Super Secret Sneak Preview of Lighting and Vision - Shhhh, don't tell Carl and John

[kevininrussia]

I don't think that's correct. A token will not be seen on the map unless it is within range of the lighting of the PC/NPC's lighting and is set to visible on the map. So if Bob the PC is in a dark room with a candle which emits light out to 20 feet then an NPC that is 30 feet away will not be visible to Bob on the map. If the NPC token is invisible on the CT then Bob can walk right past the NPC without seeing it. Only if the NPC is visible on the CT will Bob's light pick up the token when he gets close enough.

Damn :-) Fine, then its hunting for visible tokens on the CT for me. So to get this strait, if the token is not visible on the CT (because you dont want the player to know its there) then a player walks up to it with a torch, They wont see the NPC until I with lightning fast reflexes find the now visible token and turn it on in the CT?

What if the player walks past it and it should only be visible for the time its within range? Could be for only a second in their move. So I have to quickly turn on and off the token in the CT?

[SilentRuin]

So using your logic, it is more convenient to manually select the 'eye' icon on the combat tracker when tokens becomes visible on the map than turning off Mask Sensitive on the one time some NPC turns invisible.

And its a debate. :-)

Absolutely. Digging into a map - right mouse - choosing eye - choosing next layer - then having to dig back into it when he is visible again and changing it again?

Versus.. clicking eye icon on CT on and off?

Yeah I'd think that was obviously easier

Plus at the start - I noted that this was my personal opinion because I never have my CT cluttered with more than a few things. Granted, because of extension I have another flavor of visibility in the CT so don't suffer the "long list".

And yes, no worries that we disagree. I see what your saying - it makes life harder if you do it the way your suggesting. And at heart - I'm a lazy DM. First and foremost!

[SilentRuin]

Damn :-) Fine, then its hunting for visible tokens on the CT for me. So to get this strait, if the token is not visible on the CT (because you dont want the player to know its there) then a player walks up to it with a torch, They wont see the NPC until I with lightning fast reflexes find the now visible token and turn it on in the CT?

What if the player walks past it and it should only be visible for the time its within range? Could be for only a second in their move. So I have to quickly turn on and off the token in the CT?

You have to do that today with LOS as it exist. As I said - this lighting won't change that at all. What you want is something BRAND NEW and DIFFERENT than what we have now. Simply making the CT eye icon flip anytime it comes in range is not the answer though.

[kevininrussia]

I think that Token visibility should be automated based on LOS and lighting. Not a manual affair unless there is some condition keeping the token invisible to LOS.

[kevininrussia]

Phone keeps double posting. Sorry

[SilentRuin]

We both suffered the double post

I think that Token visibility should be automated based on LOS and lighting. Not a manual affair unless there is some condition keeping the token invisible to LOS.

It can't be the way you are suggesting though. See my first post (from double post before your double post). Stupid forum lag.

[kevininrussia]

We both suffered the double post


It can't be the way you are suggesting though. See my first post (from double post before your double post). Stupid forum lag.

I guess the developers will know better what can and cant be done. I'm just expressing my opinion on how I would like the functionality to be :-)

[Ulric]

This looks fantastic! I can't wait to give this a try!

[Zacchaeus]

I guess the developers will know better what can and cant be done. I'm just expressing my opinion on how I would like the functionality to be :-)

I don't think you are alone in this; but I fear that SilentRuin is correct in that the technical difficulties are such that it isn't going to be possible in the short term. But who know what is around the corner.

I do think that the possibilities for highly imaginative and dynamic combat are considerably enhanced though with the lighting coming in on top of LoS. Even if the PCs know that there are 10 goblins around because they're visible on the CT, finding them on the map may well be a lot more complicated. I accept that you want to not have them visible on the CT until they are actually seen, but I think that the lighting will have a big impact at your table.

[LordEntrails]

All this debate is to point out that implementing dynamic lighting and vision is not as simple as some people have said in the past that it is. You know, "All they have to do is..."

Good discussion and at this point I'll just take it as it comes and have faith that it will continue to improve and we (the community) will continue to be able to influence the direction it takes.