Possible Day and Night Cycles?

airryck

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2006

The Fist of Armageddon [fist]

R/

After watching the in-game cinematic, I noticed that the sky changes appearance in many scenes. As far as I can remember, neither Prophecies or Factions had any areas that were dark like night time. Do you think that Nightfall will have a day and night cycle, or that certain areas will just be really dark because of the Nightfall story?

ZenRgy

ZenRgy

Zookeeper

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australian Discussion Posse HQ - Glorious leader

҉ ̵̡̢̢̛̛̛̖̗̘̙̜̝̞̟&#

N/E

I hope there's a day/night cycle, this would be pure awesome.

Nevin

Nevin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jul 2005

In Prophecies and Factions there are night missions.

R_A_M_Z_A

R_A_M_Z_A

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

THG

E/Me

Tyria has a night mission-- Riverside Prov.


Cantha has Napui Quarter as well

jackie

jackie

/retired

Join Date: Dec 2005

On the Beach

Day/Night cycle depending on actual time in real life would be nice. For example European servers would work with CET or GMT0 and American with Pacific etc.

Well that kind of system is already implemented to couple other games so it's not very original idea, but interesting one for sure.

Paperfly

Paperfly

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

Quote:
Day/Night cycle depending on actual time in real life would be nice. For example European servers would work with CET or GMT0 and American with Pacific etc.
Two words:

Schizophrenic Australians!

...given our current choice of European or American servers.

Mera Regila

Mera Regila

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

In The Deep

R/A

I really don't think a day and night cycle would be appropriate, I mean, cmon, GW has almost NO realism. Adding a day and night cycle would make guild wars actually somewhat realistic... and THAT would be out of place IMO.

jackie

jackie

/retired

Join Date: Dec 2005

On the Beach

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paperfly
Two words:

Schizophrenic Australians!

...given our current choice of European or American servers.
So true yeah

scrap my idea right away , it works only if servers are made for Aussie/Kiwi as well.

airryck

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2006

The Fist of Armageddon [fist]

R/

Maybe the Day-Night could rotate like the AB line moves every few hours?

I started the thread to see if anyone else had the same thought that I did after watching the trailer.

S!carius

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

Germany

Force of Arms [FoA]

Mo/

I like the idea of day/night cycles. It would be better if they rotated quite often though, maybe a 3-6 hour day.

KurtTheBehemoth

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

tubbyville

Kurt's Royal Guardians

Mo/E

if you take your GW disk and put it under your pillow at night all of your In-game dreams will come true.

Sientir

Sientir

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

At DigiPen.

Biscuit of Dewm [MEEP]

I'd like a hyper rate day/night cycle, as well as random weather.

Whether such is in Nightfall, is hard to say (day/night cycle, i mean). It could just be that zones are in a perpetual time period, like Riverside is always at night, etc.

arcanemacabre

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

Just to have changing weather patterns would bring a sense of realism to GW. A day/night cycle every 3-4 hours would be really cool, too.

Something I would love would be more ambient sounds. For instance, when you're in a city or outpost, have a certain drulling noise of people talking that gets louder depending on how many people are in that district. It would give a feel of a bustling city or barren outpost depending on where you are, etc.

If they could implement more environmental effects like these, it could give a sense of really being there, enchancing the story and mood, and make for some great RPing.

But that's just me.

Shadowfrost

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2006

Planet Earth (sometimes)

Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To [Hide]

R/

I'd absolutely love GW if this ahppened, (I mean more then I already do) but somehow I think it might be too hard to implement.

Sorry to be a party pooper

Snowman

Snowman

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2005

Wales, UK

Devils Scorpions

W/E

Day and night cycles?... lol, I think your dreaming tbh

Mister_Smiley

Mister_Smiley

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

i think it would be really cool if they did this. I would make Guildwars even better, if thats even possible. It dosn't matter to me, but i would love to see it happen.

Xenrath

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

Well since the means to have global events at regular scheduled intervals already exists (e.g. the emperor turned up at certain times) it might be possible to do something like this too? Besides which it would also give another nod to the title "Nightfall"

King Kong

King Kong

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

W/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanemacabre
Just to have changing weather patterns would bring a sense of realism to GW.
yeah that would be ace! Im wasting all my gold on sun screen at the moment

majoho

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

Since the game is completely instanced I don't se any point in it whatsoever.

Someone explain it to me.

J3mo

J3mo

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2006

NL

Please contact the Administrator if your date of birth has changed.

Mo/

Would be cool

Aera Lure

Aera Lure

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

In Baltar's head

Bring Out Your Dead [BOYD], former officer [LBS]

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by majoho
Since the game is completely instanced I don't se any point in it whatsoever.

Someone explain it to me.
J3mo's reply is as good as any. ^^

I've been wishing for this for quite some time and brought it up in Sardelac before. Since we spend so much time going back into the same zones and missions, this idea would bring a bit of fresh air and make it a little more interesting each time. If extended to towns, even hanging out in there would be more fun.

If day/night cycles were implemented, I agree a 4-6 hour cycle would be best. Through an average play session, you'd get to see some changes.

Kattox1

Kattox1

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2006

In your mind

OMNI clan UK

D/N

I think a day/night cycle would work well if it wasn't a 24 hour system. Maybe it could work as a 2 hour rotation instead so every other hour it was nighttime.
That would be nice.

majoho

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

As long as it's client side I don't care, I'll just turn it off

Elrodien

Elrodien

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

Barbie's Motorhome

The Biggyverse [PLEB]

Me/

It would be pretty easy to implement code-wise but it would put more load on your gfx card, so yeah I would like to see it, but only if it was optional (my gfx card aint the beast it used to be).

Randomised weather effects would be excellent too, they could even have different mobs for different weather types on a map, just to stir it up a bit.

Big Chief Red

Big Chief Red

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

London, Great England

Not A Real Clan [NARC]

R/

would be interesting if the nature rituals like winter actually changed the weather, though i can see how it would be pretty heavey on a gfx card. Also having different enemies appearing for day/night might be nice

quiarrah

quiarrah

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2006

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mera Regila
I really don't think a day and night cycle would be appropriate, I mean, cmon, GW has almost NO realism. Adding a day and night cycle would make guild wars actually somewhat realistic... and THAT would be out of place IMO.
I really think once you had a Day/Night cycle. ..you would then have to enable your characters to rest (like in Oblivion), you have to also emable your characters to eat and drink (like in EQ) . ..I'm thinking here too that it is *code, code, code* Unreal, far-fetched, and totally impossible (for THIS game) and then it would not be GW anymore.

bamm bamm bamm

bamm bamm bamm

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sientir
I'd like a hyper rate day/night cycle, as well as random weather.
Besides an auction house, I feel the 2 things GW could really do with are day/night cycles and weather. I can just imagine climbing the shiverpeaks at night in the thunder and rain . Now combine that with the idea someone had of capes becoming cloaks in instances in bad weather and you've got a winner . I thought a full GW day should last 16 rl hours so that people who always play at the same time after work aren't always stuck in permanent day/night. With 16 hour days it would alternate. But 16 hours is far too long and people would never see the transition. Either way, it should NOT be tied to rl day/night cycle and it's length shouldn't be (24/even number) hours, as that condemns regular players to permanent light/darkness. I suggest a full GW day/night cycle of either 9.6 hours or 5.3 hours, that way the same time one night (lets say 8pm wednesday) will be light but the same time the next day (8pm thursday) will be dark. 9.6 hour GW days would mean 2.5 cycles or 5 transitions per 1 rl day, and 5.3 hours would mean 4.5 cycles or 9 transitions per 1 rl day. I suppose it could go smaller if needed, to say 4.36 hour days providing 5.5 cycles and 11 transitions. You get the idea .

Family Draconis

Family Draconis

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

Minnesota

Draconis Guards

R/

Personally, I'd love to see a day/night cycle. Some of the greatest game concepts of all time can come out of having such a simple idea in a game. For instance, during different times of day, there could be a different set of monsters out in some areas (forested areas would have night and day creatures, just like how it is in real life). Unfortunately, like so many people have said in other posts (and probably this one as well), if they haven't added it already, it's going to be too late. Still, we can dream...

quiarrah

quiarrah

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2006

Me/Mo

Here is just an excerpt from SIGIL (ie makers of EQ from Sony) for the newest game coming out . . .VANGUARD

"Sigil has settled on sticking with EQ's 72-minute day/night cycle, but they've also added snow and rain, with simulated storms of differing size and accordant visual limitation."

I thought I would see what EQ's day/night cyle was. . .it is 72 minutes. That is your "24 hour day" game-time. So 24 hours in game is about 1 hour and 12 minutes long. (they also have changing weather in EQ and will in VANGUARD also.)

arcanemacabre

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

Quote:
Originally Posted by quiarrah
Here is just an excerpt from SIGIL (ie makers of EQ from Sony) for the newest game coming out . . .VANGUARD

"Sigil has settled on sticking with EQ's 72-minute day/night cycle, but they've also added snow and rain, with simulated storms of differing size and accordant visual limitation."

I thought I would see what EQ's day/night cyle was. . .it is 72 minutes. That is your "24 hour day" game-time. So 24 hours in game is about 1 hour and 12 minutes long. (they also have changing weather in EQ and will in VANGUARD also.)
Oh that is freakin sweet! Can't wait! (been checking out Vanguard since it was announced)

Knightsaber Sith

Knightsaber Sith

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Aug 2006

Few Fallen Heroes [FFH]

W/E

cough*

Gairoh

Gairoh

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2006

Tsumei village,Shing Jea Island,

A/

It would be awesome if we have day/night cycles....tht will definitely motivate ppl to play or hang around longer...weathers too.....

Hmmm.....so far the most realistic game I have played tht has night/day,weather will defintely be elderscrolls.....Ragnarok online is kinda sweet too..

arcanemacabre

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Knightsaber Sith
cough*

That's an odd quote, "...we don't have day/night cycles because the story takes place at a spcific time."

Wonder if she means "...at specific times."? Cause I can't imagine the entire game taking place in one day, and at one time. Maybe I'm taking it too literal.

I can understand, though. The way GW has worked so far, you arrive at certain cities (and are generally supposed to be present at certain cities) at certain given points in the story. Take Riverside Province as an example. You are supposed to do the mission at night, so the entire time, it's night.

To do a day/night cycle would mean to entirely re-do the way GW works, at least storyline-wise, and basic mechanics-wise. Now weather patterns... that could be implemented, methinks. They could even make it so certain weather effects happen at certain times for dramatic effect during missions. I could see that.

Silly Warrior

Silly Warrior

Hold it!

Join Date: Jul 2006

In your local courthouse.

The Arctic Marauders [TAM] (elite PvE, PM)

I think adding day and night would be wonderful. But I don't see why anet would want to do this, unless it added a new demension to the game itself, not just for fun. It would have to add monsters at night, or make certain things open at night (like bars).

Aera Lure

Aera Lure

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

In Baltar's head

Bring Out Your Dead [BOYD], former officer [LBS]

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by quiarrah
I really think once you had a Day/Night cycle. ..you would then have to enable your characters to rest (like in Oblivion), you have to also emable your characters to eat and drink (like in EQ) . ..I'm thinking here too that it is *code, code, code* Unreal, far-fetched, and totally impossible (for THIS game) and then it would not be GW anymore.
Wouldnt have to go that far by any means. its purely visual, although I do like the idea of it affecting some mob compositions too. Its purely to spice up the over and over-ness quality of entering the same zones again and again in the course of continued play. Imho anyway.

ZsasZ

ZsasZ

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

in the wired

Perplexian Argonauts

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elrodien
Randomised weather effects would be excellent too, they could even have different mobs for different weather types on a map, just to stir it up a bit.
"Rain? Oh no, I just dyed this armor!"

ryanryanryan0310

ryanryanryan0310

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2006

Scars Meadows [SMS]

Rain would be nice....

bigwig

bigwig

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Nova Scotia

#Dismantle

personally i'd settle for night missions, weather effects etc. Borlis pass starts off in the dark as i recall, with a snowstorm. more stuff like that.

bamm bamm bamm

bamm bamm bamm

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by bigwig
personally i'd settle for night missions, weather effects etc. Borlis pass starts off in the dark as i recall, with a snowstorm. more stuff like that.
After reading what Gaile said, I don't see why they can't have it both ways. Explorable areas could have a day/night cycle and variable weather, but missions would always have the same weather and occur at the same time. But they could still use the new system in the missions by, say, always setting Borlis Pass at sunrise (but the sun doesn't set again) with heavy snow, wind and fog, regardless of when you attempt it. Or Riverside Province starts with the sun setting and it doesn't rise again until the mission end, at the conflict before the bridge. Once the system was in place all they would have to do in the missions is set simple triggers with duration values. I use those two missions as examples, but if they ever did do this I think there are technically sound reasons why it wouldn't be seen in any previous chapters. They would probably have to rethink mob layouts, redesign skyboxes, etc.

In fact I think it would help progress the storyline, as people would actually notice when a new day has passed. A similar system was used in Conflict: Desert Storm, if I remember correctly. It gave the sense that missions had lasted all night and into the next day. Pretty cool.

Zakarr

Zakarr

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Finland

I wish day/night cycles (no real-time, maybe 12 hours or 6 hours) and also random weather changes. These would affect globally (except missions) at least in server territory. You can check the current environment status by looking around in outposts or towns. They will be same for every instance where you can go from there.

IMO, the most interesting effect would be that the PvE enemies gain and lose certain properties depending what is the current environment condition and what type of creatures they are. For example skale type creatures suffer when it is not raining (fire will become more powerful) but they gain suprise element because they are hiding from the sun. Maybe they just pop out from somewhere or simply gain a modifier which will increase their defense or attack against something. Human creatures wouldn't gain or lose anything.