Re-org the lights, tweak the colors.

src/geometry.rs

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use heron::prelude::{CollisionShape, RigidBody};
 
 use crate::Label;
 
-pub const PLANET_RADIUS: f32 = 340.0;
+pub const PLANET_RADIUS: f32 = 360.0;
 pub(crate) const SPAWN_ALTITUDE: f32 = PLANET_RADIUS + 100.0;
 
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ fn spawn_giant_sphere(
         .spawn_bundle(PbrBundle {
             mesh: meshes.add(Mesh::from(shape::Icosphere {
                 radius: PLANET_RADIUS,
-                subdivisions: 8,
+                subdivisions: 32,
             })),
             material: materials.add(StandardMaterial {
                 base_color: Color::GRAY,

src/lights.rs

@@ -16,7 +16,79 @@ struct AnimatedCyberLight {
 #[derive(Component)]
 pub(crate) struct AnimateCyberLightWireframe;
 
-fn spawn_lights(
+fn spawn_moving_lights(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut meshes: ResMut<Assets<Mesh>>,
+    mut materials: ResMut<Assets<StandardMaterial>>,
+) {
+    let rng = &mut thread_rng();
+    // spawn 200 orbiting bisexual lights
+    for _ in 0..255 {
+        // mechanics
+        let axis = crate::random_sphere_vec(rng);
+        let angle = rng.gen_range(0.0..TAU);
+        let rate: f32 = rng.gen_range(7.0..10.0);
+        let rate = rate.to_radians();
+        let rotation = Quat::from_axis_angle(axis, angle);
+        let altitude = PLANET_RADIUS + rng.gen_range(8.0..20.0);
+        let perp = axis.any_orthonormal_vector();
+        let translation = perp * altitude;
+        let transform = Transform::from_translation(translation);
+
+        // optics
+        let hue = rng.gen_range(240.0..300.0);
+        let saturation = rng.gen_range(0.85..0.99);
+        let lightness = rng.gen_range(0.3..0.7);
+        let color = Color::hsl(hue, saturation, lightness);
+        let intensity = rng.gen_range(500.0..900.0);
+        let radius = rng.gen::<f32>() * 2.2; // why can't this infer the gen type?
+        let point_light = PointLight {
+            intensity,
+            range: LIGHT_RANGE,
+            color,
+            radius: radius - 0.1,
+            shadows_enabled: true,
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+
+        commands
+            // first, spawn an entity with a transform we can rotate
+            .spawn_bundle((
+                AnimatedCyberLight { axis, rate },
+                Transform::from_rotation(rotation),
+                GlobalTransform::default(),
+            ))
+            .with_children(|parent| {
+                parent
+                    // now spawn a child entity with a pointlight, and a relative transform that's
+                    // just translation from the parent
+                    .spawn_bundle(PointLightBundle {
+                        transform,
+                        point_light,
+                        ..Default::default()
+                    })
+                    .with_children(|builder| {
+                        builder
+                            // now a simple mesh to show a wireframe.
+                            .spawn_bundle(PbrBundle {
+                                mesh: meshes.add(Mesh::from(shape::Icosphere {
+                                    radius,
+                                    subdivisions: 1,
+                                })),
+                                material: materials.add(StandardMaterial {
+                                    base_color: Color::hsla(272.0, 0.7, 0.56, 0.7),
+                                    emissive: color,
+                                    ..Default::default()
+                                }),
+                                ..Default::default()
+                            })
+                            .insert(AnimateCyberLightWireframe);
+                    }); // mesh child
+            }); // light child
+    }
+}
+
+fn spawn_static_lights(
     mut commands: Commands,
     mut meshes: ResMut<Assets<Mesh>>,
     mut materials: ResMut<Assets<StandardMaterial>>,
@@ -44,68 +116,6 @@ fn spawn_lights(
         brightness: 0.32,
     });
 
-    let rng = &mut thread_rng();
-    // spawn 200 orbiting bisexual lights
-    for _ in 0..255 {
-        let hue = rng.gen_range(260.0..320.0);
-        let saturation = rng.gen_range(0.85..0.99);
-        let lightness = rng.gen_range(0.3..0.7);
-        let color = Color::hsl(hue, saturation, lightness);
-
-        let axis = crate::random_sphere_vec(rng);
-        let angle = rng.gen_range(0.0..TAU);
-        let rate: f32 = rng.gen_range(7.0..10.0);
-        let rate = rate.to_radians();
-        let rotation = Quat::from_axis_angle(axis, angle);
-
-        let altitude = PLANET_RADIUS + rng.gen_range(8.0..20.0);
-        let perp = axis.any_orthonormal_vector();
-        let translation = perp * altitude;
-        let transform = Transform::from_translation(translation);
-
-        let intensity = rng.gen_range(500.0..900.0);
-        let radius = rng.gen::<f32>() * 2.5; // why can't this infer the gen type?
-        let point_light = PointLight {
-            intensity,
-            range: LIGHT_RANGE,
-            color,
-            radius,
-            shadows_enabled: true,
-            ..Default::default()
-        };
-
-        commands
-            .spawn_bundle((
-                AnimatedCyberLight { axis, rate },
-                Transform::from_rotation(rotation),
-                GlobalTransform::default(),
-            ))
-            .with_children(|parent| {
-                parent
-                    .spawn_bundle(PointLightBundle {
-                        transform,
-                        point_light,
-                        ..Default::default()
-                    })
-                    .with_children(|builder| {
-                        builder
-                            .spawn_bundle(PbrBundle {
-                                mesh: meshes.add(Mesh::from(shape::Icosphere {
-                                    radius,
-                                    subdivisions: 1,
-                                })),
-                                material: materials.add(StandardMaterial {
-                                    base_color: color,
-                                    emissive: color,
-                                    ..Default::default()
-                                }),
-                                ..Default::default()
-                            })
-                            .insert(AnimateCyberLightWireframe);
-                    }); // mesh child
-            }); // light child
-    }
-
     // up light
     commands
         .spawn_bundle(PointLightBundle {
@@ -120,8 +130,8 @@ fn spawn_lights(
                     subdivisions: 2,
                 })),
                 material: materials.add(StandardMaterial {
-                    base_color: Color::RED,
+                    base_color: Color::BLUE,
-                    emissive: Color::rgba_linear(100.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0),
+                    emissive: Color::PINK,
                     ..Default::default()
                 }),
                 ..Default::default()
@@ -141,8 +151,8 @@ fn spawn_lights(
                     subdivisions: 2,
                 })),
                 material: materials.add(StandardMaterial {
-                    base_color: Color::BLUE,
+                    base_color: Color::PINK,
-                    emissive: Color::rgba_linear(0.0, 0.0, 100.0, 0.0),
+                    emissive: Color::BLUE,
                     ..Default::default()
                 }),
                 ..Default::default()
@@ -162,7 +172,8 @@ fn orbit_lights(time: Res<Time>, mut query: Query<(&mut Transform, &AnimatedCybe
 pub struct CyberSpaceLightsPlugin;
 impl Plugin for CyberSpaceLightsPlugin {
     fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
-        app.add_startup_system(spawn_lights)
+        app.add_startup_system(spawn_static_lights)
+            .add_startup_system(spawn_moving_lights)
             .add_system(orbit_lights);
     }
 }