Ran out of Talent.....

I am trying to create a runway lighting effect. I have the prim flashing as I want it but want the lights to follow each other down the runway. (that make sence?)

My simple light;

default {
state_entry() {
llParticleSystem( [
PSYS_PART_START_COLOR, < 1.0, 0.0, 0.0 >,
PSYS_PART_END_COLOR, < 1.0, 0.0, 0.0 >,
PSYS_PART_START_ALPHA, 0.5,
PSYS_PART_END_ALPHA, 0.5,
PSYS_PART_MAX_AGE, 1.0,
PSYS_SRC_BURST_RATE, 2.0,
PSYS_SRC_BURST_PART_COUNT, 2,
PSYS_SRC_PATTERN, PSYS_SRC_PATTERN_DROP,
PSYS_PART_FLAGS, ( PSYS_PART_EMISSIVE_MASK
| PSYS_PART_INTERP_COLOR_MASK
| PSYS_PART_FOLLOW_SRC_MASK )
] );
}
}

I can put this in each prim at set intervals, now hoe do i sync them?

do a listen on each light that listens for a specific number. upon receiving the number each light says/whispers/shouts the magic number for the next light.

The first light would need a timer event to send out the first message repeatedly.

this should give you a "running light" effect for non linked lights.

I've done a few of these using a string of spheres run in a line with a script in the root prim calling llSetLinkAlpha (which has no artificial scripted delay built in) on a timer. It creates the effect of the lights running from one end to the other. I find that a fullbright sphere blinking is going to be a lot more reliable than a particle.

The only problem with this method is, of course, they all have to be linked and the smaller the sphere the shorter the distance you have to be able to link them for some reason.

You could maybe do it with a relay from a few linksets this way...the alpha caller on one linkset says to the next when it's done and then the final set either shouts or regionsays to the first one. All of the timers would be on hold when not running in a dead state that only listens to be told to start.

Keep in mind that the maximum link distance is 30m.

A runway is most likely exceeding that limit.

Even though there are ways to create linksets that are bigger than 30m, it is not recommended as these link sets are not guaranteed to stay linked together.

Well on the 30m part...take some 0.01 size spheres and see how far apart it will let you link them before it says it's too far. I get to maybe 5m sometimes before getting this message. I grant that this is probably a bug, but I even have linksets existing of spheres, and if I try to unlink and relink them, it comes back with the "Too far apart" message, when I could literally hide them inside a small piece of one of my starship linksets. (like the saucer of of 1701-A which is a cylinder at about 9-10m all around...they easily fit under the bridge)

It only seems to happen with sphere linksets though...so you might be able to solve this with a cube added in heh.

Either way it will be dealing with listens, this is just a way to lessen them and with a good texture and perhaps twisting the sphere to make it inside-out would give a good effect, and be more reliable to be seen than a particle as long as someone is nearby it since smaller objects need to be closer to render on the client, but particles could be completely turned off on their UI.

I was obviously thinking about this all wrong.

Problem now solved and many thanks for the help and advise.

Shipper

There is a regular timer in the script library that syncs to the wall clock, regardless of sim restarts. You could also use that. Each runway light would blink once per second say, but would each have a different delay.