I. Like. Night Vision!

[M00ka]

I've used night vision, and Frontier's implementation isn't realistic at all.

• Night vision is monochrome green, and obviously makes it easier to see, but everything is green (and no, night vision doesn't give everything a bright white neon border.
• Frontier's version is an amazing tool for combat, even in daylight: Elite's version of night vision gives everything a bright neon border, so it's way easier to see ships, even in Nav Beacons, which obviously get a decent amount of sunlight. Too easy though and it's kind of silly.

Lose the bright neon borders around everything, and it would be more realistic. And with night vision on, make everything monochrome green.

You do realise that there are various generations of night vision. The first time I used one was the original 1st Gen mono lens (one lens), and yes everything was green, not very distinct and zero depth perception. God knows how the pilots flew using it, I had trouble identifying targets on the air to ground range. Just before I hung up the uniform I used the latest Gen system with 4 lens - very different, a lot closer to what FD have implemented to be honest (and yes without the border, I will give you that). One thing to remember with night vision, if there is no light, it doesn't work. Put someone in a sealed room with zero light sources and he will be as blind as someone without goggles, the system amplifies whatever light is available, if there is no light, there is nothing to amplify.

Back on topic, I wonder how many think they are being stealthy because they have bought a black paintjob? I remember one of my mates couldn't work out why he was still getting shot at because he had a black paintjob so in his mind, he was invisible. I had to explain it gently to him that targeting sensors don't really care what colour his ship is and if he didn't want to stand out then maybe his orange engine exhaust and purple weapons stream weren't a good idea!

 

[Faybs]

Back on topic, I wonder how many think they are being stealthy because they have bought a black paintjob? I remember one of my mates couldn't work out why he was still getting shot at because he had a black paintjob so in his mind, he was invisible. I had to explain it gently to him that targeting sensors don't really care what colour his ship is and if he didn't want to stand out then maybe his orange engine exhaust and purple weapons stream weren't a good idea!

I suspect a lot of people complaining about night vision ruining stealth are under the same misunderstanding as your friend. There's no need for night vision when you've got glowing exhaust trails leaving copious amount of smoke behind them, maneuvering thruster plumes ten feet tall and of course every time a weapon is fired you can trace it back to the source.

 

[pippo]

No more silent running. NV will light you up like a firefly.

I don't think it changes stealth at all, if anything, nobody can say that midnight paintjobs are pay to win anymore!

Seriously now, silent running is about resolving a target in order to get a lock on it, not going invisible.

 

[Guest193293]

It's cool and especially useful!

 

[Branithar]

You do realise that there are various generations of night vision

Aesthetically, it’s kind of jarring looking. On planetary surfaces, during noon, the planet surface looks the same, except that every rock and boulder glows. And at planetary outposts, every ship and polygon that make up the structures have that green-white border, even in the sunlight. It makes complete sense that ships would be easier to see in combat, because anything above absolute zero emits infrared. It’s just weird looking when every edge of every polygon glows.

 

[Ozram]

Well, FDev always said there was nothing keeping CMDRs (and security) from looking out through the canopy glass and seeing another ship except the darkness of the universe itself, the NV certainly does eliminate that.

Elite Dangerous NV lights a planet's surface to the horizon. IRL most civilian NV does not work that well, it attenuates over distance. Be on the lookout for a NV nerf at some point . . .

Let’s hope so. Right now it outlines the shape of a ship so clearly it creates an advantage for targeting even in well lit space.

 

[Faybs]

Aesthetically, it’s kind of jarring looking. On planetary surfaces, during noon, the planet surface looks the same, except that every rock and boulder glows. And at planetary outposts, every ship and polygon that make up the structures have that green-white border, even in the sunlight. It makes complete sense that ships would be easier to see in combat, because anything above absolute zero emits infrared. It’s just weird looking when every edge of every polygon glows.

I'm a bit surprised they aren't using the same shader they do when the game is loading, and it shows you your current ship spinning along the yaw axis. That only glows along the "horizon" of the shape, not on every polygon edge.

 

[Weps]

I hate it.

If they just wanted to allow some "wireframe vision mode" they could have chosen a different esthetic, instead of this "selective green filter applied to drawable objects" nonsense.

PS: I wonder if it's possible to mess with the color the way people mess with the HUD colors. We would at least make it pink.

 

[777Driver]

No more silent running. NV will light you up like a firefly.

Gotta admit the amount of cmdrs on the beta forum that seemed to think silent running is some kind of 'invisibility cloak' amazed me. Night vision does sweet FA to silent running, sensor resolve and target locks will work exactly the same as before.

 

[M00ka]

Gotta admit the amount of cmdrs on the beta forum that seemed to think silent running is some kind of 'invisibility cloak' amazed me. Night vision does sweet FA to silent running, sensor resolve and target locks will work exactly the same as before.

But but they have the midnight black paint jobs, and it is dark in space, no one can see them remember

 

[Ozram]

Gotta admit the amount of cmdrs on the beta forum that seemed to think silent running is some kind of 'invisibility cloak' amazed me. Night vision does sweet FA to silent running, sensor resolve and target locks will work exactly the same as before.

Massive difference between seeing a ship and having a clear outline of its boundaries. Right now SR creates an advantage even in well lit space. In that regard it has a strong impact on combat and does indeed weaken SR as an option even further.

 

[Ozram]

But but they have the midnight black paint jobs, and it is dark in space, no one can see them remember

Even with the arctic white paint job in high visibility conditions you still get a better outline of the ship with current SR. It’s an unintended advantage that could use some balancing. Midnight pjs vs other ones never made much difference in combat.

 

[askavir]

Love the night vision.

 

[777Driver]

Massive difference between seeing a ship and having a clear outline of its boundaries. Right now SR creates an advantage even in well lit space. In that regard it has a strong impact on combat and does indeed weaken SR as an option even further.

No idea what other PvP'ers are doing. As far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no use for visual stealth in a combat scenario's with the exception of surprise attacks. 99% of the PvP engagements I have been in over the past 4 years have been close range combat. Only thing that matters is sensor resolves and target locks.

 

[Ozram]

No idea what other PvP'ers are doing. As far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no use for visual stealth in a combat scenario's with the exception of surprise attacks. 99% of the PvP engagements I have been in over the past 4 years have been close range combat. Only thing that matters is sensor resolves and target locks.

Rail sniping is the main issue against higher level pvpers. This makes quite the difference to that. As far as how large the impact is overal, I tend to agree with you however I don’t think it should be overlooked that now ships are as “visible” when not targeted as they are when targeted. I’m of the opinion the effective range of NV should be reduced and the way it highlights ships changed somewhat. At the very least it should not provide any advantages in well lit space.

 

[PeLucheuh]

No idea what other PvP'ers are doing. As far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no use for visual stealth in a combat scenario's with the exception of surprise attacks. 99% of the PvP engagements I have been in over the past 4 years have been close range combat. Only thing that matters is sensor resolves and target locks.

SR was a defensive mechanic. As a hulltank FAS pilot, i was using it a lot (when no emissive on me) under wing focus in order to gain time for my mate to peel for me. Because while i am not stealth, it is way harder to rail snipe a moving target you can't resolve (no vector indication) or clearly see at 2km+ (especially in deep space no matter the paintjob).
The cold banking mechanic is also very compromised (using a heatsink, waiting to get to 0 heat then use SCB).

It has a significant impact on high level PvP combat by reducing defensive possibilities. It is now way easier to rail snipe a cold or SR target. (I personally can hit most of my rail shot no matter the distance now due to NV).