Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Crypts are too dark

Crypts are too dark. It's extremely hard to see any corpses, items, containers or loot that is on the ground.

I understand that it is supposed to be dark, but real darkness is not fun in the game and the realization of darkness needs some reworking. Darkness should more be a feeling, than literal darkness. It's just not fun running around and squinting your eyes at the monitor. It's especially bad if you suffer from night blindless, like I do. To put it bluntly, I don't see shit in the crypts.

To give you a better understanding of what I mean, I'll show you two screenshots. The first one is from the crypts in BG3. It's just washed out grey goo. Can't see anything in there.

The second one is from Diablo 3. Notice that it's also some kind of crypt, but they play with color and light to create a gloomy and depressing atmosphere to create the sense of darkness. They work with contrast to create plastic surroundings in which you can easily identify objects.

Does that character have Darkvision? It's supposed to be dark if the person has no light source and no low-light vision.

The game works with light sources, shadows and abilities like Darkvision... it's kinda intended that way.

Yeah, darkness is definitely tough to deal with. I'm personally in favour of them changing it, but I will say that I think it's cool that they implemented Darkvision by having crypts literally be brighter for your character if they have dark vision. My main is a Drow with Superior Darkvision so it actually took me by surprise when I selected another companion and realized it was darker for them.

You are supposed to light torches or use magic.

I can't disagree with this enough. It has always bothered me when, for example, you enter a place no has supposedly entered in eons in the lights are all on. Between this and what it looks like Solasta is doing too, developers are finally getting it right. Fire up a torch or cast that light spell. Dungeoneering 101.

Darkvision is as bad as an excuse as all other games with complete darkness. If you don't have Darkvision, going into dark areas is simply not fun and annoying. If you have Darkvision, you're forced to use it all the time and it usually desaturates colors, so you're still not playing a vibrant game.

Darkvision should give you better chances at passive checks for hidden buttons, levers, loot and whatnot. But not force you into a specific play style.

And as I said. Especially when you're having bad eyesight, you're punished twice when this is not changed.

Light
A
Torch

😂

Maybe, than again, if darkness is employed to enhance the game (stealth, using shadows to fuel spells, etc.) it can make for very enjoyable gameplay... fundamentally, though: Darkness SHOULD generally be annoying, and you should want to circumvent it somehow.

A game should be annoying? Interesting. So, if darkvision becomes the new normal, what's the issue with just getting rid of a useless visual mechanic and implement it in a different way that makes it still special, but not annoying for everyone else?

Omg, dude, darkvision isn’t the only solution. Light a torch.

Strongly disagree.
Right now, you have to have either spells, torches or darkvision to handle darkness, and at the same time it provides a lot of opportunity for stealthing. With a bit more polish this is hopefully going to be a really cool system.
What we DO need though, is a way to light our torches without having to shoot fire on the ground or similar. Ever hear of matches Larian?

If they get rid of the darkness as it is it will invalidate a couple of the level one spells you get access to, what’s the point of the wizards light spell if you don’t have to worry about it getting dark?

Sometimes, yes... You should be able to stumble into dark room, not realizing it is already occupied by 20 drow elite warriors with darkvision, standing perfectly still and watching your every move. That's something you can't have with darkness not really being dark.

It's the closest thing you'll get to DM just not telling you what's infront of you if you didn't think to bring a torch...

Pretty sure you can light any torch, fire based light etc by right clicking and selecting Use

I read you the first time. No need to repeat it two times.

Bring a torch. Or better even: bring a drow. Their dark vision is just amazing compared to the other races. I could see clearly the difference between mine and shadowheart's.

T O R C H

Then why did you say that not having dark vision was “annoying for everyone else?”

The game has a gamma setting.

The darkness varies between PCs. I think the crypt is awesome, but my PC may be less dark than yours.