How do you see Darkvision?

[Aaron L]

The whole thing as it's set up just feels overly clunky..

How is it at all clunky? Darkvision is magical vision that lets you see in the dark exactly as you would in the light, except it's in black and white and there are no shadows. What's "clunky" about that?


And remember well; 3e "Hide" isn't the semi-magical "Hide in Shadows" of 1E and 2E, where if you rolled well enough you just disappeared. In 3E in order to Hide you need something to hide behind... just like in the real world. You can't simply roll your percentage and disappear into the shadows just because you are a Thief anymore. Unless you are a very high-level Ranger and have Hide Anywhere, or are a Shadow Dancer and really CAN magically hide in shadows.

 

[Gez]

I've always* imagined darkvision as a a false-color (or B&W) distance-based vision system. When using darkvision, the world looks like a really good relief map.

IMCs, you can't read normal ink-on-paper writing (because that would be distinguishing color, which isn't allowed) using darkvision. This also provides a really, really good reason for dwarves to use runes carved in stone for their writing system: to darkvision, the depression of the letters is a different "color." There are also dwarven works of art that take advantage of this, such as great bas-reliefs which change in "color" and tone as the observer moves closer or farther away.

* - Well, okay, "always, since D&D 3.0 came out ..."

Ditto. Darkvision is a sort of radar-o-vision.

 

[Miar]

I think it's the fact that it makes the whole hide in the dark and sneak up on the guard atmosphere thing much harder. Light at night can both be a blessing and a curse you can see well where the light hits but it spoils your vision for darker areas. It's interesting and the not being able to see in the dark and having shadow being creepy has created a lot of atmosphere to be drawn on. I don't think the idea of say the shadowdancer would have appeared if we all had darkvision (or werewolves) I like the idea of being able to see in the dark but it cuts a lot of subtlety in some ways.. That said expanding on the ways it changes the cultures that do have it adds back in. Which is why the thought of carvings and how they are seen with darkvision interested me.. If people have more thoughts on cultural ramifications I would love to hear them.

How is it at all clunky? Darkvision is magical vision that lets you see in the dark exactly as you would in the light, except it's in black and white and there are no shadows. What's "clunky" about that?

 

[Klaus]

I think it's the fact that it makes the whole hide in the dark and sneak up on the guard atmosphere thing much harder. Light at night can both be a blessing and a curse you can see well where the light hits but it spoils your vision for darker areas. It's interesting and the not being able to see in the dark and having shadow being creepy has created a lot of atmosphere to be drawn on. I don't think the idea of say the shadowdancer would have appeared if we all had darkvision (or werewolves) I like the idea of being able to see in the dark but it cuts a lot of subtlety in some ways.. That said expanding on the ways it changes the cultures that do have it adds back in. Which is why the thought of carvings and how they are seen with darkvision interested me.. If people have more thoughts on cultural ramifications I would love to hear them.

Someone here once said that creatures with Darkvision should be utterly panicked by true darkness, because it's such an alien concept for them.

 

[Miar]

That's an interesting thought, it's to bad the darkness spell no longer causes true darkness

Someone here once said that creatures with Darkvision should be utterly panicked by true darkness, because it's such an alien concept for them.

 

[Gez]

Someone here once said that creatures with Darkvision should be utterly panicked by true darkness, because it's such an alien concept for them.

Not necessarily, as they could perceive it as being simply a great void -- if a tunnel arrives to a big underground cliff and the walls, ceiling, and floor are all too far to be seen, it'll be completely black for a darksighted creature.

 

[William drake]

That's Low-Light Vision + Light Sensitivity/Blindness.

How is there low light vision in CAVES? I disagree. And I don't think that you should be able to go from seeing in pitchdarkness, to seeing with a bright light flashed in your face with no prob. That's abit silly for me, but than, this is the way I play it. To each theirown.

Game On

 

[Harmon]

Dark Vision to me is like night vision in grays, and blacks (depending on the surrounding light levels). The person with dark vision is always able to see enough detail, but a black shadow is a dark area and a lighter area is gathering more light (for whatever reason, perhaps a distant candle in that direction).

Hiding is about finding something to hide behind, and/or noticing where the darker areas are in the darkness (if that makes any sense please tell me how (j/k)).

Peace all

 

[Klaus]

Not necessarily, as they could perceive it as being simply a great void -- if a tunnel arrives to a big underground cliff and the walls, ceiling, and floor are all too far to be seen, it'll be completely black for a darksighted creature.

But he can see himself, the floor he's standing on and the walls of the tunnel he's in. If he cranes his head out, he can see a circle of the cliff's face, centered on him. But to actually open and close their eyes and have no difference, to see absolutely nothing, should be a terrifying experience, like a child that has a perpetual nightlight suddenly go out.

There's a scene in Blair Witch Project where they're running through the woods at night, and beyond the flashlight's range it's absolutely dark. I believe it's something like that.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

well starting out with the knowledge that dark vision is impossible, I just see it as a washed out gray scale ad and even medium light. I try not to think about it too hard because i know its impossible. I Think one can read in the dark using dark vision