A simple and effective fix for night time gamma "cheating"

[alleycat 135]

How to fix gamma "cheating"

 

It is a fairly simple issue. If you notice, when there is no moon during that night or it is early night or very late night (moon disappeared or not risen yet) then even max gamma settings wont increase visibility. That is because gamma works as sort of a low light intensifier. It amplifies already existing variations of light levels (caused by moonlight). If there is no moonlight, there is nothing to amplify and the gamma wont artificially increase the visibility.

 

So to even out the game so no one can abuse the gamma cheat, simply remove the reflective light at night, the moon itself can still be in the sky for ambience.

If that is not fixed, people will simply use gamma during night and players who want to have atmospherid gameplay, depending on light sources will lose out.

 

 

The fix works for all players, all graphics cards and all monitor settings.

 

 

If you dont believe me, try it for yourself in arma2 or arma3. Set the daytime and date to a situation with no moon present and play with the gamma slider.

 

 

List of arguments for the fix:

 

Easy to do

(I am wildly guessing that hacking the moon ambient light source in the lighting code is not that hard to do)

 

Necessary

To use a metaphore: If people would not test for doping in olympic sports then those who do not use doping would be at a disadvantage. And this is what happens in DAYZ, if you dont use gamma in moonlit nights, you will have a huge disadvantage and losing all your shit 10km inland because you are the only one who agreed voluntarily to play during night. There is no middle ground. Even the slightest variation in lighting can be picked up by gamma. Either we all get the same enforced light levels or anything pertaining to the dangers of night time is irrelevant.

 

 

 

 

EDIT:

 

Proof that it works. Added this on page 4 originally

 

As I expect you guys talking about clouds brightening up the night is not true. The above screenshot was taken shortly before dawn, when the moon has already gone. Gamma jacked up to the max. And clouds at normal.

 

The only thing clouds do is when you turn them completely off, the terrain will not receive any lighting. But the above is with clouds on NORMAL, and no moon present, PROVING my idea that removing the moon lighting will fix gamma cheating and equalize night time for everyone.

Edited December 21, 2013 by alleycat

[applejaxc 2500]

 

So to even out the game so no one can abuse the gamma cheat, simply remove the reflective light at night, the moon itself can still be in the sky for ambience.

 

 

That defeats the ENTIRE purpose for having a detailed night sky.

[whatup2003 67]

They need to mix up the day/night cycle first, I don't want to play on real dark night servers every day (I can only play at night irl).

Besides, brightness and gamma only make you see a little bit better. turning off shadow can really make you see everything.

[Hosty 647]

Not a bad idea.

[alleycat 135]

That defeats the ENTIRE purpose for having a detailed night sky.

It does not, the night sky texture (stars, clouds) are still bright, no matter the settings. Because they are basically painted into the sky texture. The only thing that will not be "gamma cheatable" is the actual terrain lighting levels.

[mercules 1290]

Alternately they can lock the Gama slider. At that point people who want to use gama will have to adjust their monitor's gama which is a bit more annoying.

[alleycat 135]

Alternately they can lock the Gama slider. At that point people who want to use gama will have to adjust their monitor's gama which is a bit more annoying.

That is just a bit more annoying, but it wont prevent people (including me) from rather doing that than risking being eaten by a gamma cheater when having invested an hour of gaming time sneaking into the NW airfield.

[alleycat 135]

Updated first post with more detail

[DJT (DayZ) 3]

Personally, I don't want to play the game only at night (which seems to be how it is now, due to available play times) AND have it be so dark that I can't do anything without constantly having some sort of man-made light.  Having a pitch black environment is not realistic.  If you go outside at night when there are some stars visible and the moon is out, your eyes are going to adjust and you're going to be able to see.  You aren't going to need a flashlight or headlamp to see your own hand in front of your face, and that seems to be what some people want nighttime DayZ to be like.

[CaffeinatedTech 3]

One problem with pitch-black night is that the flashlight kinda sucks.  You hold it out too far in front of you, so when you get close to a door or wall, you can't see anything.  Also you can't hit zombies with it.  I don't like the fact that it's see zeds, or try to hit zeds.  Not both.  

 

Give us nice MagLights so we can brain some zombies.  MagLights also have adjustable focus.  That could be a fire mode setting, wide focus is good for inside buildings, but you can't see too far up the road with it, medium setting works like the current flashlight, and then a long range setting gives you a tight circle of light, but lets you light up the forest 200M away.

 

One more thing.  I don't know if its my settings, I have shadows turned off for performance, but flashlights shine through walls.  If there is a possibility that another player is in town with me while I loot a house, there's no chance I'm risking switching on that flashlight if I know its going to light up the whole street behind the wall like a lighthouse beacon.

[applejaxc 2500]

It does not, the night sky texture (stars, clouds) are still bright, no matter the settings. Because they are basically painted into the sky texture. The only thing that will not be "gamma cheatable" is the actual terrain lighting levels.

 

They are designed to provide light so playing at night is more atmospheric, not the miserable experience it is in the mod, which is why I play with clouds on "Low" instead of "Off" until day time is finally available.

[hells high 676]

"Hey guys look at all this work we've done to improve the lighting system at night. Oh, nope we're just going to undo it all so you can't see at night again. :]"

 

Can't see it happening (pun?).

[alleycat 135]

They are designed to provide light so playing at night is more atmospheric, not the miserable experience it is in the mod, which is why I play with clouds on "Low" instead of "Off" until day time is finally available.

Are you aware that clouds wont brighten the terrain lighting? All nighttime light you see reflectin on the terrain is a directional light, which is the moon light.

[alleycat 135]

"Hey guys look at all this work we've done to improve the lighting system at night. Oh, nope we're just going to undo it all so you can't see at night again. :]"

 

Can't see it happening (pun?).

The night time improvements still apply, because people still have these cool shaders when using a flashlight.

And besides what other choice is cthere? If there is a tiny bit of ambient light = gamma cheat possible. And if you dont gamma cheat, you will lose out in the more hostile areas (anywhere but weapon-less shore lines)

[mercules 1290]

Personally, I don't want to play the game only at night (which seems to be how it is now, due to available play times) AND have it be so dark that I can't do anything without constantly having some sort of man-made light.  Having a pitch black environment is not realistic.  If you go outside at night when there are some stars visible and the moon is out, your eyes are going to adjust and you're going to be able to see.  You aren't going to need a flashlight or headlamp to see your own hand in front of your face, and that seems to be what some people want nighttime DayZ to be like.

 

But overcast nights are pitch black if there is not light pollution scattering back from the clouds. You can see fairly well when the moon is out. It looks a good deal like RL(till the gamma slider goes up).

 

I don't like the fact that it's see zeds, or try to hit zeds.  Not both.

Find a Headlamp. Hands free light.

[alleycat 135]

 

But overcast nights are pitch black if there is not light pollution scattering back from the clouds. You can see fairly well when the moon is out. It looks a good deal like RL(till the gamma slider goes up).

 

Find a Headlamp. Hands free light.

 

 

Go for a walk in an a slightly overcast night, or in a moonless night. And in a forest. I can assure you wont be able to see your own hand in front of you in real life.

And the basic issue remains. Either we enforce the immersive darkness for all players (willing to play at night, once the servers get different daytimes) or it becomes irrelevant and highly dangerous for those who dont gamma

Edited December 18, 2013 by alleycat

[CaffeinatedTech 3]

The servers do have different day times.  You just have to find them.  Be nice if it told you the world time in the server browser.  Sometimes I like to play at night.

[applejaxc 2500]

Are you aware that clouds wont brighten the terrain lighting? All nighttime light you see reflectin on the terrain is a directional light, which is the moon light.

 

Obviously, you haven't tested the in game settings at all.

 

Full gamma slider + clouds disabled = dark game

Full gamma slider + clouds "Very low" = able to see everything

[AP_Norris 1018]

They need to mix up the day/night cycle first, I don't want to play on real dark night servers every day (I can only play at night irl).

Besides, brightness and gamma only make you see a little bit better. turning off shadow can really make you see everything.

They should make shadows mandatory.

And just lower the amount you can change your gamma and brightness.

Edited December 18, 2013 by AP_Norris

[alleycat 135]

What time and date have you tested it on?

[CaffeinatedTech 3]

Full gamma slider + clouds disabled = dark game

Full gamma slider + clouds "Very low" = able to see everything

 

It's true.  and I'm guilty of it too.

 

Before everyone knew about the gamma + clouds thing you could tell which servers were on day time and which were on night from the server browser.  Full server = day, almost empty server = night.

 

That's gotta be some sort of indicator that night time play needs some work.  I reckon the starting flashlight needs some tweaks.

Edited December 18, 2013 by CaffeinatedTech

[alleycat 135]

I have clouds on normal, and night is pitch black IF there is no moon present. (Have you guys tested it under teh conditions I stated? It has to be absolutely MOONLESS. Which is only for a short time after sunset and before dawn (because its a near full moon in the real world today).

 

I will test it ingame again but cant connect to any server.

Edited December 18, 2013 by alleycat

[CaffeinatedTech 3]

They should make shadows mandatory.

And just lower the amount you can change your gamma and brightness.

 

I agree.  Having free night-vision is rubbish.  Forcing shadows on will negatively impact low-end systems but if it stops the light from shining through walls so you stand out like a friggin light house then I'm all for it.

No one NEEDS that ridiculous amount of gamma correction unless they are cheating at night.  I'm with AP_Norris, it should be clamped to a much smaller scale.  If they want to up the gamma on their monitor or in their OS, then there's not much we can do about it.

If they remove the additional lighting that the clouds seem to offer, then I suppose that is a solution, just let people know the server time in the server browser.  New players logging in for the first time who see a pitch black screen and a heap of red writing in the bottom left corner might think that the game is broken.

[todd10k 87]

doesn't work. Even with no moon or ambient light maxing the gamma and brightness gives you some vision. It's low detail and you wouldn't be able to make anything at a distance, but it does work. 

 

Everyone needs to get over this as a "thing" and shut the fuck up about it. It's existed as long as games have had nights and there is nothing anyone can do.

[alleycat 135]

1 I dont buy the idea that clouds cause more reflective light. (need to see that for myself before I believe it)

2 YOu cant make a blanket assumption how much gamm everyone needs. Monitors have wildly varying settings.