Altador Plot Split #36

[spoonguardonline]

For one thing, a proper map of the heavens wouldn't be on a coordinate map, but on a map marked with the cardinal directions and measured in lattitude and longitude.

Partially correct. Longitude and latitude are coordinates - geographic coordinates, to be specific. They're used to depict points on a two-dimensional surface.

Real starmaps are three-dimensional and a single point, such as a star, would be represented by three coordinates, not two, the third to show depth or distance from the observer.

Rotation of Neopia would cause all the stars to move more or less together (though some might move as much as 3/3600ths of a degree more or less than others, due to their distance from Neopia) and the change would be noticeable within a few minutes, not sporadically over the course of days. Due to rotation, the stars would sweep across the entire sky at the rate of approximately a degree per 4 minutes. Due to revolution around the sun, the stars would change their position by about 1 degree every day, meaning that if you observed a star at 8:00 pm on one night, the next day it would be in that exact same point at 7:56 pm.

I believe this may be what TNT is trying to say when they mention stellar drift. Except that's the wrong term. I'm sure that what you mentioned above has a proper term.

Anyway, my point is don't let them fool you into thinking this a real astronomy club. The "stellar drift" is just a way of saying "we don't want you mapping out the entire list of constellations ahead of time."

I agree. Stellar drift, not to be confused with cosmic expansion, isn't noticable to the eye until thousands of years have passed. For instance, the Age of Pisces began around 498 AD, meaning that the sun rises in the constellation Pisces. This Age will last until after 2600 AD, when the sun will rise in Aquarius, heralding the Age of Aquarius. That is due to stellar drift.

I think it's admirable for TNT to attempt to teach something about astronomy and astrology, but when you set out to do that you have to be careful to get the terminology right.

Which begs the next question - shouldn't this be an Astrology Club?

Then again, it's only a game...only a game...only a game...

We are all DEFINATELY looking a bit too much into this. I really don't think Neopets is focusing their plot on latitudaral and longitudinal coordinates and the Age of Pisces. I'm not sure your average eight year old would quite get all of that.

[darkfire]

Real starmaps are three-dimensional and a single point, such as a star, would be represented by three coordinates, not two, the third to show depth or distance from the observer.

...wow what kind of star maps are you working with? I have to say that I have NEVER seen one which actually told you the distance for each star. The starmaps I work with are in fact two dimensional equatorial maps working with ascension and right declination... I want your maps

Which begs the next question - shouldn't this be an Astrology Club?

Not really... Astronomy still involved the constellations quite a bit. It'll only become Astrology when they start on the birthsigns and predicting the future and other myffic stuff. But yes... you're average Astronomer isn't going to go nuts over a new constellations... so in that regard...well actually it's neither.

Last edited by darkfire on Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[PTP]

Which begs the next question - shouldn't this be an Astrology Club?

OMG I know!! I run an HP RPG and there is Astronomy and Astrology. I found it funny when I read this was an Astronomy club and I was like .. um noooo its not.

[ScottNak]

C'mon guys. Let's not go into symantics (or however it's spelled).
Average joe aint gonna worry about whether this is astrology or astronomy.
And stellar drift will probably imply to them something is movin around etc. etc.

No need to go nuts about it.

[neomania]

Wow when was the last time i posted. I have been out of the loop forever. The last thing i did on neopets was the lc like months ago. I upgraded 2 3* champion. YEYE! I am caught up on the altador thing. thankyou guys. and i love the starfinder program--the one that gives yout he exact coordinates. How did you make that whoever you are? Did you know the distance from one start to the next and used like a bunch of if-else statements and simple analytic geomety? Anyways i applaud you. Okay why does TNT make the story so predictable. The puzzles are cool and all but could the story be any more trite. The archivist does not know what is happening, stolen books, things feeling out of place. DUH! we are helping the very enemy we thought we were fighting against (that almost sounds a little bit like ALIAS- which i LOVE LOVE LOVE). We are helping the Dark Fairie come back to life so that she can get her revenge and then we will defeat her when the minie plot ends and the major plot begins. But i like the star puzzles this year. I would have like to figure things out on my own (Some things i did figure out on my own), but in the essence of time i used the outside utilities that were so graciously put at our disposal. Oh and seriously i want to know how those programs were made.

[only_shades_of_grey]

Which begs the next question - shouldn't this be an Astrology Club?

OMG I know!! I run an HP RPG and there is Astronomy and Astrology. I found it funny when I read this was an Astronomy club and I was like .. um noooo its not.

well it sort of is astronomy is the mapping and study of the stars and space, yes that entails constellations, while astrology is predidcting the future using the stars so this would be an astronomy club.

[duBer]

Real starmaps are three-dimensional and a single point, such as a star, would be represented by three coordinates, not two, the third to show depth or distance from the observer.

...wow what kind of star maps are you working with? I have to say that I have NEVER seen one which actually told you the distance for each star. The starmaps I work with are in fact two dimensional equatorial maps working with ascension and right declination... I want your maps

Thanks for clarifying. You're quite right, the distance isn't used on star maps. I knew there were more than two coordinates but have watched too much Star Trek over the years and got mixed up...

Anyway, as the moderator says, more plot discussion and less about semantics. My apologies.

[darkfire]

Oh and seriously i want to know how those programs were made.

Meh wait let me go check. (I've fiddled so much with this thing I can't remember how I made it originally.)

Okay well obviously mine isn't as advanced as stoodder's (sp?) but basicly just used a lot of split()'s, for loops and arrays. Stoodder? Yeah I'd really like to know how you did it as well. Nested for loops?

[neomania]

what are people talking about overlay. How do you guys know how to dig into the telescope flash file. I wish i took more programming. I would think neopets would try to block all that "hacking".

[pezx2k]

what are people talking about overlay. How do you guys know how to dig into the telescope flash file. I wish i took more programming. I would think neopets would try to block all that "hacking".

Well first you have to acquire the flash file, which I'm assuming you have done, or can do. Then you need to find a swf decompiler....which basically converts the swf back to fla. Then you have to dig thru the flash file in Flash....check the library, find all the images....

[meresged]

This stuff is getting to be a bit beyond me! Star drifts? Latitude points?
Do we really think TNT will make this all that involved? Something tells me no....while things have been hard to do, they've been things kids can understand as well as teens and adults. I don't think they'd leave people in the dust! lol...just would be...Mean!

[farside]

what are people talking about overlay. How do you guys know how to dig into the telescope flash file. I wish i took more programming. I would think neopets would try to block all that "hacking".

The way Neopets tries to block that sort of stuff is by threatening to delete your account.

From the Neopets Terms & Conditions (the long boring version):

You agree not to reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, display, perform, publish, distribute, disseminate, broadcast, sell, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or circulate any Materials to any third party (including, without limitation, display and distribute the Materials via a third party website) without Neopets' express prior written consent. Unauthorized or prohibited exploitation of Materials will result in deletion of the offender's account from the Site, and may subject the offender to civil liability and criminal prosecution under applicable federal and state laws.

Seriously, just let other people do it.


Yes, I've heard that Neopets sometimes introduces puzzles that can only be solved by looking for clues in the HTML code of the webpages and yadda yadda. Don't ask me about that sort of conflicting message. Ask Neopets.

Last edited by farside on Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[meresged]

what are people talking about overlay. How do you guys know how to dig into the telescope flash file. I wish i took more programming. I would think neopets would try to block all that "hacking".

The way Neopets tries to block that sort of stuff is by threatening to delete your account.

From the Neopets Terms & Conditions (the long boring version):

You agree not to reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, display, perform, publish, distribute, disseminate, broadcast, sell, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or circulate any Materials to any third party (including, without limitation, display and distribute the Materials via a third party website) without Neopets' express prior written consent. Unauthorized or prohibited exploitation of Materials will result in deletion of the offender's account from the Site, and may subject the offender to civil liability and criminal prosecution under applicable federal and state laws.

Seriously, just let other people do it.

EEK! That just sounds scary! Now I'm half glad that I don't follow that stuff!!!!

[regal_one]

You can't join the Dance Club, and you don't need to. You need to click on the red light behind the person at the front, which will give you your constellation.

thank you, I really wanted to do this before going to work.

No problem. The constellation this time was a lot easier than it has been to find.

no kidding... it didn't even take me a minute to find my dancer... I was giddy until I thought 'am I getting better or are these just getting easier?'

[meresged]

no kidding... it didn't even take me a minute to find my dancer... I was giddy until I thought 'am I getting better or are these just getting easier?'

I know what you mean! Mine are getting really easy too.

I have a question....that other door in the archives. The one on the other side of the bulletin board....anyone else think that we need to find more of the 'missing history' of Altador in there? The history that the Archivist keeps going on about?
If not, anyone know its function?