Request: Darker Nights - Progressive gamma adjustments from dusk til dawn

[Jeremiah]

Hey there,

I have been searching for an existing add-on that does this but couldn't find anything so here goes.

Nights in ESO are way too bright and don't really feel very much like night at all. So for the people that love add-ons that help boost the immersion of a game I want to request this.

An add-on that checks for the in game time of day and as dusk turns into night lowers the gamma in steps (midnight being the darkest gamma setting) and then raises the gamma step for step again as night becomes dawn.
If we really want to go all out an adjustable gamma curve would be fantastic.

As far as I know the ESO API does not have any proper time components in there to tell what time it actually is in the game. I thought perhaps this can work in conjunction with Tyx's Clock - Tamriel Standard Time or use a similar mechanic to figure out the time of day in game.

I hope other people like this idea and that it sparks the interest of you capable LUA-demi-gods out there.
Tell me what you think guys.

[votan]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Tell me what you think guys.

Basically it is doable. But:
The real challenge is to find a formular to reflect that daylight is longer than night and that there are new-moon and full-moon nights.
And most tricky: If you are outside at all. Otherwise dungeons, which have no window, are darker too.
I need to do a PoC.

[Jeremiah]

Originally Posted by votan there are new-moon and full-moon nights. If you are outside at all. Otherwise dungeons, which have no window, are darker too. I need to do a PoC.

Glad to hear that it sounds possible at it's base level.

I was thinking it might be possible to use incorporate the state of the moons into how dark the gamma is adjusted in some version of the add-on further down the road but wasn't worrying about it just yet. I do believe the Tamriel Standard Time add-on tracks moonphases though....

And perhaps the first iteration of this add-on would be focused for the general overland zones and turn any adjustments off when going into a dungeon - for now. Or a simple bind-able hot-key to disable it for when the player deems it inappropriate.

I'm not sure but I would imagine the API will allow zone based auto enable/disable of add-on components. But now that we talk about it another issue is what happens with interiors that are in a zone but have no load time. Like a tavern or something. I'm not sure if there is a state check for exterior/interior within the same zone hm...

[votan]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah I'm not sure but I would imagine the API will allow zone based auto enable/disable of add-on components. But now that we talk about it another issue is what happens with interiors that are in a zone but have no load time. Like a tavern or something. I'm not sure if there is a state check for exterior/interior within the same zone hm...

This sunday afternoon we were in a phase after new-moon. I made the night dark enough to directly run into some lions, just because I could see them from the far
Gamma returned to full normal at 9:30 in-game time.
There is no API, because the game does not need to know that ... normally.

Now I have to test how good it works during game-play, but I'm afraid it will never as good as build-in code could do that.

[Jeremiah]

Wow! Cool that you're trying to give it a go!
Well we all know you can only do so much with whatever access Zenimax let you have to game functions but we make due with what we can right?
Did you already have a gradual gamma lowering/raising function in there? It'd be SO COOL if this can become a thing!

[votan]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Wow! Cool that you're trying to give it a go! Well we all know you can only do so much with whatever access Zenimax let you have to game functions but we make due with what we can right? Did you already have a gradual gamma lowering/raising function in there? It'd be SO COOL if this can become a thing!

It is as I said: For example, the imperial city sewers are just a "subzone" like every city.
So one needs to maintain an exception list. The addon is something for patient, cooperative roleplayers.

[Kwisatz]

Can't wait!
Thank you, Votan!

[Jeremiah]

Can't wait to see what you come up with! So does that mean that'd when using the addon and we go into a place that we think should be excluded, we can add an exception for that zone/subzone via a GUI or hot key?

[votan]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Can't wait to see what you come up with! So does that mean that'd when using the addon and we go into a place that we think should be excluded, we can add an exception for that zone/subzone via a GUI or hot key?

Yes, it does.
I have to check if I can use subZoneIds for that.

[Jeremiah]

Originally Posted by votan Yes, it does. I have to check if I can use subZoneIds for that.

So cool! You're my hero <3

[Jeremiah]

How is it going Votan? Not meaning to pressure you during the holidays! Just super excited

[Kwisatz]

Got it!
Thank you, Votan, and Merry Xmas!

[Jeremiah]

Oh man it's actually already out?? Thank you so much! Have a wonderful Christmas time and enjoy the holidays!