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Make Frozen City (Night) Dark


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#1 Brandeis

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 07:29 AM

I just finished a match on this map, and I have to say I'm rather disappointed.

I was expecting a dark map, where night vision would possibly be a requirement, but instead, the only real changes seem to be that the sky was changed and the fog was removed, giving an even greater visibility than the previous map had. The light levels still seem to be as bright as if the map was in daylight, and the sun is still there, shining down brightly and illuminating the landscape.

Now I have been outside in the woods in winter under the light of a full moon, and it is surprisingly bright. Snow is very reflective, and there is a high contrast between it and trees and buildings. This was not present here, even the back side of the buildings were well illuminated. It honestly gave me a better impression of a lunar landscape than it did a city locked in a glacier.

My suggestions are this:
  • Give a slight blueshift to the light, it doesn't need to be much but light on snow seems more blue at night.
  • Drop the directional lighting from the sun/moon by at least 75% If not more.
  • Remove Ambient Lighting or drop it down to a very minimal level so there is a higher contrast between light and dark areas.
  • Change the "Sun" to be a moon instead, or remove it entirely, and also remove the directional lighting and leave ambient lighting from the stars to compensate.

I think these changes would give a much better "night time" feel to the map, and without as much ambient light, the contrast between the light and dark would hamper visibility, making night/thermal vision more useful.

Having the shadows be darker also gives more tactical uses, such as having a mech shut down in the shadow of a building where it would be much harder to see, in preparation for an ambush.

#2 Bhael Fire

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 07:46 AM

I think this is a bug.

They'll probably have the lighting fixed on the next patch.

#3 Brandeis

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 07:59 AM

Well, if it's a bug I can understand then, but I would think they would have caught it in testing.

#4 Bhael Fire

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 08:08 AM

I can't imagine them not noticing the bright blown out day time lighting with a pitch black sky; It has to be a bug.

#5 Brandeis

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 08:11 AM

Well, it's shown that way in the preview pic before the match starts. That leads me to believe it is intentional. I was also in the map again, and I noticed, the shadow side of all mechs are really dark, and so are mechs in shadow, but with the ambient lighting so high on the buildings and such, they stuck out like sore thumbs.

Edited by Brandeis, 28 November 2012 - 08:12 AM.


#6 Deadoon

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 08:16 AM

The map looks like someone turned fullbright on, and added shadows afterwords. If they wanted to make a night map, make it dark.

#7 Orkimedes

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 08:16 AM

They said that this is just the initial implementation and that it's going to get (a lot) darker. I'm guessing they'll fix night vision and lighting for this map to something more suitable in the same patch.

#8 Bhael Fire

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 08:19 AM

View PostOrkimedes, on 28 November 2012 - 08:16 AM, said:

They said that this is just the initial implementation and that it's going to get (a lot) darker. I'm guessing they'll fix night vision and lighting for this map to something more suitable in the same patch.


Yeah, thought so. Like I said, no self-respecting art lead would allow an environment like this to ship unless they were an amateur...and these guys aren't exactly screaming 'noob' if you know what I mean.

#9 Vertrucio

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 06:16 PM

Anyone who has played Chromehounds knows how awesome night missions can be in a mech game.

PGI, you really need to make sure you top a now 5 year old game with clunky mech mechanics with a better night map.

I mean, there's got to be a use for the Night Vision mode.

#10 Bhael Fire

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 10:33 PM

I would LOVE if the lighting was so dark that Night Vision or flood lights were required to see anything.

#11 VXJaeger

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Posted 29 November 2012 - 01:09 AM

Map looks like clear sky and full moon night on Finnish winter at -25C. Actually pretty realistic, only penguins and polar bears are missing.

Edited by VXJaeger, 29 November 2012 - 01:10 AM.


#12 Ciel Noir

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Posted 29 November 2012 - 05:27 AM

REASON TO USE NIGHTVISION NAO!!! :(

#13 Jadel Blade

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Posted 29 November 2012 - 05:41 AM

View PostCiel Noir, on 29 November 2012 - 05:27 AM, said:

REASON TO USE NIGHTVISION NAO!!! :D


Been drinking?

#14 Bhael Fire

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Posted 29 November 2012 - 08:06 AM

View PostVXJaeger, on 29 November 2012 - 01:09 AM, said:

Map looks like clear sky and full moon night on Finnish winter at -25C. Actually pretty realistic, only penguins and polar bears are missing.


Having personally experienced polar nights on a full moon, I know what you're thinking; the snow seems to glow at night. However, the lighting in Frozen City (Night) is not set up correctly. It's using daylighting (basically the same as the day map only with fog removed and a new skybox).

The lighting need more bluish tones and MUST be darkened a bit with deeper shadows. Something like this:

Posted Image

#15 pesco

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Posted 29 November 2012 - 08:12 AM

View PostBhael Fire, on 29 November 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:

the lighting in Frozen City (Night) is not set up correctly. It's using daylighting (basically the same as the day map only with fog removed and a new skybox).


View PostBhael Fire, on 28 November 2012 - 08:19 AM, said:

these guys aren't exactly screaming 'noob'


Hm.

Then again, I have no idea how this lighting stuff really works, so.

#16 VXJaeger

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Posted 30 November 2012 - 01:28 AM

View PostBhael Fire, on 29 November 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:


Having personally experienced polar nights on a full moon, I know what you're thinking; the snow seems to glow at night. However, the lighting in Frozen City (Night) is not set up correctly. It's using daylighting (basically the same as the day map only with fog removed and a new skybox).

The lighting need more bluish tones and MUST be darkened a bit with deeper shadows. Something like this:


I think that people who haven't ever visited north of arctic circle at winter doesn't realize, that it CAN be brighter during night at full moon than daytime :D
Your're right about the colours.

Interesting map would be "Frozen gauss valley at night" with huge steam pillars, fogged lowerlands where u can totally hide yourself w/ shutdown etc. :lol:

Edited by VXJaeger, 30 November 2012 - 01:41 AM.


#17 Sean von Steinike

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Posted 30 November 2012 - 01:47 AM

Snow is very, very reflective. A full moon night can make it be almost like daylight.

#18 Adrienne Vorton

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Posted 30 November 2012 - 05:02 AM

View PostSean von Steinike, on 30 November 2012 - 01:47 AM, said:

Snow is very, very reflective. A full moon night can make it be almost like daylight.

yep, seen that several times, especially on icy places with a rocky surrounding... frozen city night is not that far from reality...maybe a little more blue though :wub:

Edited by Adrienne Vorton, 30 November 2012 - 05:04 AM.






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