A suggestion / idea: Nighttime 'colours'

[RPS69]

Originally Posted by KG26_Alpha

I would imagine (to to it properly) you will need separate map textures created for TOD
perhaps 5 classes sunrise midday evening dusk and night to make it "realistic" but that's a big ask.

Actually, it is done that way already. When you got 32 bit enabled, the last 8 are used for lights. You could see this by generating TGA files, and opening them with a picture editor that support multi layered images. A screen shot at night will look full daylight just by removing this last layer.

Problem is that colors are being darkened, but not turned into B/W.

It could be achieved by establishing a threshold on the darkening layer. When lights go below X, all colour levels are equalized, achieving a true night sight.

[KG26_Alpha]

Originally Posted by RPS69

Actually, it is done that way already. When you got 32 bit enabled, the last 8 are used for lights. You could see this by generating TGA files, and opening them with a picture editor that support multi layered images. A screen shot at night will look full daylight just by removing this last layer.

Problem is that colors are being darkened, but not turned into B/W.

It could be achieved by establishing a threshold on the darkening layer. When lights go below X, all colour levels are equalized, achieving a true night sight.

How are you generating the tga file ?

[RPS69]

Well, I did that a long time ago. You just took an ingame screenshot. It generates TGA. I hope they didn't change it to some useless JPG.

I will check if still works.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by RPS69

Well, I did that a long time ago. You just took an ingame screenshot. It generates TGA. I hope they didn't change it to some useless JPG.

There's the option to save screenshots as .jpg, but you can still save them as .tga.

.jpg is better if you're trying to upload screenshots to the web. .tga is better for photo editing work.

[KG26_Alpha]

.tga format is available still but i don't see the "layers" in PS CS6

[RPS69]

Yep. It was removed. They don't allow to save 32 bit pics anymore. Now I remember that at some time it was removed as a solution to an online hack about hitting print screen to generate lag.

Anyway, that TGA thing was only to apreciate the light masking layer. It is there.

[Furio]

Just try a google search of these two: Frederic Remington and Frank Tenney Johnson. They are two great American painters and used to portray night in green, with great realism and stunning results.

I’m sceptical about “laws” on colour perception by human eyes, as there are as many differences as human beings. To say nothing about tastes: for example, I would love green nights!

I cannot say much about technical feasibility, but I feel that, as the time resources of TD are limited and precious, they should be better employed elsewhere. What I can say, I’m pretty sure that some people would be happy, some neutral, and some unhappy, with all the in-between shades.

In short: if any change is made, please keep it as an option!