03-28-2024, 04:38 PM
Seasons change uniformly throughout the year around the ringworld. This works for a game but it would be murder on migratory birds.
To create true north south seasons like on a planet, I believe the shadow panels would have to be a solid band around the sun with round holes instead of gaps. The holes would have to be able to move up and down throughout the year cycle. All of them would move up and down in unison so the same latitudes would be in the same season around the ringworld.
I rejected this idea for two reasons. First the lighting code in the shader was going to kill me, and maybe a few GPUs. Second I thought the final result would look ugly.
To create true north south seasons like on a planet, I believe the shadow panels would have to be a solid band around the sun with round holes instead of gaps. The holes would have to be able to move up and down throughout the year cycle. All of them would move up and down in unison so the same latitudes would be in the same season around the ringworld.
I rejected this idea for two reasons. First the lighting code in the shader was going to kill me, and maybe a few GPUs. Second I thought the final result would look ugly.