Congratulations Bioware, you've almost pulled me back in with this new Stronghold. I was so excited to decorate it(aside from the pain of emptying my other Strongholds ;~; At least I took pictures)!

 

However, one thought that kept running through my head was "Oh, this will look so beautiful at night! Oh, wait...", and while I love the new Stronghold, that thought keeps on serving as a punch to the gut over and over again. It doesn't inspire me to start playing again.

 

Come on, Bioware, you don't even really have to try. We just want a day/night cycle so we can see our strongholds in different lightings. Worried some people won't like that? I dunno, make it toggleable. I don't really care - just give me the ability to see my strongholds at all different times of day and in different lightings, even if you cut every corner. I really don't care anymore - just give us a day/night cycle already.

Not just strongholds but throughout the whole game. I wanna see what some planets look like in the dead of night or the blaring light of day. Maybe even weather changes.

This would be a cool idea if they could make it work. I've noticed the number of NPCs in the Cantinas vary depending on the time of day. It'd be cool if they could base the time of day on whatever planet you're visiting on either the server time, or your computer's system time. It'd definitely add a different ambiance to the game!

This would be a cool idea if they could make it work. I've noticed the number of NPCs in the Cantinas vary depending on the time of day. It'd be cool if they could base the time of day on whatever planet you're visiting on either the server time, or your computer's system time. It'd definitely add a different ambiance to the game!

It shouldn't be server time / system time, especially player's system time - which set of NPCs are there if I'm on Eastern and you're on Central? Do we end up seeing different NPCs?

 

No, it should be (if it is built, see below) a shortened game-time cycle, similar to what you find in FFXIV or GW2. (The GW2 cycle is two hours of real-world wallclock time. FFXIV is similar.)

 

Why might it not be built? Because the time of day on each story planet is determined by the story that happens there, or so they say, and of course there are lore-related considerations. How should they handle night-time Hoth? Do you take periodic elemental damage because of the cold? (See: ESB.)

Not just strongholds but throughout the whole game. I wanna see what some planets look like in the dead of night or the blaring light of day. Maybe even weather changes.

 

It wouldn't work lore wise for every planet, Ilum is almost always dark. Dromund Kaas as well for example is always stormy

Yes, it would be s awesome to see day / night control or even small interface to control weather in your stronghold. Would love to see Manaan during a storm.....

I think having a hidden interface control for your SH's ambiance would be awesome. You could toggle time of day and weather pattern. People have been talking about ambient music/sounds so maybe that could be added in too.

 

I'd love to use it for day/time changes. Swapping Coruscant from twilight to full day. Tatooine to the bright daytime of the rest of the planet. Manaan or Yavin to full night.

I've noticed the number of NPCs in the Cantinas vary depending on the time of day.

 

What do you mean? When and where have you noticed this? How can you tell the time of day in Swtor? I have never noticed a difference in NPCs anywhere.

Edited July 19, 2017 by JattaGin

If this was implimented into the game, or at least strongholds. It would be a detail that some probably wouldn't like. But I think that the majority of players would love such an addition.

If this was implimented into the game, or at least strongholds. It would be a detail that some probably wouldn't like. But I think that the majority of players would love such an addition.

I think it would have to be restricted to just strongholds because of the combination of story and lore considerations that would make it awkward to do on planets:

* Hoth is well known to be intolerably cold at night.

* Dromund Kass's weather would be restricted to p***ing with rain versus just a few drops versus about to rain versus just finished raining.

* Ilum is dark.

* etc.

 

The ambience that actual weather adds, however, cannot be underestimated. FFXIV has weather (there are even NPCs in the big cities who provide forecasts!), and although the deserts around Ul'dah have rain that's far too frequent and far too heavy, the ambience is amazing. (The rain, when it happens, is heavy and sometimes diagonal, like there's a howling gale to accompany the rain.)

 

EDIT: Cannot be *over* estimated. Duh.

Edited July 21, 2017 by SteveTheCynic