Screen Effects

[InfiniteWarrior]

The double vision you get when drinking beer without the perk to eliminate it not only makes sense, but doesn't interfere with gameplay. Oh, it might make you miss, but doesn't prevent you from seeing the game.

The screen effects accompanying smoke inhalation, heat and cold, otoh, do. They gradually cover up the game itself, graduating outward-in from the borders of the screen.

What do you guys think of the screen effects and how or if they might be improved?

The Frostfall mod for Skyrim handled this pretty well from my perspective. The vista turned a bluish tint in the Northern regions of the map that became more pronounced as the player neared freezing. I'd think something similar might be done for damaging biome effects here rather than obscuring the player's real vision.

 

[LittleNightma]

I think it's meant to be a hinderance to the player, forcing them to do the biome challenges so they don't have to deal with them anymore. Same for storms even though the badges do not help in that regard.

 

[InfiniteWarrior]

I think it's meant to be a hinderance to the player, forcing them to do the biome challenges so they don't have to deal with them anymore.

I hope you're kidding. The idea of such screen effects is to suggest the avatar is being affected, not the player's real vision of the game laid out before them. Puts me in mind of Warmongerian's difficulties when playing the game. The subtle suggestion of avatar effects would be preferable to interfering with a player's real vision of the game, I would think, for accessibility purposes if nothing else.

 

[theFlu]

The idea of such screen effects is to suggest the avatar is being affected, not the player's real vision of the game laid out before them.

The limiting of your vision is an approximation of the character's state; they can't see, they potentially can't think straight. They don't have a good grasp of their surroundings, so the player is hindered "similarly". Esp in first person a screen effect isn't terrible for that, tunnel vision is a real thing. For a 3rd person game, you might have to focus more on "fogging" the game world to have a clear circle around the char, but for 1st person it works.

I don't mind "virtual blindness" at all, but I can see how people get annoyed by it. That's kinda the point though, to make the player suffer with the character.

 

[LittleNightma]

I hope you're kidding. The idea of such screen effects is to suggest the avatar is being affected, not the player's real vision of the game laid out before them. Puts me in mind of Warmongerian's difficulties when playing the game. The subtle suggestion of avatar effects would be preferable to interfering with a player's real vision of the game, I would think, for accessibility purposes if nothing else.

Lol. I am not. I agree they could use some tweaks, but I am also explaining what the intent may be.

 

[InfiniteWarrior]

a screen effect isn't terrible for that

There are different kinds of effects: screen effects (effects essentially layered over the HUD, as these are) and environmental effects, e.g. fog, heavy rain, darkness, etc. in the game world itself. The former literally comes between your eyes and the game world. The latter is part and parcel of the game world. It's the former I'm talking about, not the latter.

 

[theFlu]

There are different kinds of effects: screen effects (effects essentially layered over the HUD, as these are) and environmental effects, e.g. fog, heavy rain, darkness, etc. in the game world itself. The former literally comes between your eyes and the game world. The latter is part and parcel of the game world. It's the former I'm talking about, not the latter.

Yes...?

 

[InfiniteWarrior]

Yes...?

The former could be more subdued like the progressive blue tint in the Frostfall mod for Skyrim. I think there comes a point when the vista is sharpened to an uncomfortable degree when your character is close to freezing, but nothing overlays the HUD, obscuring your real vision of the vista itself. I believe snow blindness was an option in another, exceptionally complementary mod. Wet and Cold? Don't Remember. But the blizzards in the northern regions regions of Skyrim were just part of the game world as storms are in this one.

 

[theFlu]

The former could be more subdued like the progressive blue tint in the Frostfall mod for Skyrim. I think there comes a point when the vista is sharpened to an uncomfortable degree when your character is close to freezing, but nothing overlays the HUD, obscuring your real vision of the vista itself. I believe snow blindness was an option in another, exceptionally complementary mod. Wet and Cold? Don't Remember. But the blizzards in the northern regions regions of Skyrim were just part of the game world as storms are in this one.

Ehh, all right? You're talking of mods I haven't seen for a game I haven't played. Doesn't really effect my attitude towards HUD effects as a representation of character state. I'm fine with them in general.

Random imaginary example, your 7dtd character gets hit in the head; concussion + stun. The HUD hides the food and water bar, because your character isn't giving a crap about how hungry it is. The HUD hides the toolbelt as the character can't really remember where it put things, right now. The HUD hides the time and day, cuz the char got hit hard enough to forget what year it is.

I'd be fine with all of that. Character gets sand in its eyes in a sandstorm, HUD simulates the blindness by a near total black screen - still fine with it.
It can be made poorly, it can be made well; some prefer none, I don't mind it as a mechanic.

 

[InfiniteWarrior]

Doesn't really effect my attitude

It might effect the attitude of someone with a vision problem of some kind. Not much you can do about game world effects, like blizzards -- things that obscure the character/avatar's vision affects yours as well. Torches and helmet lights, maybe, but filling an overlay with opaque smoke or red and blue smudges literally comes between the player and the game world. So, as I said, something more subdued might be considered for accessibility reasons if no other. Or...not.

 

[NoMan]

 

[Riamus]

The only biome hazard screen effect I don't like is the wasteland one. It looks horrible, imo. The others I can live with, though I wouldn't mind them taking up less of the screen, which I had mentioned when they first showed off the screen effects prior to 2.0.

 

[theFlu]

It might effect the attitude of someone with a vision problem of some kind. Not much you can do about game world effects, like blizzards

I'm not actively hostile towards accessibility improvements, yet. But I don't really get installing wheelchair ramps at bouldering gyms. Especially with pure entertainment, the proper product comes first. I don't have anything against accessibility options where they fit, though. Where do they fit the easiest, in a moddable game? Hud effects. Just a basic disable-toggle is enough for those. In world objects, you'll need to create new "more readable" assets to replace your "realistic but blurry" original assets.

So, if I was to argue FOR accessibility, I'd be arguing FOR HUD effects. They can then be easily disabled.

You already see more of the world than you character does, for example you can peek around corners while completely behind them. It'd be interesting to hide at least zeds that are out of line of sight, but the game doesn't do that. We could also implement a "toolbelt" with you clicking on the 3D-items shown on your actual player character in the world. That wouldn't be easy to make usable, but it'd be lovely in its realism. The world to character to player chain isn't "solid" either way, no reason not to use the HUD as part of that.

 

[InfiniteWarrior]

I'd be arguing FOR HUD effects. They can then be easily disabled.

Then...how would the player be informed of the onset and progress of damaging effects? There'd be no indication. (Just brainstorming some ideas here.) I must say, I was very impressed by Frostfall's progressive bluish tint effect. Wish you'd been there. It was a sight to see. But that's tint. Workable for all but the Burnt biome, I'd think. I have to wonder how Chesko would approach smoke....

 

[theFlu]

Then...how would the player be informed of the onset and progress of damaging effects? There'd be no indication.

I dunno, how about
If (disabled_mode_enabled):
blurry_screen_effect = 0;
If (really_disabled_mode_enabled):
BIG_FAT_LETTERS_IN_THE_MIDDLE_OF_YOUR_SCREEN = 1;

The latter would of course need _some_ implementation, but same applies to the world effects.

 

[pApA^LeGBa]

Doesn´t bother me too much as it is only for a short time. Now if i had to actually play the game like that and not just go trough a checklist for a short time, that would be really bad. Also you can avoid it completly by making enough smoothies (yes, even for the wasteland, you just need to have the Area 7 POI outside of the wasteland, it has the radiated mushrooms) or just going along biome borders when doing the biome badges. Just go back and forth and watch your timer.

Don´t care about the storm effects at all, as i can´t go out anyways during a storm. Burning Forest one looks cool though.

 

[Vaeliorin]

I absolutely hate the screen effects. Any sort of "it's hard because you can't see wtf is going on" is something I can't stand. I've hated it since playing Doom 2 (I spent hours looking for a switch that I couldn't see because it was in a dark corner) many, many years ago.

 

[Lax]

... I've hated it since playing Doom 2 (I spent hours looking for a switch that I couldn't see because it was in a dark corner) many, many years ago.

Duct tape mod...