I'm not sure whether or not this is the best spot to post this since I couldn't find anything under "Game Systems" or whatever, but here goes:
The weather system in FFXIV could use a bit of attention to make it more believable, specifically when transitioning between different types of weather. As it stands now, every 8 hours of in-game time the weather changes as if a switch is flipped with no real transition time. This could be fixed by setting a transition period where the weather gradually changes to the new state. An example would be when transitioning from rain to sunny, the intensity of the rain could gradually lessen while breaks begin to appear in the clouds overhead until the clouds eventually disappear. Conversely, if transitioning from rain to fog, the rain could slowly let up while visibility is reduced until the rain stops and the fog has fully set in. Other games that use this type of transitioning typically set a period of roughly 1 in-game hour.
Moving on, the shadows in the game are still poorly implemented. What irritates me most about it is that distant objects and landscapes that block the sun or moon such as mountains, buildings and even the clouds overhead are not casting shadows as they should, the light shines through as if none of that is even there. Shadows are also being cast at inappropriate times such as when the weather would block sun and moonlight, but the ground is still lit up as if it were sunny. I've also noticed that in forested areas, you can still see light coming down from the canopy at times when there should be none such as during nighttime when there's a new moon or when the weather would prevent any light from reaching the ground to begin with. A general rule of thumb with shadows is if an object or landscape blocks light, it should cast a shadow even if it's off screen or distant. Shadows cast within shadows should not be clearly discernable. If the weather would block the sun or moon, then the light should not be reaching the ground full force.
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The weather system in FFXIV could use a bit of attention to make it more believable, specifically when transitioning between different types of weather. As it stands now, every 8 hours of in-game time the weather changes as if a switch is flipped with no real transition time. This could be fixed by setting a transition period where the weather gradually changes to the new state. An example would be when transitioning from rain to sunny, the intensity of the rain could gradually lessen while breaks begin to appear in the clouds overhead until the clouds eventually disappear. Conversely, if transitioning from rain to fog, the rain could slowly let up while visibility is reduced until the rain stops and the fog has fully set in. Other games that use this type of transitioning typically set a period of roughly 1 in-game hour.
Moving on, the shadows in the game are still poorly implemented. What irritates me most about it is that distant objects and landscapes that block the sun or moon such as mountains, buildings and even the clouds overhead are not casting shadows as they should, the light shines through as if none of that is even there. Shadows are also being cast at inappropriate times such as when the weather would block sun and moonlight, but the ground is still lit up as if it were sunny. I've also noticed that in forested areas, you can still see light coming down from the canopy at times when there should be none such as during nighttime when there's a new moon or when the weather would prevent any light from reaching the ground to begin with. A general rule of thumb with shadows is if an object or landscape blocks light, it should cast a shadow even if it's off screen or distant. Shadows cast within shadows should not be clearly discernable. If the weather would block the sun or moon, then the light should not be reaching the ground full force.
Continue reading...