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#827002 16/08/22 10:34 PM
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I'm still struggling with the dungeons in this game being well lit pretty much everywhere. I have started working on the Dank Crypt for the table top campaign, and it just doesn't make any sense to have sunlight streaming into this lower level. The mercenaries you have been at this Crypt for days looking for a way to get into the lower level. What? They can't climb? They got no grappling hooks or ropes to scale down to one of the larger cracks in the ceiling that is allowing the sunlight in? They even went through all the trouble of putting together that large crane with the heavy Stone dangling by a rope in order to punch through the stone floor. Don't you think they have exhausted everything else first?

The Dank Crypt should be pitch Black, requiring torches and dark vision to see where you're going. If you don't use torches, your characters who don't have dark vision should be totally blind. When you reach the main part of the crypt, you should have to light all the candles in there torches in the area to really get a good view of the statue in plaque and so forth.

The same is true for the underdark. It's still bugs me to no end that there is so much beaming light shining in the underdark. I can understand some strange glowing plants here and there, but the massive beams of sunlight are just so out of place.

The necromancer's lair is another one. No one has been in there presumably for over 120 years. However, there is tons of sunlight beaming down from above. Why? That place would be so much scarier if it was dark and you were exploring it with only torches.

Places I can totally understand having light are the upper level of the Dank Crypt where you fight The mercenaries, the owl bear cave, the defiled Temple, And maybe even some portions of the whispering depths.

But whatever. I know they're probably not going to change it, but I thought I'd at least bring it up again since I'm thinking about it and how weird it is that the crypt is supposedly so sealed off and yet there are so many huge gaping holes of sunlight coming through.

GM4Him #827005 16/08/22 11:02 PM
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Yes, not realistic. It should be changed, but that only makes Drow more overpowered since they have no sunlight disadvantage.

It's throwing everything off. They don't want Darkvision to be a major factor in the game and again too scared of players potentially missing too many attacks in a row.

GM4Him #827010 16/08/22 11:22 PM
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Yes, the game was feeling much cooler and realistic while everything was very dark. You could actually feel the difference between races with/without darkvision and it was awesome. The game has torches, spells and cantrips to provide light. If Drow are the issue, then just give us that ring with darkvision on it earlier, that's all.

GM4Him #827014 16/08/22 11:47 PM
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And add Sunlight sensitivity

GM4Him #827016 17/08/22 12:44 AM
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+1 to this

GM4Him #827018 17/08/22 12:50 AM
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+1


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GM4Him #827020 17/08/22 12:54 AM
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We all miss when darkness was dark, when darkvision actually mattered, and when the lighting looked more somber. I think this is mostly a patch 8 issue.

But I would like it taken further. Darker darks, shadowier shadows.


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GM4Him #827025 17/08/22 02:20 AM
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It's very confusing when you have good visibility even in the darkest places, but you get Disadvantage because "obscured". It's not just a lack of dynamic in atmosphere but also game mechanics don't make sense.

Don't tell me I get Disadvantage because of darkness when I can see the enemy just fine.

Edited to go on a tangent here:

Larian are ignoring way too much real world logic and D&D logic in their world building. The grave robbers are standing under their own crane, rope is 100% to hit and they don't even get a dex save because..."fun"? Things that are too easy are rarely fun in a game. Every place is brightly lit because...convenience? Teleport network with access points in illogical places. Anyone could just teleport into the underground Selunite fortress so why does it even have that defense system? Player convenience over logic again. Goblins can't "find" Druid Grove when you literally just follow the only road and walk for two minutes. Why aren't Minthara and Ragzlin using the teleporter to get directly from Goblin Fort to Druid Grove? It shouldn't be a reality simulator but this stuff is really blatant and it's everywhere. It would be better if the player didn't have to think about questions like these that detract from immersion and atmosphere.

Last edited by 1varangian; 17/08/22 02:42 AM.
GM4Him #827026 17/08/22 02:20 AM
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Like I said, some dungeons are fine with light, but come on. Dark is scary. I'd love to see the dark silhouette of a spooky statue and stop cold in my tracks. Is it alive? Is it going to attack?

Oh oh! Imagine the Secret Tunnels in the Grove pitch black. You suddenly step close to one of the statues, but you don't SEE the statue. It starts to glow. "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?". It turns red. 😵

Then goblins are spotted in the dark with only a few torches, hovering over Findal. DANG! This game could be so much more awesome.

GM4Him #827049 17/08/22 07:51 AM
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Disagree with Owlbear cave ...
Excuse my language but i simply cant imagine any animal ... natural or artificial ... to be so idiotic to build a nest there ... the whole and only point for animals to live in caves is that cave provide shelter against weather.
If that cave have 10x10 meters hole in roof right above your nest ... gues what it doesnt do?
Thats right! It dont protect you against weather. -_-
You could aswell just lay sonewhere in the field. :-/

Last edited by RagnarokCzD; 17/08/22 07:52 AM.

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Originally Posted by RagnarokCzD
Disagree with Owlbear cave ...
Excuse my language but i simply cant imagine any animal ... natural or artificial ... to be so idiotic to build a nest there ... the whole and only point for animals to live in caves is that cave provide shelter against weather.
If that cave have 10x10 meters hole in roof right above your nest ... gues what it doesnt do?
Thats right! It dont protect you against weather. -_-
You could aswell just lay sonewhere in the field. :-/

Lol. Good point. I was thinking about the Selune statue area. But I have always thought that cave should be really dark too. How much scarier would it be to have the Owlbear ominously come out of the dark at you.

GM4Him #827069 17/08/22 11:52 AM
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Oh yes, that statue part is fine. laugh

But overall to be brutally honest for few seconds ... theese "streaks of light" that were introduced back in patch 6 i believe? Seem to me like exited teenager, who just discovered new filter on instagram and now its puting it litteraly everywhere, no matter how good its looking. frown


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GM4Him #827072 17/08/22 12:09 PM
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My favourite is a lightbeam straight from heaven you can find in the putrid bog area near one of the boats, by the coast. It feels really out of place...

GM4Him #827074 17/08/22 01:07 PM
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I totally agree with the OP.
The atmosphere would be much better when dark places (crypts, deep caves, the underdark, . . .) would be really dark, as in "you are practically blind without darkvision or a light source".
That would make the use of light and darkness more importent, it could be useful to ambush others or be ambushed and well used light sources ( like glowing moss in a cave) could be used to guide or mislead the player.

Thats how it was in the old games btw.
Forget to bring a light source when exploring a cave and the screen is completely black.


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GM4Him #827085 17/08/22 03:32 PM
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+1 on everything said thus far.

GM4Him #827091 17/08/22 04:22 PM
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+1 to everything I d like to have light radius implemented for player companion (e.g diablo 1) while the rest would be much darker in the cave area. Ambiant lighting is way too high in the Underdark.

GM4Him #827133 18/08/22 01:23 PM
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Yeah i cant believe im really saying this but… make dark places appear dark please

GM4Him #828707 01/09/22 09:13 PM
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I’m all for making dark, dark..
Like stated above, torches, dark vision, light cantrip, etc.

Also someone spoke of drow being overpowered, but that would be a good point.
You are fighting in their element. Would be the other way around on the surface.

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Originally Posted by baconfortres
Also someone spoke of drow being overpowered, but that would be a good point.
You are fighting in their element. Would be the other way around on the surface.

Well, it *should* be the other way on the surface …


"You may call it 'nonsense' if you like, but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!"

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