Any reason to not have a day/night cycle

[GalacticKegger]

Sorry TOR is my only MMO, so I wasn't implying anything about MMO. I was more talking along the lines of Skyrim, Oblivion, Fallout NV, Fallout 3....

 

did you miss the part of my statement.

 

No Jokes - internet is serious business

Actually I didn't miss it as I do agree with it. Speaking of Skyrim, I'm interested to see how ESO translates to an MMO ... registered for beta but no word yet. And thanks. Edited September 18, 2013 by GalacticKegger

[ImpactHound]

Sorry TOR is my only MMO, so I wasn't implying anything about MMO. I was more talking along the lines of Skyrim, Oblivion, Fallout NV, Fallout 3....

 

did you miss the part of my statement.

 

No Jokes - internet is serious business

 

MMOs don't have NPCs on sleep cycles, excluding the very earliest ones like Ultima Online. Nothing post 2003 has really done that, but the game environment matching what you see outside is a nice perk for most, but not all players near windows. It really does depend on what you consider realistic or immersive, and from the single-player games you mentioned, I can see where you're coming from. NPCs being available 24/7 hasn't been immersion-breaking for me personally for all the years I've played MMOs, mainly for the convenience.

Edited September 18, 2013 by ImpactHound

[mmjarec]

Again why would you be against something that doesnt harm you and only makes people happy. I dont care abou coding if its that hard they should find a new career. Afterall it is their job. No programmer is worth javing if he doesnt want a challenge and looks for easiest possible projects

[Arkerus]

ITT

 

A bunch of armchair developers who can't write "hello world" in C let alone understand the complexities of lighting, skyboxes, light sources, dynamic light sources, etc, trying to justify Bioware give planets day and night cycles because...OMG SO REAL.

 

FYI, as was stated before none of the planets were built with the underlying mechanics required for day/night cycles. Not only would it be an immense waste of resources, there isn't a lot of justification to do so. The planets aren't broken...they just don't have day/night.

 

A new planet could but none of the old planets.

 

(We revisit this topic 4 or 5 times a year. If you want day/night, go play XYZ.)

Edited September 18, 2013 by Arkerus

[ImpactHound]

Actually I didn't miss it as I do agree with it. Speaking of Skyrim, I'd be interested as to how ESO translates to an MMO ... registered for beta but no word yet. And thanks.

 

I think it'll be a disaster. Stuff leaking out of it is already shattering lore which is a big part of the series(certain race factions being friendly when they shouldn't, argonians getting poisoned, wood elf beautifcation), and the gameplay looks awful. Conversations look like they did in Morrowind, which isn't a compliment. I love the single player series, but I don't think it should have been translated to an MMO any more than you might try to with Half-Life.

[ImpactHound]

No programmer is worth javing

 

It was probably unintentional, but I read that as a jab at Java.

Edited September 18, 2013 by ImpactHound

[mikebevo]

, wood elf beautifcation.

Nothing wrong with that, I have use that mod in all their game since Morrowind.

 

That said, I will stick with TOR. Love the game and love my guild, plus like the 1/2 of the community that is on my side of whatever debate. The 1/2 may change depending on the subject matter, but I like the 1/2 with me at any given time.

 

@mpactHound I was most likely not clear on my point, I am not worried about quest givers being there day or night. I know they could not take those away. My problem is in some games it is just too darn difficult to see quest objectives at night and if they make it so that is not a problem, making it more lit up than it should be, then what is the point of night. I'm not huge into iimmersion, but even I don't want to see NPC shielding their eyes from the bright Hoth sun in the middle of the night.

Edited September 18, 2013 by mikebevo

[ImpactHound]

I think I just have a mental block on Fargoth & his ring.

[Brewski]

Again why would you be against something that doesnt harm you and only makes people happy. I dont care abou coding if its that hard they should find a new career. Afterall it is their job. No programmer is worth javing if he doesnt want a challenge and looks for easiest possible projects

 

You don't think this would cause people to rage on the forums? Really? These forums?

 

I can imagine:

 

"Hoth to bright! My character whitewashes against the background because I'm wearing the last handmaiden cloak and I can't see myself! Fix this now!"

 

"Dromund Kas is too dark. How can you let this $#@%@#$% get in the game? I can't even see nodes to harvest them."

 

"At exactly sunset every day on Quesh the sky color exactly matches the mountains for 60 seconds, totally ruining my immersion! Seriously, have you guys ever even played an MMO?"

 

"I used to be able to weave through all the mob spans on Makeb and do the daily without fighting, but ever since the $#@% day/night cycle update went through I keep accidentally tripping mobs. Fix this or die! "

 

etc. etc.

 

The rage would be nonstop for months, and then would continue to come up after every patch.

 

Fundamentally, this was a design decision they made a long time ago that isn't going to change because it's too much work for no profit and who knows how many bugs/issues/drama. It is what it is, take it or leave it.

[mmjarec]

You don't think this would cause people to rage on the forums? Really? These forums?

 

I can imagine:

 

"Hoth to bright! My character whitewashes against the background because I'm wearing the last handmaiden cloak and I can't see myself! Fix this now!"

 

"Dromund Kas is too dark. How can you let this $#@%@#$% get in the game? I can't even see nodes to harvest them."

 

"At exactly sunset every day on Quesh the sky color exactly matches the mountains for 60 seconds, totally ruining my immersion! Seriously, have you guys ever even played an MMO?"

 

"I used to be able to weave through all the mob spans on Makeb and do the daily without fighting, but ever since the $#@% day/night cycle update went through I keep accidentally tripping mobs. Fix this or die! "

 

etc. etc.

 

The rage would be nonstop for months, and then would continue to come up after every patch.

 

Fundamentally, this was a design decision they made a long time ago that isn't going to change because it's too much work for no profit and who knows how many bugs/issues/drama. It is what it is, take it or leave it.

 

Ppl are always going to gripe thats no reason to not implemt something. They sure had no problem implimenting billing and such. If they wanted to they could. I dont want space project but im not against it. If they are good programmers they could do it.

 

Again they have multiple teams so i dont see how it would drain others areas. Dont programmers get paid to program. Havent really sen them impliment much in a year so either they are slow or bad. If its too dark for some people make it toggle able or adjust your gamma if the devs were legit they hopefully wouldnt make it drastic. Like i said jist a little brightness difference isnt going to be unplayable

 

Designing limitiation self imposed just leads me to beleive they are lazy or bad. Why would you limit future functionality? Thats the reason ppl pay is for dynamic content and upgrades. So far this game has made the least progress over time ive ever played in a mmo. So they used an engine that put them in a corner then continue to code themselves further into a corner?

 

Well thats not my problem its their job to listen to players and impliment upgrades partially based on it. Pretty sure they get paid i dont know where you have been working its kindof illegal to not pay ppl

 

Nothing would ever get done if people were like you theyd just give up oh its too hard so i wont try. They should at least try. At least blizz tried with titan even though its cancelled bioware needs to push themselves like that

 

Everyone knows the engine is crap but that shouldnt be an excuse to not even try to make your product better. Most of their "updates" are pitiful look what happened to the new patch. Meaningless changes and just one hug bug with cz lag

It would engender trust in their company if they tried. Thinking like u display is the reason their customers have lost nearly all faith in booware

 

Thinking along your lines would have never put a man on the moon. Yeah i just went there

[Arkerus]

meaningless changes and just one hug bug with cz lag

it would engender trust in their company if they tried. Thinking like u display is the reason their customers have lost nearly all faith in booware

 

What am i reading?

Edited September 18, 2013 by Arkerus

[gorstram]

Why couldnt they just lightly soften the brightness to indicate night time. I mean its been done in mmos for almost 15 years. Its slightly offputting to have such a completely static game world everywhere.

 

Sure every planet can maintain its theme and add a little darkness or for dromund slightly brighter. Nothing drastic to where you cant see at night. Is the game engine too bad to impliment it. Im sure it could be done by adding a few less things to the cartel that is added every month

 

It seems so dead and sterile. It would give way to more atmpshere. Sure you could argue a few planets might not ever have a night cycle but theoretics can only be used as a lame excuse for not doing something cool. Ie you couldnt logically conclude every planet doesnt rotate therefor there is no night. There arent enough excuses to apply to where you can argue that every planet wouldnt have a night cycle

 

Each planet could have its own hue of twilight etc etc. the engine already looks old and horrible enough and this would go a long way at least to slighlty change my constant perception that im playing such a crappy outdated engine

 

The only excuse not to would be the engine is too big of a pile to impliment it

 

Most likely, it got pushed off the development table in a rush to launch since the game was so delayed. EA told them to hurry up and get it out, they cut corners (massive corners), and we got planets with no day or night cycle. If you pay attention to the details of the game, you can literally see what corners they cut.

 

For example. NPC crowd design. During the Trooper class quest where you go to get resistance fighters together, each safe house as a set of twins. One set is Asian with mullets, the other set are poofy haired bastiches with Wolf Blitzer beards. In the Senate Tower during another quest, when a senator is taken away for being an imperial plant, the guards that come get him are the same four models. They look EXACTLY the same (skinnier versions of Grand Moff Kilrand...sans scar).

 

If those jerks at EA would have just given them six more months, I think we would have had a far more pleasurable environment to play in.

[ImpactHound]

Ppl are always going to gripe thats no reason to not implemt something. They sure had no problem implimenting billing and such. If they wanted to they could. I dont want space project but im not against it. If they are good programmers they could do it.

 

Quoted for sanity

 

booware

 

Quoted for hilarity. I don't think I've heard that one, would be better in October though.

[Mallorik]

I played firefall for a few days last week and ive got to say, I do not miss day/night cycles at all.

[theSCARAYone]

Any reason to have it?

 

Immersion.

[Jrea]

I really don't think it would work,

 

I can see what you mean, each world on its own clock, some according to lore, orthers made up. You could have fleet on 24 hour time, the light getting dim around 8:00pm.

 

However there are a couple of worlds you would not be able to implement this. Ilum, As far as I know has no sun and Hoth, according to lore would have to be unplayable at night.

 

You also have to remember all the awesome cut scenes that would would not work at night time too. Can you build a light-saber in the dark?

[mikebevo]

You also have to remember all the awesome cut scenes that would would not work at night time too. Can you build a light-saber in the dark?

My shadow could, she is a Miraluka

[mmjarec]

I played firefall for a few days last week and ive got to say, I do not miss day/night cycles at all.

 

Was gonna try it out how was it ?

[JMagee]

Immersion.

 

These sort of cries for day/night cycles would help with immersion have always confused me. I know this is a generalization and a bit of an exaggeration I'm about to go into, but...

 

If there was Night on Tatooine and you were out in the middle of the Dune Sea, would you really enjoy suddenly not being able to see 2 feet in front of you? Because, that would be true immersion. Thinking "oh man, nightfall is coming, time to set up camp, start a fire and do nothing for 10 hours until I can start traveling again" Or another extreme, maybe once night starts, all of the mobs suddenly start to randomly attack you instead, because you know, those sort of things happen when you immerse yourself in a different place.

 

I get that the main point is that the planets do occasionally begin to feel static and dry. Personally, I think dynamic weather-type events would be a more suitable way to improve upon this. Perhaps on Tatooine every so often you'll encounter a sand storm, dust devil, or even the stereotypical SW equivalent to a tumbleweed.

 

To me, immersion is such a poorly fleshed out answer as to why day/night is wanted. I have an open mind about it and would love to be convinced otherwise. But you can't simply make it night and not have anything else change. That breaks immersion more than no day night cycle ever would.

 

It's 1AM, I have no flashlight, I can still see fine, nothing is changed, but it's dark...That makes sense

[Galentor]

It's a galaxy far far away. Not all planets are revolving around a star. And even if they do this doesn't necessarily produce a day / night cycle like we experience it on Earth.

[Nempo]

I don't think day/night cycles are useful unless it triggers specific spawns or activities or whatnot. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter. I didn't even notice it in this game until I saw a thread about it here on the forums!

 

This...so many people don't even notice the lack of a day/night cycle unless they spend far too much time standing around not fighting (which is mostly limited to RPers).

 

Now, as an RPer...I will say this, don't place a day/night cycle into the game unless night will be NIGHT. Want to know what I mean? When it is night, you can only see 20m infront of you, that is it. You cannot even see out to your max range. You have a giant wall of darkness and shadows simulating the proper night. Many people don't know what real night is, they live in town or in a city...you never experience true night. We are fighting out in areas with no lights...go out into the wilderness 50 miles fromt he nearest town and experience real night, you can't see very far (ok...I can...but I have albinism in my eyes so I'm by no means a good indicator of average night vision) and are very likely to justs tumble into enemy mobs. THAT is how a night cycle should be, otherwise there is no point in it.

[Arenatah]

I notice the lack of a day and night cycle. I hate it. It makes me feel like I'm on a movie set, instead of a real universe.

 

Takes me right out of the immersion.

 

I don't think they'll ever put it in game, though. Not enough manpower and not enough demand for it

I still can't believe people are happy without day/night cycles, but I guess some people are happy having a garbage engine, too. I don't even.

[Fixiooo]

This...so many people don't even notice the lack of a day/night cycle unless they spend far too much time standing around not fighting (which is mostly limited to RPers).

 

Let's grab a few planets and we add a day/night cycle to it. Dromund Kaas, Balmorra, Voss, Korriban, Tython, Hoth and Tatooine. These are planets with open air.

 

You don't need to be standing still to notice the difference between day and night. It's a pretty significant difference.

[Nempo]

Let's grab a few planets and we add a day/night cycle to it. Dromund Kaas, Balmorra, Voss, Korriban, Tython, Hoth and Tatooine. These are planets with open air.

 

You don't need to be standing still to notice the difference between day and night. It's a pretty significant difference.

 

Makes no sense on Dromand Kaas...or did you forget the fact the entire planet is in a non-stop thunderstorm and THICK cloud cover situation? Tatooine has 2 suns...the nights would have to be very very very short in comparison.

[Fixiooo]

Makes no sense on Dromand Kaas...or did you forget the fact the entire planet is in a non-stop thunderstorm and THICK cloud cover situation? Tatooine has 2 suns...the nights would have to be very very very short in comparison.

 

And the other planets? As far as I remember, in the movies there are scenes where it's dark on Tatooine.