Test of Heavenly Bodies

In this test, inhabitants of Egypt will attempt to discover new heavenly bodies by the use of observatories. The test is passed when you have discovered a heavenly body.

A person may build a maximum of 7 observatories, although ownerships may be transferred making it possible for 1 person to own more than 7. An observatory must be build at a height of at least 200.

Short Description

This astronomy test is about discovering heavenly bodies, which may be stars, planets or galaxies, or anything else that shines a light in the sky. The players may construct observatories in order to make observations, and each observation takes a certain amount of time. Players are awarded points for the heavenly bodies they discover. Once a week the 7 highest ranking players pass, provided a certain type of body (level 7) is found during the week.

Storyline

Sotep was anxious. Tomorrow was the day he planned to start work on a new commission from the high priest at the temple of Thought. They wanted curved glass, housed in a moonsteel casing. The design was very specific, but had something of a Greek mystery about it. What were they up to? They were so easily excited. But the price they had offered was very good.

He turned restlessly on his pallet and stared at the night sky outside his window. There was a frog yelling somewhere over in the reed bed. Damn thing was having too much fun.

He’d need to go over the plans tomorrow, to be sure. First job was to collect charcoal from the burners guild and stoke up the glass furnaces early. Then a quick run over the Street of the Glassblowers to pick up load of good quality shards – they had promised him a good weight yesterday. Luckily he was a deft hand at a bargain and generous with his beer. Then back here to check the furnaces and finish preparing the molds he had crafted yesterday from wax and plaster. Unearthly things they were. He just couldn’t understand why they had insisted on the beveled flat curves when everyone knew that even a bottle of water could magnify images. He’d tried it himself, lots of times. And this was for looking at the sky.

Madness. What was up there, really? Apart from the sun god Aten and his handmaidens, and Nut arching over all with the moon in her naval? The gods who walked the Nile were far more real, and reflected in the stars. They were visible by day in true form and by night as spirits. See, there was the crocodile, with four sharp teeth, and at his tail the sweeping curve of the rams horn.

But what? The horn didn't have two stars at the end last time he looked. Was this an omen of some sort? He’d better ask the priests tomorrow to give him an extra blessing. Best to be careful. Ptah be thankful, All praise to Osiris. Protect us, O Montu from the south! He sighed, rolled over on his straw pallet and shut his eyes again. This time he really was going to go to sleep. It would be a busy day tomorrow.

Full Description

In order to pass this test you must collect points from locating heavenly bodies, and be among the 7 highest ranking at the end of the week. There are 7 levels of observable heavenly bodies, each of which exhibits a different levels of radiation. Radiation levels are cumulative over time wih points are awarded as follows:

Level	Egyptian days to observe	Points
1	1	1
1-2	2	3
1-3	4	7
1-4	8	21
1-5	16	49
1-6	32	147
1-7	64	343

In order to make an observation, the center and radius of focus is specified in (x,y,r) coordinates, x and y being angular coords, and r the angular radius. An observation takes a week (RL time). The information gained will be the number of heavenly bodies within the view field, and the amount of light received.

A heavenly body is discovered if you can specify a point on the disc (i.e. any point within the distance of radius r from the center) and the total amount of light received from the heavenly body. This can be done by a university of thought once a day.

Alternatively, different types of astral phenomena such as a shooting star - Level 1, comet - Level 2, galaxy - Level 3, nebula - Level 4, pulsar - Level 5, globula cluster - Level 6, planetary conjunction - Level 7 (examples only) are visible in a segment of sky above one of the many regions in Egypt, only observable from an observatory located in that region. A preference for the observatory to be a shared resource a bit like a Sphinx or Throne - built relatively few times through community collaboration, but useable by many Egyptians who record their observation times at the building. This will prevent the countryside being cluttered with observatories.The scientists at the observatory make the observations in the locations, sectors and times indicated by the player. The visibility of each type of phenomenon could be of variable duration. In this scenario scoring would be the cumulative count of 'heavenly bodies found', with each type awarded a different score according to rarity (Level) and the number of objects located in any one week. (suggestion)

In order to make observations players must either build an observatory (suggested cost below) or commission observations from an existing observatory for a fee made to the observatory (fee structure to be determined by Pharoah, but assuming a scale based on number of regions, time periods and sky segments to be observed)). When making an observation the player must decide how wide a field of the sky to span - values correspond to 1/7, 3/7 and 1 degree respectively); the region to scan (coordinate ranges on Egypt map) and the time period for the observation. After the observation time has passed, the number of heavenly bodies within the field of observation of the levels given by the observation time is advised.

Observatories must be built at a height of at least 200 feet above sea level. The cost of an observatory is (suggestion):

• 1500 Bricks
• 350 Rotproof, Termite Resistant Boards
• 10 Moon Steel Sheeting: Stainless
• 10 Sun Steel Sheeting: Stainless
• 350 Dark Blue Paint
• 150 Cadet Blue Paint
• 50 Yellow Paint
• 4 Glass Lenses (new glass item)
• 8 Lens Cut Jade
• 20 Washers
• 2 Large Gears
• 14 Medium Gears
• 28 Small Gears
• 20 Linen
• 500 Resin of any type
• 5 Maat Compound Extract
• 1 Random 3-Output Springbox Quality 5000+

If the field size is 1 and there is only one body within the field of view, the star is discovered and points awarded. At the end of the week, the 7 highest ranking players pass, provided that a level 7 heavenly body has been located during the week.

Passing Principle

• Build an observatory OR
• Commission an astronomer to make an observation
• Discover a Level 1 heavenly body
• Discover a Level 3 heavenly body

Alternate Test Description (from discussion with cate to make more grokable?/test-like?)

Players pass the test by making 3 primary observations and 4 confirmations.

Passing Mechanism

To pass the test players must be the first to discover one 'sky object' of each category ( 1 major object, 1 minor object, 1 star object) which counts as a 'primary observation' and make 4 confirmations of other players 'primary observations' by observing the same night 'sky object'.

Observation Mechanism

Building the observatory is same as described in original description.

Differences are that there exists only 1 'Sky Map' shared throughout Egypt so their is no dependence on the location of the observatory on the 'Egypt map'.

Also the focus (i.e. magnification or field of view of the telescope is fixed maybe 1 degree of arc in theta, gamma) and duration is always just a snapshot.

The 'sky map' is not visible by the player in the game, although it would be cool if this could be projected like a planetarium after objects are confirmed.

To observe sky objects the player must:

• Interact with the observatory between 6PM and 6AM each egyptian day
• One observation limit to each player per egyptian day
• The player inputs the Theta angle (0.0 - 359.9 degrees) with 0 being north for the observatory
• The player inputs the Gamma angle (0.0 to 180.0 degrees) with 90 degrees being straight up.
• The player clicks on observe button to make the sky object observation
• After 6AM or next time the player interacts with the observatory, they get a read out of the observation results.

Observation Results

• If there is no 'sky object' within the field of view, they get visual information in a pop-out window with an arrow direction pointing towards the nearest visible 'sky object'
• There will be colors and icons to indicate which type of object was closest to the viewing
• Major 'sky objects' are Moons, Planets and Comets and have a colored globe icon
• Minor 'sky objects' are Nebula, Asteroids, and Galaxies and have a colored pyramid icon
• Star 'sky objects' are Stars and Pulsars and have a colored dot icon
• Players may chose to share their results (thru wiki or chat) or keep to themselves to try to triangulate to discover for primary observation

Sky Objects

• Sky Objects change every Egyptian Season and Year, so each new season brings new a total 42 'sky objects'
• Each season a new 14 Major 'sky objects', 14 minor 'sky objects', 14 star 'sky objects' await to be discovered by players
• This is common to all Egypt and all players as said as a virtual 'sky layer'
• By making multiple observations over nights, players will be able to triangulate the location of the 'sky object' of interest as they get feedback if they are on the track of the same object or have panned the observation telescope too far in angle thru the aforementioned arrows&icons.
• Sky objects will rotate thru the night sky around the gamma 90 degree angle (straight up in the sky), they rotate thru 180 degrees of theta over the course of 6PM to 6AM. Also as the season progresses from Akhet I to Akhet IV, they will progress in the sky at a fixed rate of theta and gamma angle change.

Primary Observations

If the player is the first to discover a sky object, i.e. within the 1 degree of field of view of the telescope the object in question was visible at the time of observation, then they can record results.

Results are recorded on 1 piece of papyrus paper and 1 ink.

If the player is then the first to turn this into (register at) any University of Thought, then they get discovery credit. The player is then asked to name the object, if it was a "Moon" that was found then if the player enters "cate's" then the object is registered as "cate's moon" at the University as an "Unconfirmed object".

A player must be the first to discover 1 'Major sky object', 1 'Minor sky object' and 1 'Star sky object' to get credit towards passing.

Confirmation Observations

At the University of Thought, there will be a list of "Unconfirmed Objects" and "Confirmed Objects" for that season

A player must confirm 4 different objects of any sky object class for credit towards passing.

Once any player confirms a 'sky object' it moves from the "unconfirmed object" list to "confirmed object" list for all.

The manner of observation and recording/registering is exactly the same as the primary observation section.