This is the "now" version, also available is the "game date" version
The output of the javascript largely matches that of my BBC BASIC program and
that of my java program.
Given the restructuring and the change of language, I feel this is pretty good.
It's worth noting that the planet positions do not correct for either
perturbations or the speed of light!
However the algorithm for the moons is a indirect copy of the BBC BASIC code
and must be wrong. I KNOW the algorithm is rubbish because, for example, it does not
correct for parallax between the centre of the planet and the surface. This is
quite a significant factor given Senemora's orbit at 24,137 miles and the surface
of the planet is probably at 8,000 miles or so.
The drawback with rewriting the algorithm to be more accurate is that it will,
of necessity, change the behaviour!
This plugin adds a new post type for linrodeth characters (called 'Characters' in the user interface). In support of this, the plugin provides:
The new post type (note, revisions of the character sheet are preserved, so old versions can be viewed (though not in that friendly a format))
Two options (accessed either from the 'Settings' link on the plugin itself, or from the 'Settings' admin menu). The two options allow the preamble text shown when a character sheet is viewed and the preamble text shown when a character is editted. You can also change the default genre and the default date (game date) used by the character sheets.
A widget that will list the recently added character sheets - this is managed from the 'Widgets submenu of the 'Appearance' admin menu. You can change the title shown by the widget and how many recent characters it will display.
It adds a new shortcode that allows links to characters to be added to posts and pages. It can also be used to generate tables of characters.Examples of use:
[linchar /]
Show a link to the first character sheet found in the database
[linchar type="table" /]
Show a table listing all the character sheets found in the database
[linchar name="Dermot Foulkes" /]/
Show a link to a specific character sheet. Note that the name is that used on the character sheet NOT the title of the character sheet
[linchar player="David" type="table" /]
Show a table listing all the character sheets with the given player name (NOT the author of the character sheet)
[linchar genre="Linrodeth" type="table" /]
Show a table listing all the characters for the specified genre
[linchar author="djvines" type="table" /]
Show a table listing all the characters authored by a specified author
[linchar type="table" orderby="name" /]
Show a table of all characters ordered by the character name
This is the "game date" version, also available is the "now" version
The output of the javascript largely matches that of my BBC BASIC program and
that of my java program.
Given the restructuring and the change of language, I feel this is pretty good.
It's worth noting that the planet positions do not correct for either
perturbations or the speed of light!
However the algorithm for the moons is a indirect copy of the BBC BASIC code
and must be wrong. I KNOW the algorithm is rubbish because, for example, it does not
correct for parallax between the centre of the planet and the surface. This is
quite a significant factor given Senemora's orbit at 24,137 miles and the surface
of the planet is probably at 8,000 miles or so.
The drawback with rewriting the algorithm to be more accurate is that it will,
of necessity, change the behaviour!
There are many things which can be seen in the sky, clouds, birds, and
of course the sun, the two moons, and the stars.
This article discuss these latter objects. The last, the stars can be
divided into two groups. The first of these groups, the fixed stars, are,
on the whole, uninteresting. The exception is Polaris, the pole star.
This is the navigator's friend, known to sailors and guides alike as it
always occupies the same location in the sky. It is easily recognised as
it is part of a group of three brights stars which are grouped closely
together and in a straight line. The direction of this group of stars can
usually be safely taken as the direction of north.
The second class of stars is the planets or 'wandering stars'. These
can be further subdivided into two groups :- those which always stay near
the sun, and those which can wander across all the sky.
The first, Psykomena (the observer of folly) is the fastest moving, but is always
close to the sun, thus committing the ultimate folly of assuming that
folly only occurs during the day!
The second planet is Alderoth (observer of recovery and health) can be
seen further from the sun than Psykomena and shows that for good health,
a regular regimen of sleep is required.
The third planet, Panurgio (observer of Vitality and Wit), can be seen
still further from the sun, but still shows that a quick mind also
requires a regular regimen of sleep.
The next planet, Erosina (observer of love and enjoyment), can be seen
yet further from the sun, and can often be seen in the late evenings.
Genhelia (observer of birth and growth) is never far behind Erosina,
often reaching the same position in the sky in a matter of days. Genhelia
can be distinguished from Erosina by its distinctive blue-green colour.
The second group of planets begins with Psykelia (observer of luck and
fortune). Psykelia is the quickest of those planets which do not stay
near the sun, thus visibly demonstrating that luck is fickle and cannot be
relied upon.
The next is Letophoro (observer of malady and death) is difficult to
observe, but also wanders across the entire sky watching death occur at
any time.
Adamasto (observer of conflict and war) is next. It too wanders far
from the sun, and suffers from a striking orange-red colour as befits its
nature. Adamasto shows that the causes of war can occur at any time, but
also take time to build, as Adamasto only wanders slowly.
The slowest and last wanderer is Celeno (observer of slowness and
dullness). Celeno only moves slowly relative to the fixed stars, but is
able travel all around the sky in time, thus showing slow and careful
will get you there! (The fastest moving planet, Psykomena, never moves
far from the sun, whereas Celeno, the slowest, is the planet most often
further from the sun in the sky)
The two most obvious features in the night sky, however, are the two
moons, Sisamora and Senemora (These can, of course, be seen during the
day, but are not the most obvious daytime features!). Sisamora (observer
of good) is the larger of the two. Sisamora changes Phase in a thirty and
seven-sixteenths of a day cycle. When Sisamora is full (Around the
beginning/end of each month and, of course, during festival days), it can
be seen brightly shining. However, it is recorded that it is occasionally
suffers during these occasions from strange redness and indeed
blackening.
The second moon, Senemora (observer of evil) is harder to describe.
Senemora also follows a sequence of phases, but follows it's cycle in a
matter of hours, (21 hours and 13 minutes to be precise!). However its
movement across the sky is most fickle. Whereas all the other moons,
planets and even the sun, rise in the west and set in the east (within 18
hours indeed), Senemora usually rises in the east and sets in the west 3
or 4 days later! In addition, senemora is both eager to rise (often
rising in the east several hours early then being forced to set in the
east within a few hours) and relucant to set (often rising again in the
west, and then setting again within a matter of a few hours)!
The last object in the sky is, of course, the sun. It too, dislikes
the winter and is in the sky for less than eight hours on Midwinter Day,
while on Midsummer Day it is in the sky for over sixteen hours.
