not the one from Niven's books.


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From: Bill Pragnell
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 23 Jun 2010 05:05:00
Message: <web.4c21cdc9325a7df36dd25f0b0@news.povray.org>
SharkD <pos### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> I didn't realize a) that the sun was so large WRT the ring, and b) that
> the inner "shadow" ring was so much nearer the outer ring than the sun.

OK, so it's not Niven's ringworld, but if it was, the sun should also be a lot
smaller. :D As Thomas detailed, for Niven's ringworld, it's basically our sun,
with the ring as Earth's orbit. The ring's width is the same as the sun's
diameter.

(I don't think you'd want the shadow squares that close to the ring floor anyway
- very abrupt nightfall, total cave-like darkness and utterly empty sky at
night... it might even cause the natives to die off depending on their
psychology. Also less efficient - you need more material to make them, and more
energy to spin them up and stabilise them. Plus, in the event of a failure of
the shadow ring, you'd have far less time to do something about it before the
shadow squares hit the ringworld.)


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 23 Jun 2010 07:33:24
Message: <4c21f104$1@news.povray.org>
"clipka" <ano### [at] anonymousorg> schreef in bericht 
news:4c21c501$1@news.povray.org...
> To be precise, the shadow squares aren't "wrong" - it's just "some" ring 
> world, not the one from Niven's books.

Hold the thiefs!!  They stole Niven's ring! ;-)

Thomas


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From: SharkD
Subject: Re: The Ringworld revisited (day and night)
Date: 23 Jun 2010 11:01:24
Message: <4c2221c4$1@news.povray.org>
On 6/23/2010 5:03 AM, Bill Pragnell wrote:
> OK, so it's not Niven's ringworld,

Oops!


-- 
http://isometricland.com


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