So what are the implications of Ultra-vision?

[cignus_pfaccari]

In Earthdawn, which does include a form of thermographic vision, they mention that dwarves and trolls see two more bands of color than the other races, and their art occasionally looks funny to the non-thermally-inclined.

I imagine people who could see into the ultraviolet would, more than likely, have similar minor effects.

Hrm, if it's good for detecting edges, maybe it'd be of some use to a daylight hunter?

Brad

 

[tarchon]

That really seems to contradict something that came up in Astronomy class just today... I mean there's a reason that we have ultraviolet telescopes in orbit and none on the Earth's surface...

There's a band of UV from about 190 nm down to hm... 40 nm or so, I think, that doesn't penetrate air very well. The mid 200s get absorbed by ozone too. But there really isn't that much background UV flux at night. Down into the EUV/X-ray range, you get some, but it's not enough to see by. They dumped ultravision early on just because it wasn't physically workable.

It's very easy to see UV though. Just get cataract removal surgery.

 

[Zoatebix]

Just get cataract removal surgery.

owie.

Thanks for the wavelength details!

 

[Tonguez]

So in game terms Ultravision = Low light vision and some funky special effects with ultraviolet paints and/or inks . Cool and thanks all for the replies...

 

[doghead]

I seem to remember it was used in our cyberpunk game, but required utraviolet torches/lamps. Basically it allowed you to illuminate something without an unaugmented person seeing you do it.

Whether that is scientifically sound, who knows.