FYI: Night cycle hunting - how to see better

[mrproper]

How to hunt better during night time...

1. Hardware settings

Option 1: Turn off lights that light up your monitor, or desk, or specific area of the room where you play EU. Try it, I'm not crazy

Option 2: Buy a good video card. That means most recent video card with "HD Capable" lables or such, anything new at this moment is perfectly fine, but please focus on using a DVI connection. I know many of you don't care or don't know how to get a good video card, but you might want to see better during EU night-time

Option 3: Buy a good monitor. This means any monitor with a contrast ratio over 1:800 (don't bite the marketing crap about 1:10000000, real contrast ratio never go over 1:3000 ANSI for desktop monitors). Any new monitor with over 19", a contrast ratio of over 1:800, with a DVI connection is perfect. Many people fall trap for fakish monitor stats that feed your ego, but you should research this for at least an hour.

Option 4: Change the monitor settings to allow better vision of darker video imput. For example, it might look like this:



To get the right settings, use these test images:


You should see every square shade on them. You can take these tests and others at: http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/black.php


2. Software settings

Depending on your card maker, you may adjust your "gamma", then your "brightness" and "contrast" settings in their respective control panels. Extra settings like dynamic contrast and color vividness changes my help.

ATI


nVidia



3. Entropia Universe

There are similar controls presented in the OPTIONS dialog within the Entropia Universe game client. Adjust these to obtain desired results. Also, using higher video settings may adjust the quality of the image features.



Have fun and good luck!

 

[dandy]

Gamma setting is only for Full screen Mode

How to hunt better during night time...

3. Entropia Universe

There are similar controls presented in the OPTIONS dialog within the Entropia Universe game client. Adjust these to obtain desired results. Also, using higher video settings may adjust the quality of the image features.



Have fun and good luck!

I like to add that this option works only if you are in Full Screen Mode.
And I change to Full Mode when hunting, others in Windows.

cheer;


dandy

 

[mrproper]

I like to add that this option works only if you are in Full Screen Mode.
And I change to Full Mode when hunting, others in Windows.

cheer;


dandy

That is correct. You may of course want to hunt full-screen during the night cycle, because any bring desktop area will change your eye's dynamic range response.

However, the ingame settings should be applied last, and only after you make sure you have the suitable lighting conditions, LCD settings and video settings applied (which will improve many other applications such as movie players and other games).

 

[alh]

Good advice here

Option 1: Turn off lights that light up your monitor, or desk, or specific area of the room where you play EU. Try it, I'm not crazy

This is so very true.
on this topic... I really hope this crazy trend with white leds fade soon.
They seem to have replaced the blue ones as "high end" now... so silly. (like the price of the led really mattered...)
They are usually way too bright, and I hate how they blind me in dark scenes.
Had to put a tape over mine on my new TV set...

Dim greenish lights would be a nice trend to replace it

 

[layla54]

you can also carefully "paint" over bright LEDs with a spirit-based marker pen, or for more effect, a paint-based pen, sometimes sold as "silver-effect" or "gold-effect" pens

 

[mrproper]

Good advice here



This is so very true.
on this topic... I really hope this crazy trend with white leds fade soon.
They seem to have replaced the blue ones as "high end" now... so silly. (like the price of the led really mattered...)
They are usually way too bright, and I hate how they blind me in dark scenes.
Had to put a tape over mine on my new TV set...

Dim greenish lights would be a nice trend to replace it

Beware of redish and blueish led lights (or any type of lights). Red or orange will make you sleepy, while blue lights will make you stay awake. Don't use them if you want to sleep when needed or wake up when needed.

Also, if anyone wants to check their real ANSI contrast ratio, you can use a simple digital photo camera and this tool: http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/contrast_ratio.php . My monitor is advertised as 1:1000 and varies between 1:985 and 1:1002 depending on brightness settings (which I keep at 40% because it's very bright and strains the eyes). A large contrast ratio, assisted by a video card with a good dynamic range, will allow you to see very precise features on textures and scenes with very smooth single-color areas.

 

[Rake]

Why would you want to spoil all the fun to be had hunting in the dark ??

 

[doitordontdoit]

Scope = Night Vision

Just buy a scope for your gun for night hunting...
Alekz_Precision_Scope is an easy way to get it done on a limited budget.

Ossi!

 

[Mkdesign]

I don't understand why you need a Oh-So-Great DVI connection to be able to play at night

 

[T3h_plonker]

i just turn up the gamma

 

[alh]

Why would you want to spoil all the fun to be had hunting in the dark ??

It still will be dark, but why make it darker then it really is?
Nice to be able to see the details that actually is there.

I don't understand why you need a Oh-So-Great DVI connection to be able to play at night

Well you don't _need_ it, but if you want to see all the detail, you do.
A bit silly to insist on using an analog cable to transfer information between two digital systems, it will need two conversions, first Digital to Analog, and then back again to digital on the screen end.
All such conversions will lose color information.
When you can just as well keep it digital all the way...

 

[Simon God]

I think you are overlooking the fact that MA has made a crappy night cycle.

All these steps should not be had to made to make the game slightly brighter then pitch black.

But I guess buying a brand new gfx card, playing in a dark room is the cost of doing businiess in nightropia universe.


MA - give option to individually turn off night time in options. That way the real roleplayers can have their night, and hunters and miners can play the game at day cycle only.

 

[mrproper]

Why would you want to spoil all the fun to be had hunting in the dark ??

It's optional

Just buy a scope for your gun for night hunting...
Alekz_Precision_Scope is an easy way to get it done on a limited budget.

Ossi!

Scopes are another way to improve the color range of the scenes, but you get limited vision angle, only usable on ranged weapons. Some people might want to use melee (which now that it glows in your face, makes problems worse) or support weapons.

I don't understand why you need a Oh-So-Great DVI connection to be able to play at night

Because it's better?
- DVI connections give better subpixel quality with increasing resolution
- DVI connections don't suffer from high frequency noise
- DVI connections don't suffer from capacitive shadowing
- DVI connections don't lose dynamic range
- DVI connections carry extra information for precise rendering
- DVI connections remove the need for monitor calibration
- DVI connections carry more data (for high-res high-freq activity)

If you don't see a difference between DVI and the 20 years old VGA connection, you are free to use the one you prefer.

 

[Mkdesign]

Well you don't _need_ it, but if you want to see all the detail, you do.
A bit silly to insist on using an analog cable to transfer information between two digital systems, it will need two conversions, first Digital to Analog, and then back again to digital on the screen end.
All such conversions will lose color information.
When you can just as well keep it digital all the way...

DVI monitors are sold for a premium price, so of course, if a salesman talked you into buying one, it makes sense to use a DVI cable between your graphics card and your monitor.

My point was, if you are looking at a monitor with a reasonable price, don't let VGA stop you. Chances are you will get a VGA/DVI adapter with your graphics card if it only has a DVI output. If not, you can find one for 4 euros at just about any online retailer.

 

[mastermesh]

hmm...

why not just turn down graphics quality all the way to safe mode... now stuff is all phong shaded and easy to see and there's less lag since fewer textures are rendering... now use that little tool on the gui called the radar... see the red dots, those are creatures you can kill? If you see a red dot, zoom out as far as third person perspective will let you... now hover mouse over the mob, and drag out the healthbar... now simply aim for the healthbar. Who cares if you can't see anything... as long as you see the healthbar and can aim at it, you'll do damage. Make sure to drag out all healthbars for all mobs that your mouse can find before you start attacking. If the red dots are too close to one another, simply use a gun on one of them to tag them and draw them out of the pack.

 

[Etopia]

Option 3: Buy a good monitor. This means any monitor with a contrast ratio over 1:800 (don't bite the marketing crap about 1:10000000, real contrast ratio never go over 1:3000 ANSI for desktop monitors). Any new monitor with over 19", a contrast ratio of over 1:800, with a DVI connection is perfect. Many people fall trap for fakish monitor stats that feed your ego, but you should research this for at least an hour.

screen is the most important part of a computeur , since that the only part you interect the most with , yet , often , people buy some cheap crap...
many brand offer very good screen , sony , samsung , iilayama (just to say a few)..


also to set your monitor , you can use windows monotor seting system to set the contrast and color.

 

[Legion]

Because it's better?
- DVI connections give better subpixel quality with increasing resolution
- DVI connections don't suffer from high frequency noise
- DVI connections don't suffer from capacitive shadowing
- DVI connections don't lose dynamic range
- DVI connections carry extra information for precise rendering
- DVI connections remove the need for monitor calibration
- DVI connections carry more data (for high-res high-freq activity)

i say hdmi

 

[mrproper]

DVI monitors are sold for a premium price, so of course, if a salesman talked you into buying one, it makes sense to use a DVI cable between your graphics card and your monitor.

If you happen to buy a large display, it makes sense to get one with DVI. It gets better quality and the "premium" becomes less significant compared to the display's overall price.

It's just one of the many options you can improve your multimedia and gaming experience, it's not a requirement to play EU during the night cycle.

why not just turn down graphics quality all the way to safe mode... now stuff is all phong shaded and easy to see and there's less lag since fewer textures are rendering... now use that little tool on the gui called the radar... see the red dots, those are creatures you can kill? If you see a red dot, zoom out as far as third person perspective will let you... now hover mouse over the mob, and drag out the healthbar... now simply aim for the healthbar. Who cares if you can't see anything... as long as you see the healthbar and can aim at it, you'll do damage. Make sure to drag out all healthbars for all mobs that your mouse can find before you start attacking. If the red dots are too close to one another, simply use a gun on one of them to tag them and draw them out of the pack.

Some people may have a different defintions for "fun"

i say hdmi

Tomato/potato, what does HDMI has that DVI does not?

 

[Etopia]

Tomato/potato, what does HDMI has that DVI does not?

i am maybe wrong but isnt HDMI is a simplified DVI.

 

[Lento]

DVI is certainly better than VGA, but displayport is going to take over eventually:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort#Advantages_over_DVI

 

[Legion]

If you happen to buy a large display, it makes sense to get one with DVI. It gets better quality and the "premium" becomes less significant compared to the display's overall price.

It's just one of the many options you can improve your multimedia and gaming experience, it's not a requirement to play EU during the night cycle.


Some people may have a different defintions for "fun"


Tomato/potato, what does HDMI has that DVI does not?

sound and to short

 

[Legion]

i am maybe wrong but isnt HDMI is a simplified DVI.

dvi>hdmi>displayport>....

 

[mrproper]

sound and to short

Ah, yes, I was wondering how that would improve your EU night-cycle experience

Hopefully any players that intend to buy a new monitor will shell out 500 extra PED to have DVI/HDMI...

Let me know if I'm missing any possible tweaks or settings from my list.

 

[Legion]

Ah, yes, I was wondering how that would improve your EU night-cycle experience

Hopefully any players that intend to buy a new monitor will shell out 500 extra PED to have DVI/HDMI...

Let me know if I'm missing any possible tweaks or settings from my list.

hehe well i was speaking in general terms

and most monitors today, that is anything to have that is got dvi or hdmi.

 

[Etopia]

sound and to short

both have sound
and both do the 5.1 if i am not mistaken

 

[alh]

both have sound
and both do the 5.1 if i am not mistaken

No, dvi is only image.
hdmi is pretty much dvi + digital sound in the same cable (and a nicer form factor)
The only thing that sucks with dvi is the huge and bulky connectors... (and possibly the limited bandwidth... but thats not much problem yet for most people)

And I would never buy an lcd with a vga port... but then I am a graphics guy

 

[DoubleWolf]

Beware of redish and blueish led lights (or any type of lights). Red or orange will make you sleepy, while blue lights will make you stay awake. Don't use them if you want to sleep when needed or wake up when needed.

Red lights are actually okay for low light situations. Pilots use red lights in aviation during night time operations as it doesn't screw with the eye's night adaptation.

However, staring at a computer screen, no matter how dark the image appears to be, probably does nothing to help the eyes adjust to low light...

 

[Etopia]

No, dvi is only image.
hdmi is pretty much dvi + digital sound in the same cable (and a nicer form factor)
The only thing that sucks with dvi is the huge and bulky connectors... (and possibly the limited bandwidth... but thats not much problem yet for most people)

oki , made some search , because ati card with dvi got sound system integrated, but you need to put adaptator dvi=>hdmi to have the sound carried...
Seems they "cheat" a bit and use some of the DVI port to send the sound...
I kinda understand since most of dvi dont use half of those 24 port...

So yes dvi do only image , but ati put sound inside too

note that now , ati make card with both dvi and hdmi .

 

[jenny ferr]

"HDMI is said to be a successor of DVI, hence HDMI is better than DVI in many aspects, like the transfer rate of HDMI is more than DVI"
DVI vs HDMI

but why use other then DVI for a computer screen today I dont know and doesn't all the screens on the market today support DVI? (known brands at least)

 

[Profit]

Shader to high, gamma up, problem solved.
Some good info in here, but it's not necessary imho.