The light would be calculated on the fly. To put it simply, a certain block can't NEED to have updated sunlight and be unloaded at the same time. If it's unloaded, then no effects of unupdated sunlight can apply.
Actually I think what schmidtbochum was saying is the current system of top-down light would not work. This is true, at least for infinite height. If height limits were left in place then the code could simply grab blocks at specified coordinates in chunks above it to figure out light without actually having to load the whole chunk. If said chunk(s) is(are) already loaded then this wouldn't be an issue.
I support this, but I have to say that infinite height would be a bad idea. Liquids flowing infinitly downward would cause very bad lag, mainly for servers because the occlusion system should stop clients from worrying about what they can't see. I would prefer it to either stay at the current height limit, or possibly double the height again, but still limit the Y space in the world(s).
Unfortunately, rewriting the chunk system would most likely break most of the innards of minecraft. Not to say it won't be done, but something like this, no matter who the author is, would take a very long time to implement and debug. If I actually liked to program in java, I'd take a crack at it but I'd rather put that kind of time and energy into something that will bring me money lol.
Edit: I am not done reading the whole thread so if I am uninformed somewhere in my reply, let me know and I'll edit again after reading.
Forcing a chunk load would be a bad idea as this would lag servers and melt the poor single core processors. Two torches would already keep 2 chunks always open, then multiple torch pairs would rapidly slow the game down. As grand as the idea is to throw redstone signal between worlds, the chunk issue will most likely kill that idea. Although burying several rooms under a structure or machine doesn't seem like an issue, we have all done without this for so long and compacted the designs to fit behid walls and right under floors. These torches could simply extend our previous range for redstone and allow for more complexity.
I actually think I like a simpler version restricted by chunkloads better anyway, it doesn't go over the top. Wireless redstone doesn't need to be something crazy, just needs to be as simple as a wire and go from point A to point B.
More calculations like this would slow the game down, especially on older machines. Another alternative would be to change your method of mining by standing over a trench before you knock down a wall. I haven't died from lava while mining since my first week of playing minecraft.
This guy stole my idea. I wrote redstone jumper before this was posted. My redstone jumper is almost the same idea.
I just read your thread, and while the ideas are similar they are not the same thing. Your proposed device would essentially power blocks in a given direction without needed to lay the wire ( please correct me if I am wrong ) while my torches would pass a signal from one to the other regardless of the distance or direction ( given the chunk(s) the torches reside in are loaded ).
i think you should fix your post so the ender torch isnt always emiting a signal.
I don't believe I ever said that the torches are always emitting a signal, just that they would pass an incoming signal both ways through the torches. It just acts as a wire, nothing more.
I totally spaced on chunk loads.. Possible then that inter-dimensional redstone won't be happening. Although I don't see a reason why it couldn't work wireless in the same world given the chunks are loaded?
Edit: Also it wouldn't always be outputting power. The torch would simply pass along the signal if it is recieving one, otherwise there is no signal.
There have been a couple of mods implementing wireless redstone. In my opinion, they always have a futuristic theme that feels out of place in Minecraft. Sticking with the theme of the End and Endermen, a wireless redstone solution could be to craft an eye of ender with a redstone torch to create two id-linked redstone ender torches. These torches would pass a redstone signal both ways between each other, including across different worlds.
This would allow players to reduce the size of complex redstone circuits by relocating parts of it in secret rooms, caves, or even in a separate dimension. Certain setups may even allow the same circuit to be reused by several different redstone contraptions.
As far as the question of balance is concerned, I do not believe that this would introduce any issues. However, there is a possibility that the way the redstone system has been written, it may not be possible to have the signals talk across different worlds. I am also unsure if inter-dimensional redstone circuits would introduce new sources of lag for multiplayer.
Despite the unknowns, I am confident that redstone engineers would welcome this feature and that it would inspire other to start using redstone. Let me know how it sounds!
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Actually I think what schmidtbochum was saying is the current system of top-down light would not work. This is true, at least for infinite height. If height limits were left in place then the code could simply grab blocks at specified coordinates in chunks above it to figure out light without actually having to load the whole chunk. If said chunk(s) is(are) already loaded then this wouldn't be an issue.
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Unfortunately, rewriting the chunk system would most likely break most of the innards of minecraft. Not to say it won't be done, but something like this, no matter who the author is, would take a very long time to implement and debug. If I actually liked to program in java, I'd take a crack at it but I'd rather put that kind of time and energy into something that will bring me money lol.
Edit: I am not done reading the whole thread so if I am uninformed somewhere in my reply, let me know and I'll edit again after reading.
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I actually think I like a simpler version restricted by chunkloads better anyway, it doesn't go over the top. Wireless redstone doesn't need to be something crazy, just needs to be as simple as a wire and go from point A to point B.
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I just read your thread, and while the ideas are similar they are not the same thing. Your proposed device would essentially power blocks in a given direction without needed to lay the wire ( please correct me if I am wrong ) while my torches would pass a signal from one to the other regardless of the distance or direction ( given the chunk(s) the torches reside in are loaded ).
I don't believe I ever said that the torches are always emitting a signal, just that they would pass an incoming signal both ways through the torches. It just acts as a wire, nothing more.
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Edit: Also it wouldn't always be outputting power. The torch would simply pass along the signal if it is recieving one, otherwise there is no signal.
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This would allow players to reduce the size of complex redstone circuits by relocating parts of it in secret rooms, caves, or even in a separate dimension. Certain setups may even allow the same circuit to be reused by several different redstone contraptions.
As far as the question of balance is concerned, I do not believe that this would introduce any issues. However, there is a possibility that the way the redstone system has been written, it may not be possible to have the signals talk across different worlds. I am also unsure if inter-dimensional redstone circuits would introduce new sources of lag for multiplayer.
Despite the unknowns, I am confident that redstone engineers would welcome this feature and that it would inspire other to start using redstone. Let me know how it sounds!