Night flying is going to be interesting....

[LegioX]

One thing i been thinking about. In other games ala: ww2ol, when it turned night, most of the flyboys either took a break, or went ground until the sun came back up. Wonder if there will be any special items you can use (nightvision, etc....) to use while flying. B/c from looking at the pics, night is going to be well....DARK:D

[Stardouser]

Good topic. Will there be IR or anything for pilots I wonder? In fact have we heard whether there will be any kind of NVG at all?

[Hyiero]

yes NV has been confirmed by Matt during his GDC gameplay walkthrough.

Thou he didn't say if it was going be infantry only or if you could activate while flying

[cBselfmonkey]

I'm pretty sure that night vision for aircraft was confirmed. Like, 99% sure I heard it was somewhere.

[LegioX]

Good topic. Will there be IR or anything for pilots I wonder? In fact have we heard whether there will be any kind of NVG at all?

I can see major ground ops being orchestrated during the night time. Will be very hard for Air-to-ground pilots to pick out targets.

[SpcFarlen]

Im kind of opposed to night vision unless it has a limited range. I plan on doing most of my operations at night since it is a good cover. Also if it isnt easily acquired, can lead to a clear advantage over veteran pilots and newer pilots.

Its a cool idea though.

[Stardouser]

I can see major ground ops being orchestrated during the night time. Will be very hard for Air-to-ground pilots to pick out targets.

Actually this brings up another point, will multiple continents be night at separate times? If so, people who want to focus on night attacks for the advantage of darkness can do so.

[cBselfmonkey]

I can see major ground ops being orchestrated during the night time. Will be very hard for Air-to-ground pilots to pick out targets.

Well if its an issue then thats where player communication comes in. Guys on the ground letting them know where the big concentration of enemies are so they can hit that area.

[SpcFarlen]

Actually this brings up another point, will multiple continents be night at separate times? If so, people who want to focus on night attacks for the advantage of darkness can do so.

I do know that they want to make it so a player can go through a cycle in an average play session. But as far as continents on differnt times... i havent heard.

[RedKnights]

Actually this brings up another point, will multiple continents be night at separate times? If so, people who want to focus on night attacks for the advantage of darkness can do so.

I think they said something in the stream like the sun will travel over the global map, putting some places in darkness while other conts are light.

More to the subject of the thread i'm sure there will be vehicle night vision, but I but it will take up a slot in your upgrades, which would seem reasonable to me.

[davek]

i think this is a good problem add to the realism and immersion if you have to switch strategies or communicate differently based on whether its night or day

[Envenom]

Planes have running lights like the tanks no? Will they be big huge flashing beacons in the night sky?

[Pepsi]

On that note, I wonder what some kind of stealth options there would be besides the obvious darkness. Something like a cert that masks your plane's heat signature from IR would be cool.

[LegioX]

I'm hoping ground troops can throw out smoke or some sort of flares to mark targets for the air. Maybe laser?

[Toppopia]

Planes have running lights like the tanks no? Will they be big huge flashing beacons in the night sky?

I'm hoping aircraft have the option to equip spot lights to help ground targets engage enemies and disorientate the enemy, or night vision gear. Because imagine being spec ops and running from cover to cover to avoid a big search light combing the area.

[cBselfmonkey]

Planes have running lights like the tanks no? Will they be big huge flashing beacons in the night sky?

Can infantry flashlights be turned on and off? If so then I'd imagine so can running lights for vehicles.

[LegioX]

Night battles are going to be something special in this game. Day/Night cycle is probably one of the best things they put in this game.

[Envenom]

I'm hoping aircraft have the option to equip spot lights to help ground targets engage enemies and disorientate the enemy, or night vision gear. Because imagine being spec ops and running from cover to cover to avoid a big search light combing the area.

That's a really cool idea. I like that.

[lolroflroflcake]

Planes have running lights like the tanks no? Will they be big huge flashing beacons in the night sky?

Id imagine they would be turned off when there is a possibility of being shot at and since your always being shot at in Planetside they probably just won't be included in the airplane models, plus headlights don't do much for an airplane when its flying so I highly doubt they will have any lighting of that sort either. :)

Not that they will be hard to see, what with the big engines spewing fire on the back.

[Turdicus]

Night vision is confirmed as a general option, and we have seen in videos IR scopes for rifles so far. In the live stream video you can see, for all the vehicles shown, that there was an option for night vision. This should be for tanks, and planes and all that.

It will probably come at the expense of something else, I dont know what. I'm also hoping it limits view range by quite a bit. That would make it a more balanced option in my opinion and give more utility to the night.

Also its been confirmed that lights can be turned on and off for vehicles. I think its safe to assume that goes for infantry too.

[RSphil]

night vision is all good but dont forget if done properly everything will be green. so the shape of the targets is going to be key and also ground to air communication will be paramount. id love to see strobes or something so you could identify your forces on the battlefield that only your pilots can see of course.

night fighting is going be amazing. its the one thing im looking forward to the most. it is the one thing that has been missing from fps's for years. night and i mean Dark, scary night :)

[RedKnights]

Planes have running lights like the tanks no? Will they be big huge flashing beacons in the night sky?

An attachment to "run dark and silent" would be pretty cool, i'd have to say.

[Dagron]

I'm hoping aircraft have the option to equip spot lights to help ground targets engage enemies and disorientate the enemy, or night vision gear. Because imagine being spec ops and running from cover to cover to avoid a big search light combing the area.
That's a really cool idea. I like that.
:rock:

[Purple]

i think i will like night flying will be very fun. it may be easier to find targets due to tracers, headlights, and flashlights. ground forces will have a harder time finding targets on a moonless and or cloudy night.

[MonsterBone]

The airplanes need to suffer at night.

[Kurtz]

night vision on air vehicles isn't necessary. It will add to the immersion and challenge.

[RSphil]

night vision on air vehicles isn't necessary. It will add to the immersion and challenge.

not sure about that. even RL pilots get night vision. lets see what they do. either way tbh its gona be epic.

[KTNApollo]

Actually this brings up another point, will multiple continents be night at separate times? If so, people who want to focus on night attacks for the advantage of darkness can do so.

Yes, time of day was confirmed to be different on each continent.

[Troscus]

I know I'd enjoy either the choice between nightvision and IR (as in, between those two things) or a sort of flare system from the ground troops. Having them ALL would be great, but maybe have it to where a flare would blind NV and cover the heat signatures in IR. Add that small extra dynamic of communication between forces.

[Shade Millith]

I'm really hoping that aircraft have a disadvantage during the day with visibility.

This would boost both ground movement, and would also boost aircraft teamwork.

Night and day should be different hurdles to tackle, just slapping perfect NV onto all aircraft is boring. Might as well not even be night, just slapping a green tinge over the screen.

[Dagron]

... just slapping perfect NV onto all aircraft is boring. Might as well not even be night, just slapping a green tinge over the screen.
I agree, that would be OP. It's no fun if every time it got dark everyone would just get to the choppa. :p

[Toppopia]

I'm really hoping that aircraft have a disadvantage during the day with visibility.

This would boost both ground movement, and would also boost aircraft teamwork.

Night and day should be different hurdles to tackle, just slapping perfect NV onto all aircraft is boring. Might as well not even be night, just slapping a green tinge over the screen.

I doubt it will be perfect NV, if it is then i will be disappointed. Because as you say, there will be no distinct disadvantage. But maybe give NV a short range, and IR would let you distinguish enemies easier but you can't see terrain nearly as well, and the spotlight would be the best visibility but will leave you sticking out like a rat in a cat nursery. So all 3 options have good advantages and disadvantages. So now we just need to build up on these.

Discussion may continue.

[Vetto]

I kinda hope they make Flight NV a perk, it add a forced change of game style to people normal i know some may not like that, but not having that one perk you all way falls back on just so you can see at night be kinda fun =p Reminds you to stay humble.

[Shade Millith]

I kinda hope they make Flight NV a perk, it add a forced change of game style to people normal i know some may not like that, but not having that one perk you all way falls back on just so you can see at night be kinda fun =p Reminds you to stay humble.

While I can see it being a perk, one that you have to give up something else, it has to be limited.

I'd like to see it as one of two things.

1) Spotlight. Can be turned on and off. Causes tunnel vision for the pilot, and lights him up in the sky.

2) Limited NV. Either severe tunnel vision, or very limited view range. Bright lights blinds the pilot.

Night time should be a time for sneaking and backstabbery, and air craft should not be given free reign.

[Gandhi]

The tunnel vision thing can be done more elegantly by having just a portion of the cockpit window do NV. Like how the HUD is done in modern planes:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MlcIJtVqC0I/SUbA1Ox9kGI/AAAAAAAABvA/9VGBCZPQOrI/s400/cockpit.jpg

[Toppopia]

The tunnel vision thing can be done more elegantly by having just a portion of the cockpit window do NV. Like how the HUD is done in modern planes:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MlcIJtVqC0I/SUbA1Ox9kGI/AAAAAAAABvA/9VGBCZPQOrI/s400/cockpit.jpg

Hmm, that could look cool, only that crosshair area lights up in NV or IR. Would allow normal flying and NV at the same time.

[Kipper]

I concur with the above.

Night vision should come at a cost of something else - if you have three upgrade slots, this should take up one of them.

You could have a choice of floodlights, spotlights, IR vision, low-light vision, and flares - each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Engineers could set up 'spotlight' turrets (or add spotlights to gun turrets) too :)

[wraithverge]

this is why one of the command certs should be fire flares. Fire a few flares up to bathe the battlefield in a minute or two of light, targeting for air, combined arms ftw.

[CommandoCarl]

this is why one of the command certs should be fire flares. Fire a few flares up to bathe the battlefield in a minute or two of light, targeting for air, combined arms ftw.

Hell yes! Maybe like a side grade for the underslung smoke launcher or gl to replace the smoke canister or whatever grenade you decide to use!

[bbihah]

IR vision should most definitely not allow between easy enemy or friendly recognition. If anything everything should be so blurry that at short to medium range that it will be harder to distinguish, meaning that you have to rely on others during the night to confirm hostiles. Or take a risk at shooting at friendlies.

A thing like that happened to during operation desert storm if i remember correctly. Pilot commander was a trigger happy douche that did not want to wait for recognition and wanted first blood.

Floodlight/spotlight should be the "best" option with the least penalties.

+ color.
+ shapes.
+ wide.
+ helps others, especially in terms of focus firing on ground vehicles because people know what and where your looking at.

- your a big HERE I AM sign.
- shadows. A DIRECT HIT! oh wait that was his shadow...
- Quite obvious where you are looking.


NV and IR should have a small area that allows you to see with it and should not work for longer ranges, think darklight but further and with a FOV limitation.

Air vehicle fired flares could be nice, i can totally see these being fired from sunderers and deliverers lighting up a small area though. Air vehicles could "drop" light flares to light up a small area i guess. Means you could call in someone to air drop flares for your outfit above the enemy.

[Kaw]

From the videos we have seen, doesn't just about every weapon in the game shoot tracers at night? If that is the case there are a few things that make me think pilots won't have trouble finding targets with or without night vision. First of all, nights don't seem to get terribly close to irl night time darkness. From the videos it seemed like it was always possible to make out objects hundreds of yards away. In addition, there seems to be lights around all the bases as we saw in TB's night ops video. Lastly, the engines of all the aircraft shoot fire and will probably be relatively easy to spot. All of this, combined with the fact that every enemy will have beams of light traveling away from them suggest that Night vision won't really be necessary on aircraft. It may be a nifty side-grade, but I don't think it will be mandatory by any means.

[Toppopia]

I don't think we have seen the darkest night yet. Because i would be a little disappointed if i can see enemies 300 metres away. We need a screenshot of a night with thick clouds, no moons. That is as dark as we can get i think.

[Ale]

Night vision on fighters means Gals don't fly at night. This is bad.

Do not want.

[Blackwolf]

Nightvision seems like it's a purchasable cert. I'm deffinately picking that up for flying and probably sniping.

[Aaramus]

Definatly would like to see spotlights for the aircraft, especially as it adds another element to teamwork and means air units will have a good support role for infantry during the night. Plus you could have different colours and shaprs of your light which could be bought from the cash-shop

Of course you're lit up like a christmas tree and you're probably going to take a few AA shots. Night battles are going to be the best thing about this game!!!!

[meiam]

NV is fine if flashbang blind people with it for a few second, you don't wanna be flying blind after all.

Flying at night for real pilot is really hard because you need to be able to fly with only you're equipment (radar/map/altimeter) so it should be equally as hard in PS2 but possible, depend on how good the radar is (can we see other object altitude relative to ours?)