MERGED: Night time, darkness, gamma

[zekez 4]

Considering nighttime is basically the only chance I get to play without work / wife bothering me, I believe darkness should be an impairment not a down-right reason to not play the game.

After all, if this was a real apocalypse I sure as hell wouldn't be wandering around at night nullifying the only real advantage over the zombies I have [sight].

Sure the moon helps, but when it's say, 9pm and the moons not due to be full for another few hours, well... I guess you could change servers. I for one don't like my gaming dependent on which season it is and whether the moon is waxing or waning.

I would love it if it could be forced to make it playable and everyone equal, I don't like boosting my gamma, I feel dirty doing it, but I also get no joy in not being able to see 2 feet in front of me.

[mattressi 3]

I'll try it tonight. I know that maxing HDR is meant to help' date=' but I literally can't see a thing on clear nights even with gamma and brightness maxed. Surely HDR can't make literally a night and day difference?

[/quote']

Well, I tried it and it does help a quite a bit, but I still can't get anything as clear as your image is. Still, I'd rather play the proper way and now that I've got a torch and chemlights, I might actually not hate the night.

[funyguy1357@gmail.com 1]

Try putting your HDR to max and it makes it all the more clearer. Disable shadows too.

I'll try it tonight. I know that maxing HDR is meant to help' date=' but I literally can't see a thing on clear nights even with gamma and brightness maxed. Surely HDR can't make literally a night and day difference?

[/quote']

Turning anti-aliasing to 5 or higher makes the ground turn from pitch black to light gray. I don't have my settings that high because of the fps drop, but I thought I'd add that for people with better computers.

[ToupNSG 0]

Nope. Use a flare or chem light. Some of us love the darkness' date=' and (hopefully) it will remain unchanged in future updates.

Remember, this is a survival horror mod, night time is supposed to be hard and scary.

[/quote']

But it's pitch black. Literally.

---

Nope. Use a flare or chem light. Some of us love the darkness' date=' and (hopefully) it will remain unchanged in future updates.

Remember, this is a survival horror mod, night time is supposed to be hard and scary.

[/quote']

But it's pitch black. Literally.

[Sgt.Spam 42]

@Sgt. Spam:This isn't some casual as fuck game built for casuals to enjoy' date=' stop playing it like such.

[/quote']

Guess I missed that in the Read Me. Also, don't tell me how to play my game, thanks.

You guys want to bumble around in the dark like a doofus, knock yourselves out.

[PeteOfButcherBay 17]

try using red chemlights, if your to scared to use them at night.. well thats your problem.

[Ignus 0]

Dark nights are good, I'm very for dark nights. However, every night being so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face is both terribly un-fun and unrealistic.

[Grey508 17]

Dark nights are good' date=' I'm very for dark nights. However, every night being so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face is both terribly un-fun and unrealistic.

[/quote']

Every night isn't. Tonight is the new moon, so this is as dark as it gets. In about a week it'll start to get brighter.

[Ignus 0]

In that case I take it back. Wasn't aware the servers kept up with the lunar cycle.

[Aerograt 0]

I haven't ever seen a flare at the grocery or drug store, yet I see a whole section for flashlights in the stores. Also, who doesn't have a flashlight in real life?

Just saying, since everyone is using this argument for scoped rifles.

[zekez 4]

I think a flashlight w/ AA batteries should be in the starting kit, I have a ton of flashlights around the house, I don't have 10 road flares... just saying.

[ZehDon 0]

I played for the first time this evening, and it was obviously night time. Not being kitted out, the game was frankly and simply not fun at all.

If it wasn't for the immensely interesting stories I've seen coming out of this mod, I'd have uninstalled it right then and there. I understand I'm new to this, but I represent what a new player would experience if this was the only time they could play.

Swap the server times around, so that people currently playing in the Day have to endure the basically unplayable nature of the current Night. I suspect they'll change their tune fairly quickly.

[Unknown Killa 2]

I played for the first time this evening' date=' and it was obviously night time. Not being kitted out, the game was frankly and simply not fun at all.

If it wasn't for the immensely interesting stories I've seen coming out of this mod, I'd have uninstalled it right then and there. I understand I'm new to this, but I represent what a new player would experience if this was the only time they could play.

Swap the server times around, so that people currently playing in the Day have to endure the basically unplayable nature of the current Night. I suspect they'll change their tune fairly quickly.

[/quote']

It isn't unplayable at all, use your flares and quit moaning. The game isn't here to hold your hand, use sources of light instead of running around in the dark.

[ZehDon 0]

I don't mean to be rude "Unkown Killa", but I did use my flares. All 10 of them. I walked around, dropping flares so that I could make some kind of understanding of my location. When one went out, I'd drop another.

Once all 10 are used, what's the objective?

I'm not asking for the removal of nights - I'm asking for the nights to be a continuation of the gameplay that occurs during the day time. As it stands, at night, players log off. Not because they want to stop playing, but because it's not fun to play.

If we're to use the 10 starting flares sparingly - as is obviously the case - then we're spending large portions of time in the unplayable darkness. If you can't see, how do you play?

[mansize_rooster 19]

Just a heads up for people who didn't know: you can pick up flares by throwing them and selecting the "pick up flare" option. It makes you a moving target but at least now you can see a distance farther than your nose.

I said it in a previous thread and I'm sure it's been dozens of times in this thread,

I would love a server side option that allows them to change the day/night scaling. I do understand people want a ultra-survival realism game and that is okay by me. However, as someone who plays mostly during the afternoons (8pm+) I do not want to be forced to play only during the night. So allowing servers to choose themselves is a win/win. :cool:

[PeteOfButcherBay 17]

the longer you play at night the brighter it becomes because arma2 uses light attenuation to simulate eyes adjusting to the dark it just takes time. and like the guy above said the game follows lunar cycle so most of the night currently doesn't have the moon out and thus no moonlight, trust me it will get a lot brighter at night over the next week so chin up and continue on or take a break from dayz for a few day(z)s.

P.S red flashlight/red chemlights are your best friend people won't see you until you can hear them which usually gives you enough time to drop the chemlight and put it out or just leave it on the floor find somewhere close to hide and wait till they check it out and blam! catch my drift?

Goodluck in the dark nights ahead muhahahahaa..

[Dylan(Pezix) 0]

It's obvious that the game makers realized that the game gets MEGA FUCKIN DARK, that's why you spawn with flares and if YOU'RE TOO NERVOUS to use them then the game has achieved it's goal in scaring you out of an action that might cause your death in turn which means you're surviving which is the WHOLE point of a survival game, Day Z is hitting it's mark on being a realistic survival game. I have to agree with others when there are times where I have been in a thick woods or in fields and haven't been able to see my own hands, but other times when you can half a mile away this game simulates that very accurately IMO.

[Penicks 1]

i think it's very detracting from the experience, this game would still be scary as hell if they let us see at least a bit

100% pitch black is ridiculous, and playing with gamma up is spastic as all hell

[fiya 0]

I don't mean to be rude "Unkown Killa"' date=' but I did use my flares. All 10 of them. I walked around, dropping flares so that I could make some kind of understanding of my location. When one went out, I'd drop another.

Once all 10 are used, what's the objective?

I'm not asking for the removal of nights - I'm asking for the nights to be a continuation of the gameplay that occurs during the day time. As it stands, at night, players log off. Not because they want to stop playing, but because it's not fun to play.

If we're to use the 10 starting flares sparingly - as is obviously the case - then we're spending large portions of time in the unplayable darkness. If you can't see, how do you play?

[/quote']

I have to completely disagree with you on that one. I play the majority of my time at night. (My play time is usually after 8PM on my time.) I LOVE IT. Night time is the ONLY safe time to scavenge large towns and even some of the smaller ones. Using flares thrown far ahead of you and skirting around them while crawling/crouching... Avoiding the Zeds and checking each building. I've filled my inventory with food, flares and ammo with this method consistently. Honestly I enjoy playing at night more than the day. It is much more immersive! Oh and everyone doesn't just log off... Servers are still packed as usual.

Use the darkness when looking for a town (Pretty easy, follow a manmade object. Roads, powerlines, etc.) Use flares far ahead when searching towns, stay LOW and QUIET. PROFIT! Watch as newbies run blindly into the town shooting while you take all the goodies.

[krazebox@gmail.com 0]

Guys - but pitch black nights are realistic. When moon doesn't reflect sunlight onto the Earth's surface what else is there to light it up? In the country there is no light pollution from cities.

You have flares, you have chemlights, you have flashlights, you have NVGs. What's the problem?

You have everything you need to see at night and yet you use lowly cheats trying to ruin it for people playing fair.

Gamma and brightness should be blocked at 1.0 and not go any higher.

[Evil Timmy 0]

Gamma and brightness should be blocked at 1.0 and not go any higher.

That won't really solve anything. Determined users can up the gamma/brightness on their monitors, in their video card control panel, or using a third-party app like Powerstrip. Now, opinions may sway when the moon phase changes, or as more people learn to put HDR to the highest setting (try it!). Right now, there's a huge influx of new users who may have only seen this game as a 'stumbling through a dark forest bad peyote trip' simulator. And, given the popularity of this thread, the near-unplayability of night is an issue.

However, this is meant to be a survival game, so a balance needs to be struck. Vision in the dark should be just enough to avoid walking into huge trees, kind of like the background for the site here. Zombies are best when they "emerge" from the darkness, giving that sense of panic, and the everlasting fight or flight choice...do you shoot this zombie who's just startled you (and risk five more coming at you from that same darkness) or attempt to slip away?

I think extending the power of the HDR visuals would be a great way to keep the brutality and challenge. By actually going for realism and mimicking the eye's slow adjustment to darkness, you leave two more interesting options. You could sneak around in the dark, keeping your eyes accustomed to deep shadow, knowing that the muzzle flash from your stealthy gunshot will burn an afterimage into your vision and plunge into blackness anything more than moderately dark; alternatively, you could throw a flare (or flares) to define a combat arena, where the flash is an inconvenience at worst, and you can see the zombies more clearly, but only in a small area and one that's visible from klicks off, attracting more nearby zombies and possibly faraway bandits.

[Magpie (DayZ) 0]

You know what would help?

If the flashlight didn't replace your sodding sidearm :@

[Jukebox 0]

There are pistols that have built in flashlight. I know the g17 is one of them, there may one or two more

[nakor 2]

A small, weak starter flashlight.. kind of like an aimable glow stick would be pretty nice but to be fair most of the problems with starting at night are because of the hideously inflated Zed counts. Before 1.57 I played at night all the time, and had a blast, now.. not at all. I appreciate realism, but a pitch black screen.. I mean what are you supposed to do with that when you need to navigate past 20 zeds that spawn constantly? You can carry the flare, but then you'll just get slapped by a player. Yeah its a choice, kind of like shooting yourself in the foot or the crotch. Invariably the answer for most people is neither. But anyway, night time should be a lot better once the zed population thins out to a tolerable level.

[Dylan(Pezix) 0]

Well like rocket said this is a cruel, anti-game so it would make sense that it frustrates people. Finding a way to cure the darkness problem would only make the game easier which I don't see happening because this game wasn't made to be easy, he has already been to generous by giving us flares..I mean honestly I don't own a bundle of flares nor do any of my friends so we would be stuck with some perma darkness fuck if that ever happened to us.. well at least until my iphone died haha lol

On the other hand the only other option I see viable would be to make a flash light a starter item because that is a common house hold item I believe everyone could get their hands on in an apocalyptic setting but I would like to see batteries as a scavaging item to replenish your flash light power.