Larian Banner: Baldur's Gate Patch 9
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
What's with all the cracks and crevices letting in streams of daylight in just about every cave and dungeon? The point of darkvision and torches and such is to create visibility in total darkness. When characters enter the heart of the Dank Crypt or the spider lair or the owlbear cave, there should be 0 visibility unless you use a torch or have dark vision. This creates a spookier ambiance and makes it more realistic.

Why does Larian hate darkness? Selunites dogs!

Shadowheart told me she hates you. 😁

Last edited by GM4Him; 27/10/21 12:08 PM.
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Germany
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Germany
dungeons as like in Bards Tale1 smile
Square for square good old retro dungeons.
With hidden buttons on the wall and invisible Walls or the other way illusional walls. Teleporter fields, traps which drop your 1-3 levels deeper.
All those shenanigans, yes. That would call for a whole other part of the game wher such constructed Dungeon exist.
Naturally this what we have atm in EA is just what fits the area and purpose for lowlevel. Wont make sense to send us in such a huge artificial dungeon as like old RPGs did at that time.
And i can tell because i originally played on C64 in the mid to end 80ties last century such RPGs
And some fresher ones the last years on the retro trip they gave, like Grimrock 1+2 and similar ones

and for the purpose of Darksight, i love it so much i have allways characters who can see in the dark. I dont like to waste spellslots or using torches instead of weapons.
Even when torches in BG3 lowlevel are very viable as weapons wink

Last edited by TheHero; 27/10/21 12:22 PM.
Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
I'm not even talking all those traps, etc. I'm just talking basic lighting. Every dungeon is lit. Even the Underdark.

Dungeons are meant to be subterranean and pitch black. An owlbear cave should be exactly this, as should the necromancer's lair, the basement of the goblin lair, the spider lair, and especially the Underdark.

It would also make rendering easier on computers if I can't see more than 60 feet as an elf or half elf and more than 120 as a Drow. The game wouldn't have to have these massive, subterranean views where you can see for miles because of all the glowing plantlife.

Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Liberec
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Liberec
Since you just recently asked me when i suggested something myself ...

Check this. laugh I bet you will like it. smile
https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=793634#Post793634


If my comments bother you, there is nothing easier than telling me to stop.
I mean ... I won't ... but it's easy to say. wink
Joined: Apr 2021
member
Offline
member
Joined: Apr 2021
I tend to agree with you that with patch 6 everything became very illuminated. A lot of strange sources of light coming in even if you're below ground.
But I think they also played around a lot with lighting to make it as pretty as possible.

I actually love the fact that the Underdark is beautiful and lit up, yet dark and scary.

But they definitely need to reduce the light in certain dungeons/caves/cellars.

Joined: Aug 2021
C
addict
Offline
addict
C
Joined: Aug 2021
+1 this. There's almost no point in considering darkvision when selecting a race.

Joined: Jul 2014
M
apprentice
Offline
apprentice
M
Joined: Jul 2014
I think these dungeons you're talking about are ruins underground and aboveground which have collapsed ceilings/etc.... and there's nothing wrong with the design. I just don't think you understand the idea of ruins being ruined. Areas which are intended to be isolated from the world above and quite correctly isolated without these beams of light you hate so much.


Take Care, Have Fun and Bee Well!
Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
Originally Posted by Montiness
I think these dungeons you're talking about are ruins underground and aboveground which have collapsed ceilings/etc.... and there's nothing wrong with the design. I just don't think you understand the idea of ruins being ruined. Areas which are intended to be isolated from the world above and quite correctly isolated without these beams of light you hate so much.

I don't hate the rays. The game is beautiful as is. I am suggesting it could be better with appropriate ambiance.

I can understand one or two places, but I'm talking about almost every "dungeon" in the EA; a Dungeons and Dragons game.

I can see maybe the dank crypt and maybe the druid grove, but the owlbear cave, the spider lair, the necromancer's lair, the hag lair, the goblin base basement, and THE UNDERDARK. It's dark, yes, without rays of sunlight, but my goodness every inch is lit.

I am missing dark ambiance in this game. Glaring sunlight everywhere on the surface and even light everywhere in caves and dungeons. This is not DUNGEONS and dragons right now.

I will never forget one of my first D&D experiences. My brothers playing Dragonlance at night in the basement. Caramon was alone in a pitch black cavern. All he had was a torch. Suddenly, a roar at the far end. Something was moving in the dark beyond the light of his torch.

Suddenly, flames burst alive a hundred feet ahead of him showing just how huge the cavern truly was. The jet of fire came right at him. He dove to the side and rolled to his feet to avoid them only to behold the awesome sight of Tekissis, Queen of Evil Dragons in all her splendor. Five heads,one read, one blue, one white, one black and one green, all glared at him with hatred, lit up only momentarily by the fire.

And the look on my brother's friend's face who was playing the character was priceless. It was just a game, but he was wetting himself as he sat there.

The ambiance of it being dark outside literally in a dark basement with my brother, the DM, describing a completely dark cavern system so huge he couldn't even see the walls or ceiling, that was truly an awesome experience.

Likewise, when I've played games where it is totally dark, the ambiance is much more sinister and scary. You have a map in the upper right corner, so as you map out dungeons, you should still be able to find your way even if the lighting isn't so bright everywhere.

I'm just saying, I don't even mind some very minimal lighting for those who do not have dark vision and more with those who have dark vision, but right now every dungeon is too well lit. I hardly ever use torches at all because I just don't need them like I should need them, just to see unless I'm someone with dark vision.

Since the dawn of D&D, torches have always been a staple basic necessity for any adventuring party because they infiltrate dark dungeons.

Last edited by GM4Him; 27/10/21 04:10 PM.
Joined: Aug 2021
C
addict
Offline
addict
C
Joined: Aug 2021
Originally Posted by GM4Him
I can see maybe the dank crypt and maybe the druid grove, but the owlbear cave, the spider lair, the necromancer's lair, the hag lair, the goblin base basement, and THE UNDERDARK. It's dark, yes, without rays of sunlight, but my goodness every inch is lit.

/especially/ the spider lair! There's a village on top of it! There are no holes in the roof or we'd see them in the village

Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
The Underdark is so bright. It's killing me.

Not really. I mean, it's pretty, but it's so not dark enough. Sunlight streaming down, things glowing everywhere.

Joined: Jun 2020
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Jun 2020
ICAN still see the difference between dark vision & non dark vision such that whenever I notice it I immediately swap characters….
Either that or I ocd and seek every single light source out to turn on ….they do look a lot prettier now

I like realism to a certain point …staggering around in the dark with a torch only starts to wear thin after about 10 mins … but hey that’s just me.

Joined: Sep 2021
apprentice
Offline
apprentice
Joined: Sep 2021
I wouldn't like it darker. As Taron mentioned, you can easily see the difference when you play with a character which has no dark vision, compared to someone who does. I always use the "light' cantrip or a light source because otherwise I find it too dark to see well. I think it's fine as it is largely.

Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
I would like to retract my comments on this. Lol. In the Underdark, the game was glitching hard and causing even those who have darkvision to not be able to see anything. In other words, the lighting in the Underdark was glitching and plunging everything into total darkness. Oh my gosh! Be careful what you wish for. Very frustrating. Couldn't see a gosh darn thing. It was so frustrating just trying to find the enemies on the map to target them. I'd usually have to wait for the game to stop glitching and make it brighter again.

That said, I think for me it's the light sources that bother me. Sunlight streaming down even into the depths of the Underdark. I do really like the ambiances for many areas in the Underdark. The more I was exploring in Patch 6, the more I was really liking the feel of it. Still, there were patches where beaming sunlight was pouring in. Made no sense.

There can be lighting so the players can see without having some blinding sunlight source of light. And that, ultimately, is what I'm looking for. Places where it makes sense, yeah. No problem. The owlbear cave in the area where the Selune statue is, that makes sense to have sunlight streaming down because she's a goddess of light. The Dank Crypt, I can kind of see that because it is so freaking old. The Underdark? No. You shouldn't have sunlight streaming into the Underdark. Same with the Whispering Depths and other places where the monsters are dwelling there because they hate the sun and are avoiding it.

Joined: Oct 2021
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Oct 2021
I would definitely like some dark areas where darkvision/torches are needed. I've only had the game since patch 5 but was really disappointed that one room in the dank crypt went from total blackness to being lit. Also why the hell are so many candles pre-lit when you enter an area that feels abandoned. Turn off the damn lights!

Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
The lighting in portions of Grymforge is exactly what I'm trying to say with this post. It should be able to be seen and maneuvered about without tons of player trouble, but no beams of glaring sunlight streaming down everywhere. The owlbear cave, hag's lair, spider lair, etc. No sunshine. Dim lighting at most.

And yeah, no torches in places where no one who needs torches lives.

Joined: Apr 2013
R
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
R
Joined: Apr 2013
Originally Posted by colinl8
+1 this. There's almost no point in considering darkvision when selecting a race.

Which is fair, especially considering there's no variant human Darkvision really doesn't cost anything when choosing your race. It's not as though Gith, Halflings and Humans are OP in a world with no darkness. But they were all horrendously underpowered using Larian's homebrew darkness rules.

Joined: Oct 2020
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Oct 2020
Darkvision still have a mechanical point. A lot if these new lightened up areas still count as "dark" mechanically.


Optimistically Apocalyptic
Joined: Aug 2014
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
I also find it really confusing that in well lit areas enemies are very often "obscured by shadows". There's no way to tell who is in the dark and who is not, and how far darkvision applies.

Joined: Feb 2021
GM4Him Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Feb 2021
It just ruins the atmosphere. I'm standing on this dark and mysterious tower in the Underdark and I'm looking deeper into the Underdark, and what do I see?

Sunlight streaming down in luminous glory?

I'm in some place that supposedly has but one entrance sealed off for 120 years. But sunlight is streaming down in spotlights from above in various Underdark places.

Joined: Nov 2015
member
Offline
member
Joined: Nov 2015
I have yet to play a PC who lacked darvision and have party members cast Dancing Lights constantly so that I can see all the detail Larian's world creators have provided. I wouldn't like it darker at all. Granted my vision may be dimmer than the OP's due to age, but the successor to a 20 year old game shouldn't be designed just for the young.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5