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Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!


madmole

Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!  

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  1. 1. Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

    • A18 Stable is Out!
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I do :-)

 

It's very difficult to fix. The root cause is calculating lighting probes in a voxel environment. Three dimensional objects in a computer are just a shell, they have no internal structure. This leads to light leakage between adjacent, seemingly solid objects.

 

This problem also affects static worlds and game lighting in general if they're not set up correctly but is most noticeable in voxel engines as they exacerbate the problem.

 

I see. Again interesting...

So lighting is treated specially, even from artificial sources?

 

I ask, since otherwise, an easy workaround could be, to track "closed rooms". Like in Empyrion, where a room will only hold oxygen if the room is fully closed. So if the room is fully closed, you know the 6 surfaces, and could deny light past these...

 

But if it was that easy, I'm sure it would have been done now... Oh well, at least it's not the worst issue in the world...

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Earlier on, madmole indicated that nights are not as dark anymore because the moon is brighter.

 

I haven't played it obviously, but I was wondering if that should be reverted, and instead the ability to see better in the dark should be added as a perk for stealth characters.

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It would be cool if you can fix the lack of bandits in game. Thanks

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Earlier on, madmole indicated that nights are not as dark anymore because the moon is brighter.

 

I haven't played it obviously, but I was wondering if that should be reverted, and instead the ability to see better in the dark should be added as a perk for stealth characters.

 

I can save some skillpoints with my gamma, brightness and contrast settings in my monitor. :p

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<snipped for space>

 

There are _no_ natural light sources inside a computer. :-)

 

The main ones are directional, point and spot. The directional light is representing the sun and is the one that leaks through the ground to illuminate caves. Candles are a point light and spotlights... well, you might guess that one.

 

Fataal has already taken steps to improve the point lights which was what the OP was about.

 

Calculating closed rooms is ridiculously expensive on system resources, it's best to avoid that if possible.

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Earlier on, madmole indicated that nights are not as dark anymore because the moon is brighter.

 

I haven't played it obviously, but I was wondering if that should be reverted, and instead the ability to see better in the dark should be added as a perk for stealth characters.

 

Our nights seem to be a moving target. I make them pitch black, someone else changes something and they are bright again.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D8z1anTVUAAPqse?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

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What if darkness was rendered as a certain number of pixels being blacked out entirely? Kind of like alpha stippling, but with gamma? Gamma stippling? Anyway, that would be a way to limit visibility in a way that wouldn't be as affected by turning up the gamma. From my lack of expertise and Murphy's Law, I'm guessing there would be issues with that though.

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Our nights seem to be a moving target. I make them pitch black, someone else changes something and they are bright again.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D8z1anTVUAAPqse?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

I hope at some point this could be an option or perk if you guys manage to get it sorted and decide what it should be. I think a perception guy could maybe get some kind of cat-eye effect going to make the night less dark for him (like the cat potion int The Witcher 3). Nights should be dark, but people will then turn up gamma to make it bright again though. If the nights are dark light will make more sense as well and so does being detected or not when you use it or stand in it.

 

But A18 is looking sharp, are those new steel arrows or just the icon changed?

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Our nights seem to be a moving target. I make them pitch black, someone else changes something and they are bright again.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D8z1anTVUAAPqse?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

Well hopefully whomever it is that keeps brightening the world also fixed the additive nature of how the systems work which fundamentally break the stealth.

 

The meter should go down as it transitions, not up ;)

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I hope at some point this could be an option or perk if you guys manage to get it sorted and decide what it should be. I think a perception guy could maybe get some kind of cat-eye effect going to make the night less dark for him (like the cat potion int The Witcher 3). Nights should be dark, but people will then turn up gamma to make it bright again though. If the nights are dark light will make more sense as well and so does being detected or not when you use it or stand in it.

 

But A18 is looking sharp, are those new steel arrows or just the icon changed?

 

All new icons.

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Well hopefully whomever it is that keeps brightening the world also fixed the additive nature of how the systems work which fundamentally break the stealth.

 

The meter should go down as it transitions, not up ;)

 

Its kind of nice being able to see a bit. I'm doing a lot of stealth kills. I might depend on the biome though, I need to see the others yet.

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Its kind of nice being able to see a bit. I'm doing a lot of stealth kills. I might depend on the biome though, I need to see the others yet.

 

Ever thought about adding a black and white thermal (FLIR) scope for weapons? Or goggles for bow users. Could be a high tier item. Night vision goggles are ok as long as you stay outside, but once you go inside a POI they quickly lose their luster. It's because of the lights in the POI.

 

Zombie Outbreak:

crowd-control-1.jpg

 

 

Edit: Would make hunting animals at night amazingly cool also.

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I only changed "player's wall torch", which is a point light. An artist ended up checking the rest of the light prefabs, so they are done now too.

 

The sun is a directional infinite light that changes direction over time, which is very different.

 

And a very necessary fix. We've been noticing the sunrise and the daylight since a1 inside deep caves/when mining because of that. Also, a lot of shinny POIS inside when It's daytime. I would divorce my wife and marry you if you pull it off. Figuratively. It's a "Mantis shrimp" love hint.

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And a very necessary fix. We've been noticing the sunrise and the daylight since a1 inside deep caves/when mining because of that.

 

Yes, please fix. Its hugely annoying. Also gun/player are not effected (ie, stlil lit by same light even though standing in shadows etc)

 

Also, a lot of shinny POIS inside when It's daytime.

 

Different issue, easy to fix... (let me at the blocks please). :)

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Well hopefully whomever it is that keeps brightening the world also fixed the additive nature of how the systems work which fundamentally break the stealth.

 

The meter should go down as it transitions, not up

 

Its kind of nice being able to see a bit. I'm doing a lot of stealth kills. I might depend on the biome though, I need to see the others yet.

 

Sure, seeing is one thing. In terms of stealth and world lighting, the game is backwards. (IMO)

 

As the world should be getting darker, its actually getting brighter which makes it easier for you to be seen.(and to see)

 

Maybe it is intended design, maybe not.

examples.

 

Vanilla compared with hdhq.

 

Midnight Clear - Stealth = 6

tZy1IFn.jpg

 

Midnight Clouds 100 - Stealth = 9

F0txPIA.jpg

 

Midnight Rain - Stealth = 14

YfDqzFG.jpg

 

Modded Midnight Clear - Stealth = 8

l5rd6Qw.jpg

 

Modded Clouds 100 - Stealth = 6

gu1LsIU.jpg

 

Modded Rain - Stealth = 3

olnMPx0.jpg

 

TLDR: In vanilla its easier to be seen at the darkest period than under full moon light.

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It would be cool if dark was actually dark.

 

Gamma? Am I missing something?

 

The middle of the night is not really all that dark but I cannot move or do anything for 2 hours a night unless I have a light because it gets so dark I cant see anything whatsoever.

 

Or do you want it to be that dark all night? Not sure if that is a good idea considering that a light negates this but early players will be regulated to sitting around staring at the clock through the night. The light levels as they are in 17.3 (have not tried 4 yet) seemed just fine if you tuned your gamma properly.

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