How dark does the game get?

[Brids17]

So I've watched some videos and seen some screenshots and the game doesn't seem to be too dark but I wanted to make sure. I have a phobia of being in deep dark water, which would make the game unplayable for me. So are there areas that get extremely dark? And if there is are you forced to go into them or can you avoid it all together?

[Horus-fr]

you always have a lightsource available (vehicle have it and you can craft a lamp very early)
the problem I see now for you is that by night you can't sleep or wait for it to end, either you use that time to craft inside your base (that's what i do most of the time) or you can explore around your base or improve it
when you dive deeper well you'll have vehicles that have lights (the seamoth can light up a huge area I use it to go pick up minerals and stuff without a portable light) vehicles become your "surface level" and it's even easier to play with them than when you begin

for now other than get some specific items there's no reason to go very deep, later the story will probably push us to go deeper but not currently

[Jesus Cristo]

Really dark, i kinda felt scared the first time i tried do dive really deep, and them after 1 minute not seeing anything on the bottom, right after that i heard a big roar. Not for the faint of heart.

[Iraneth The Goat]

it you dont have light of some knid, it can get black, you only see the simmer of some plants.

[Khavarum]

Originally posted by Iráñëth:

it you dont have light of some knid, it can get black, you only see the simmer of some plants.

Yep, no source of light at a proper depth and you're in total darkness.

[Rtype77]

well into the second 100 meters (100-200m) it tends to get gradually darker blue, deep purple and eventually black. Trust me, there's a lot lot of people who would feel unnerved i by this. If you still want the game, here are some therapy options:


0) live in the starting area, look's like those one of those tropical holiday resorts. in creative mode you don't have to go scavenging for things at deeper.

1) start in creative mode, get a terraformer. make a xxxx meter deep hole with it. You have now taken your first step towards the darkness

2) make a base every 50 meters down. acclimate. after the initial darkness sets in your mind, it gets boring.

3) play while other people are around

4) watch somehealthy deep sea material. I recommend discovery stuff, they're really peaceful and relaxing.

[Myrador]

Very dark! Deep down + at night is like this:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=589259648

[MrSloa]

Better not play this, I haven't got a phobia and this sense of "unlimited depth" and terrors lurking there is enough to make the cling to the walls of the abyss while diving.

[beach bird]

Oh. So dark.

[ImHelping]

While there are certainly dark areas, your bigger concern will be the draw distance.

It really takes away from your "fear of the dark" when you realize the only reason your spotlight isn't seeing a ceiling or floor, is because it hasn't rendered.

The Jellyshroom caves are a stand out example of how lightning, no matter how strong, doesn't matter in the face of draw distances. It is a biome filled with house sized glowing mushrooms (with crabsnakes as long as a bus living inside some of them).

Off in the distance is a black void, then you pass the render threshold and like a light switch it flips on into 100% fully lit cave full of giant glowing mushrooms as per usual. Even fully lit it can be a headache finding the exit as you scoot around waiting until chunks of ceiling in the distance render and show the wide open canyon crevice leading up to the surface in broad daylight.

On the flipside, this also means you will find yourself with an equivilent "Too dark to see very far" situation, because even if you had an infinite range flashlight, can't light up what isn't there yet.

If your immediate viewpoint is what will cause you discomfort, then it could get iffy in the lategame for several areas.

However, hugging the terrain surface, and the fact many to be implemented story elements will be in tunnel and cave complexes, or lava land, means you will always have a point of reference.

Really the only times you will be in super pitch black everywhere is if you either drive off into the "Void" (too far horizontally or vertically for there to be any map anymore), or you are for some reason driving too far from any surface in any direction for it to be rendered.

EDIT: This is no slight against the world design, because as finite as it is I much prefer a geography with a PURPOSE to procedurally generated infinity.

I'm just trying to highlight that while it can get quite dark in places, it will only ever be "like im in an endless void" if you are veering too far off course for draw distances, or passing into "Yeah we didn't design anything here. please turn back".

Pitch black above you, or beside you, certainly. But you can easily ensure you always have some kind of reference point if you desire.

That and any signifigant depths are always more comforting, when you are basically going to be taking that trip with a brightly colored submarine (or exosuit).

[Lauleyhn]

Originally posted by Brids17:

So are there areas that get extremely dark?

Yes.

And if there is are you forced to go into them?

No.

[Khavarum]

Originally posted by Lauleyhn:

And if there is are you forced to go into them?

No.

When the story will come out, it is possible that the player will have to go deep down below.

[Ottomic]

Well, night happens routinely.

ba-dum-tish.

Seriously now, you've got a flashlight and every vehicle has lights on it. And you don't need to go too deep to get at least a seamoth.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by yuenke:

Originally posted by Lauleyhn:

No.

When the story will come out, it is possible that the player will have to go deep down below.

When that happens, it will be in the Exosuit. So we will have an obvious surface beneath our feet preventing "Crushing void" unless you deliberatly look straight up to ensure nothing but horizon is in your screenshot.

[Brids17]

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd be able to play this game. Even with the ability to use a light I think I'd still be too freaked out. I'm tempted to try it anyway and maybe just refund if all goes wrong but I don't know. Damn phobia ruining a cool game. =\

[Miral]

You could always try it as aversion therapy...