I made a similar suggestion before but I think this is different enough to be worth a new topic.
Once we have dynamic lighting, I think that signal rockets may be useful. Dynamic lighting is not actually required. See my second post in this thread.
Why? Two reasons.
1. As an alternative to the night-vision potion, but with advantages and disadvantages when compared to the potion.
2. To signal other players in adventure or PvP quests.
How?
Craft a single color along with gunpowder and up to 7 redstone dust to make a Signal Star (new item).
Signal Stars could not be crafted with a second color, so no fade-to effect.
(I'll add a crafting recipe once the recipe designer site is back up)
Craft the Signal Star into a rocket in the usual way to make a Signal Rocket (not a new item - can be combined with firework stars).
What it does:
When the rocket is fired, it travels up for the usual distance. When the star explodes, the Signal Star shines a light visible for the render distance and gives light level 15 on the ground under it, extending (with reducing light levels) to 128 blocks around it in each direction, in the color of the bursting star. The Signal Star hangs in midair giving light for a number of seconds directly related to the number of redstone dust used to make the star, 2 seconds of light for each dust used (maximum of 14 seconds).
Edit: Perhaps have the Signal Star light level reduce the higher the rocket goes, at the same time increasing the area covered by the light?
Any players in the lit area would be able to see by the light provided, making it more useful in some situations than the night-vision potion, but the maximum duration of 14 seconds and the limited area covered should prevent it from being overpowered.
Players outside the lit area would still be able to see the signal star hanging in midair, so long as it was within their render distance. This would let the Signal Star be used in adventures (for example to signal that a quest object has been found) or for Capture The Flag games (to signal the end of the game).
I only realised after posting the suggestion that this effect could be implemented without requiring dynamic lighting. All that is required is for the lit Signal Star to stay in the same place in midair, or only float down so slowly that a lighting update is only needed every 2 seconds (at most) instead of constantly. No dynamic lighting required and no more lag than would be caused by someone removing and replacing a torch.
And off-topic, does anyone know why the recipe designer site is still "down for maintenance"? If it's been posted, a link would be appreciated.
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Once we have dynamic lighting, I think that signal rockets may be useful. Dynamic lighting is not actually required. See my second post in this thread.Why? Two reasons.
1. As an alternative to the night-vision potion, but with advantages and disadvantages when compared to the potion.
2. To signal other players in adventure or PvP quests.
How?
Craft a single color along with gunpowder and up to 7 redstone dust to make a Signal Star (new item).
Signal Stars could not be crafted with a second color, so no fade-to effect.
(I'll add a crafting recipe once the recipe designer site is back up)
Craft the Signal Star into a rocket in the usual way to make a Signal Rocket (not a new item - can be combined with firework stars).
What it does:
When the rocket is fired, it travels up for the usual distance. When the star explodes, the Signal Star shines a light visible for the render distance and gives light level 15 on the ground under it, extending (with reducing light levels) to 128 blocks around it in each direction, in the color of the bursting star. The Signal Star hangs in midair giving light for a number of seconds directly related to the number of redstone dust used to make the star, 2 seconds of light for each dust used (maximum of 14 seconds).
Edit: Perhaps have the Signal Star light level reduce the higher the rocket goes, at the same time increasing the area covered by the light?
Any players in the lit area would be able to see by the light provided, making it more useful in some situations than the night-vision potion, but the maximum duration of 14 seconds and the limited area covered should prevent it from being overpowered.
Players outside the lit area would still be able to see the signal star hanging in midair, so long as it was within their render distance. This would let the Signal Star be used in adventures (for example to signal that a quest object has been found) or for Capture The Flag games (to signal the end of the game).
And besides, it would look cool! :-)
And off-topic, does anyone know why the recipe designer site is still "down for maintenance"? If it's been posted, a link would be appreciated.