Day/Night cyclus?

[stefanhendriks]

I am a bit experimenting with code. So far i have added a very simple day/night feature, which will turn into 'dark' and then into 'normal'(light).

When in 'normal', its just an avarage day, sunshine, hot, arrakis ;) So, you can see all units on map, there is no visibility check.

At night, there is now a drawn circle , this is how far your units/structures are able to see in the dark. Its a fog-of-war thing like in Warcraft.

Here you see 2 screenshots of what i mean, a map totally cleared (using debug key ALT-F5) and then set at night. The sonic tank can see a devastator. When moving a bit lower, it can't see the devastator. Ofcourse, it should limit structure drawing too, but its about the idea.

Like it or not? If not, why? If you do like it, why?

I am doubted, it is nice and all, surely gives you some creeps in night-mode which will happen regulary, but will it be truly some addition, or do you think it should be left out?

Opinions please! :)

[attachment deleted by Gobalopper]

[stefanhendriks]

actually, when playing a few missions with auto-day/night stuff. It surely does not feel right, so i remove it.

Maybe later, when the idea of day/night is more thought trough.

[re-mind]

Hi stefan :)

i really liked the idea, and i think its a shame you didnt like it :) in some faint memory i remember one of the books about Dune where you could see two suns tho :) so the chance of night cant be that big :P

I like the screenshots, but it seems like you can still see buildings and what happens, even tho there is no light. im thinking it would be nice instead of a circle, then the unit would have lights on their machines, the small trikes would have small lights and the siege tank would have many big lights :) but thats just me..

OT! higer screen res. :) i know that i doesnt come overnight. do you have any plans about it? or is it something you dont even like? how long do you think it would take? is it something that you could get from the DuneLegacy source?

[Swordmaster_Duncan]

I like the idea. I think that the clean-cut area doesn't look too snazzy though. I'd like to see it more eased into what you can and can't see, but thats just my opinion.

Another idea of the same nature would be a sand storm (no pun intended).

EDIT: I really wasnt clear on the sand storm bit. A static sand storm that would reduce vision, and knock out radar temperarily, maybe impede movement as well. It's just a rough idea. Or it could do the same thing just with a more pixilated effect rather than darkened.

[MrFlibble]

The day/night cycle should be only introduced if it has some impact on the gameplay. If you're in pursuit of the 'perfect Dune 2 clone', then the cycle is not welcome I think. But it may very well suit into the 'expansion' version of D2TM ::) We must just think this over.

BTW, the idea o fht e day/night change was already discussed in his thread.

[stefanhendriks]

for now i don't think it will do good with d2tm.

A sand storm is a good idea i think, i already have thought about this a few times. I also want to give concrete slabs more meaning by damaing structures now and such. All to make the planet really rough, as intented.