Darkness at night

[Sonicdahedgie 31]

All right, I just had my first night experience. Guys, I hate to ruin your difficulty-realism boner, but night isn't actually that dark. You really need to tone down how dark it is, and make the night sky color not PITCH BLACK.

In real life, the moon will give you a decent amount of light, even when not full. And secondly, in real life, you can EASILY see the silhouettes of buildings and tall objects against the night sky because the buildings are black, while the night sky is a brighter shade of dark blue.

[KetchupOnTheDog 41]

does it matter? people turn their gamma up anyway..

[Sonicdahedgie 31]

Yes, it matters. There is a problem with the game that should be fixed. Just because people have found a stop-gap solution doesn't mean a problem should be ignored.

[jaytmuk (DayZ) 621]

Yes, it matters. There is a problem with the game that should be fixed. Just because people have found a stop-gap solution doesn't mean a problem should be ignored.

From what i heard the problem is arma 2's lighting, Am sure itll be changed in the standalone

But tbh i used to avoid night time servers too, until the other day, i gave it a good try, using flares and chemlights and the night servers are pretty empty too so no real threat from players.

Was alot of fun, and scary as hell :)

I now play on night servers mostly, the games is more of an apocalypse and less of a pvp deatmatch when its night :)

Also you keep using the word "Realistic". I think you will find rocket isnt trying to make the game realistic.

I mean how can he? You control yourself with a mouse, Is that realistic? lol

The word he uses is Authentic not realistic

Dayz and no other game will ever be realistic. (We play vid games to escape the realistic world) :P

Edited November 25, 2012 by jaytmuk

[Nwoswat 22]

I think you gotta chill with the realism thing rocket cant fix it in fact its Arma's phycis engine, Dayz is a mod for arma untill the standalone your gonna have to suck it up and deal with it

[maxnmike 134]

You can play on servers that start you out with NVG's. No more fear of the night. You just have to remember that everyone can see you except the zombies. lol

[dallas 5195]

The moon light really only helps, when the moon is up. Plus there's also a big difference between a full moon and a new moon. Just like the sun, the moon isn't a static object in ArmA. It rises and falls on the night sky and follow it's own lunar calendar.

On a moonless night, the stars don't really offer enough lights for human eyes to distinguish objects on the dark side of Earth. On a clear night you can see a millions of stars, but below the horizon, it's just one shade of black. This is why you use NVGs, which are designed to enhance star light 50.000 times. On a cloudy night you can see a lot more, if there's light pollution beyond the horizon from a major light source like a town or a city. But since the workers on the power plants are either busy hunting for brains or beans, all you get to navigate by at night, is the moon, if it decides to show up.

The only problem with nights is that it isn't a level playing ground, because people exploit gamma. Instead of giving up, you should actually try it out, the way it was intended, pitch black, it's a totally different game. Use artificial lights intelligently and use your ears even more.

Edited November 25, 2012 by Dallas

[Rivy 32]

Yeah I agree it does get extra dark at times (it's supposed to be a game after all). I guess it'll be fixed in the SA.

It's as if Xzibit had come and put some darkness in our darkness.

[seddrik 44]

Text equivalent of playing at night:

I am now typing in black letters. But because you can't seen them without highlighting them you will not know if I am writing, just filling empty space, or posting links to youtube. If you enjoy playing that way... play on a server with no moon at night. Its novel for a bit... but gets old fast IMO. Most people are of a similar mind because people want to see the game and not a black screen. Theres a reason night servers are generally empty... Pitch black screen has a very limited fun value... even if you know a map/area, you get stuck on things and cant get into or out of houses. Kinda lame. The way the system is currently allows the option to play at night under variable conditions. If you like that, just hunt up the night servers and be a vampire... BTW if you highlighted this section to read it... you "cheated" as much as those who turn up brightness and gamma! : P

I now return you to normal text...

Edited November 25, 2012 by Seddrik

[DayZoey 110]

Honestly I think night would be more bearable if NVG weren't really the only viable way to really get around without having to find bajillions of flares to be throwing left and right. I think a helpful change would be to make the avatar's arm static when holding a flashlight (So it's always pointed in front of you or the way you happy to be free looking). This way you wouldn't be forced to a snail's pace when moving around in the pitch black (night could get that dark in areas with thick foliage) and you wouldn't be fumbling around like an idiot whilst waving around a bright light like a runway director.

Also, let us hold a flashlight and a pistol at the same time for goodness sakes! Stop subscribing to the Doom 3 dark as fuck scary formula by making us choose between being able to see and being able to defend ourselves. The G17 and CCO variants of the M4 are really the only weapons in the game that change this and those are both fairly difficult to come across unless you're willing to risk military spawns.

Edited November 25, 2012 by DayZoey

[knifely 34]

Text equivalent of playing at night:

I am now typing in black letters. But because you can't seen them without highlighting them you will not know if I am writing, just filling empty space, or posting links to youtube. If you enjoy playing that way... play on a server with no moon at night. Its novel for a bit... but gets old fast IMO. Most people are of a similar mind because people want to see the game and not a black screen. Theres a reason night servers are generally empty... Pitch black screen has a very limited fun value... even if you know a map/area, you get stuck on things and cant get into or out of houses. Kinda lame. The way the system is currently allows the option to play at night under variable conditions. If you like that, just hunt up the night servers and be a vampire... BTW if you highlighted this section to read it... you "cheated" as much as those who turn up brightness and gamma! : P

I now return you to normal text...

I'm using tapatalk, your argument is invalid ;)

[DayZoey 110]

I am now typing in black letters. But because you can't seen them without highlighting them you will not know if I am writing, just filling empty space, or posting links to youtube. If you enjoy playing that way... play on a server with no moon at night. Its novel for a bit... but gets old fast IMO. Most people are of a similar mind because people want to see the game and not a black screen. Theres a reason night servers are generally empty... Pitch black screen has a very limited fun value... even if you know a map/area, you get stuck on things and cant get into or out of houses. Kinda lame. The way the system is currently allows the option to play at night under variable conditions. If you like that, just hunt up the night servers and be a vampire... BTW if you highlighted this section to read it... you "cheated" as much as those who turn up brightness and gamma! : P

Bahahahahahaha, I totally didn't catch that until I thought "Hey maybe if I highlight this". Well played sir, well played.

[WnxSoulreaver 2]

well i have been thinking about this as well, And i think if the moon light at full moon. it should be lit up out like around 6:30 am.When its raining there should be more lightning to flash light at times so you can see during that time. if clear out, and the moon is say 1/3 it would be about half way between 6:30 am and 4:30 pm. Its interesting though when i have nvgs on and its getting close to sun rise say 4:45-5:30 am its really noticeable but at that same time with out nvgs on its pitch as black..

The point is it runes immersion. I agree when its full moon or not when the rain is above it should be pitch black. but there should be more of seasons it seems like right now there is no seasons really its all just rain or black.

Just as a note though I still think flares need to be usefull and the glow sticks need a brighter aoe although it needs to be tighter aoe.

[dallas 5195]

The brightness depends on the color of glow stick-

Green sticks cast the wides and brightest light circle.

Red sticks cast the smallest circle of light, but for some reason is still easy to see at distance.

Blue sticks cast a decent circle of light, but is the hardest to see at distance.

If you use glow sticks, road flares and flash lights with a little caution, you'll present a smaller target for other players.

-Always point flashlights downwards, only use it shortly and never if you suspect other players are in the area.

-When carrying a glow stick, always keep on the move, drop/extinguish it if you're not on the move or notice player activity.

-Throw road flares on the perimeter of the area you need to search, never enter the flare's circle of light in you're worried about player activity. Use the light's contrast from a distance, to navigate, loot or distract zombies. If you're using flares in a city, throw 3-4-5 flares in all directions, quickly switch position and move using the contrasts and never inside the light. Obviously the rule, always stay on the move, only stop, when covered and with your back against the wall, also applies at night.

[liquidcactus 719]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[WnxSoulreaver 2]

The brightness depends on the color of glow stick-

Green sticks cast the wides and brightest light circle.

Red sticks cast the smallest circle of light, but for some reason is still easy to see at distance.

Blue sticks cast a decent circle of light, but is the hardest to see at distance.

If you use glow sticks, road flares and flash lights with a little caution, you'll present a smaller target for other players.

-Always point flashlights downwards, only use it shortly and never if you suspect other players are in the area.

-When carrying a glow stick, always keep on the move, drop/extinguish it if you're not on the move or notice player activity.

-Throw road flares on the perimeter of the area you need to search, never enter the flair's circle of light in you're worried about player activity. Use the light's contrast from a distance, to navigate, loot or distract zombies. If you're using flares in a city, throw 3-4-5 flares in all directions, quickly switch position and move using the contrasts and never inside the light. Obviously the rule, always stay on the move, only stop, when covered and with your back against the wall, also applies at night.

thanks for the tips however, I understand how the game works i was merely suggesting some changes.. not afraid of the dark its just so dark that its mostly unplayable between 9:30 pm-5:30 am with out nvg unless you are staying in the same place. or in the wilderness. lets face it there is no spawns in the wilderness since there is no random loot tables in this game other then at the static locations. in other words whats the point of roaming the wilderness other then finding food from wild. And down helios.

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

Head lamp would be a great addition. But, people would still call the night unplayable because no amount of artificial light will satisfy them. "it'll just attract bandits!" they say.

Grow some balls and use a flashlight.

[Rivy 32]

Grow some balls and use a flashlight.

Sure, if our avatars grow a brain and hold the f***ing flashlight still.

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

Sure, if our avatars grow a brain and hold the f***ing flashlight still.

Stop sprinting....

[Rivy 32]

Stop sprinting....

I know how it works, but we should be able to run (or crawl) and keep it pointing ahead. We also have two hands... I don't see why we can't hold it and a pistol at the same time.

[DayZoey 110]

I suggested in my authenticity thread that the game devs make the arm holding the flashlight static in the direction we're looking. =D

I also suggested we be allowed to hold a pistol or strap the damn thing to our guns because gosh darnit, this isn't Doom 3! Dx

[Hetstaine 10852]

Text equivalent of playing at night:

I am now typing in black letters. But because you can't seen them without highlighting them you will not know if I am writing, just filling empty space, or posting links to youtube. If you enjoy playing that way... play on a server with no moon at night. Its novel for a bit... but gets old fast IMO. Most people are of a similar mind because people want to see the game and not a black screen. Theres a reason night servers are generally empty... Pitch black screen has a very limited fun value... even if you know a map/area, you get stuck on things and cant get into or out of houses. Kinda lame. The way the system is currently allows the option to play at night under variable conditions. If you like that, just hunt up the night servers and be a vampire... BTW if you highlighted this section to read it... you "cheated" as much as those who turn up brightness and gamma! : P

I now return you to normal text...

I'm using tapatalk, your argument is invalid ;)

:D

Change theme for non tapatalk..the black theme here is about as useful for reading as wearing a blanket while swimming.

[dallas 5195]

I wouldn't mind some kind of combined handgun, flashlight animation. But just like you can't aim a weapon while sprinting, obviously this would also affect your flashlight. But I think the main problem is that as long as it's easy to exploit gamma setting, players will continue to render flashlights, rave sticks and road flares obsolete.

[DayZoey 110]

There are some times when changing the gamma doesn't even work, to be honest. Yes, I change the gamma and brightness of my game when it starts to get dark because this reflects better on how my eyes would adjust to seeing in the dark fairly accurately as I'm really only able to make out basic shapes in the distance and rudimentary detail in front of me.

There are times when this doesn't work though because the game just decides "Hey there's no moon anymore suddenly" and boof! You're suddenly in the middle of a Tim Burton film and nobody painted anything white and forgot the set lights. It's something I hope they are addressing in the stand alone.