Seeing in the dark

[prestidigitator]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

None of the Sight senses would work in enclosed spaces where no light source exists, since they are fundamentally passive. As are all normal human senses.

 

If you have an active Sight sense, it should work perfectly well under those circumstances. As noted under Enhanced Senses, active or passive can be defined as such at no extra cost.

 

Well, except that infrared light sources tend to be a lot more prevalent in most environments than vislble light sources. In fact, we often automatically bring our own infrared light sources with us, being warm-blooded and all. So does that make IR Vision Active? Hmm. (No, not really. The heat radiated from your own body doesn't likely offer enough illumination to be able to see other things in your surroundings. But it does seem to hold pretty well that IR Vision works in most enclosed spaces when normal light sources are missing.)

[director13]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

If you have an active Sight sense, it should work perfectly well under those circumstances. As noted under Enhanced Senses, active or passive can be defined as such at no extra cost.

 

I like it. It's elegant and simple.

 

Wouldn't you need Concealed to avoid the "Flashlights shooting out of my eyes" effect, though?

[torchwolf]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

Well' date=' except that infrared light sources tend to be a lot more prevalent in most environments than vislble light sources. In fact, we often automatically bring our own infrared light sources with us, being warm-blooded and all. So does that make IR Vision Active? Hmm. (No, not really. The heat radiated from your own body doesn't likely offer enough illumination to be able to see other things in your surroundings. But it does seem to hold pretty well that IR Vision works in most enclosed spaces when normal light sources are missing.)[/quote']

 

Very true, as D&D dwarves have discovered. As infrared light sources does not depend on reflected light but rather molecular excitation, IR light can be generated from tectonic activity, chemical reactions, etc., but even in an environment devoid of visible and UV light, you can use your own body heat to backtrack or navigate by the heat signatures of your footprints or handprints (although these will fade rather quickly, and you might need to remove your shoes if they're well insulated). If you have Discriminatory or Analyze on your IR sense, that might suffice in itself.

If you have SA: Smokin' Hot, you might be able to navigate using yourself as a light source...

[torchwolf]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

I'm not so sure about that Active/Passive thing. I would find it a bit strange that for no cost increase, the Sight ability would suddenly become much less likely to be impared by a simple SFX switch.

 

I don't have my 5ER with me, so I can't re-read up on the nuances of Senses.

 

The drawback for having an active sense is that it is detectable by a passive sense; you become an emitter of light.

You could always have both an active and a passive version of the same sense - for an additional, active Normal Sight that would then cost either 25 pts (5ER) or 35 pts (6E). It is not specifically stated if you can use a sense passively as well if you buy Transmit, but you probably could do that instead if possible, since it would just cost 2 pts (5ER and 6E) for just 1 Sight sense, or 5 for all Sight senses.

 

I like it. It's elegant and simple.

 

Wouldn't you need Concealed to avoid the "Flashlights shooting out of my eyes" effect, though?

 

Yes you would, unless it is ruled possible to buy Transmit for Sight

and switch between active and passive.

 

The rationale for that could be some bioluminiscent or flourescent layer, much like a cat's eyes glow in the dark only actually transmitting light enough to see by, only active when light conditions trigger it.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

If you have an active Sight sense' date=' it should work perfectly well under those circumstances. As noted under Enhanced Senses, active or passive can be defined as such at no extra cost.[/quote']

I guess. But you ought to be able to build it without it having to be active. The active/passive distinction makes a difference that someone might not want.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

Ah. Yes' date=' it seems you and I, and Occam's Spoon were talking past each other. I wasn't trying to "correct" anyone. I was requesting, along with Sean, how to best build a particular ability which isn't quite covered by IR, UV, or the current Nightvision, and doesn't quite fit the concept of a separate sense built with Spacial Awareness, etc.[/quote']

 

Right. You are looking at this as an enhancement to normal vision, but the ponderous construct I suggested was bought as a separate sense that happened to be in the Sight sense group. But it seems to me the enhanced vision route is the way to go here.

[SteveZilla]

Re: Seeing in the dark

 

I like it. It's elegant and simple.

 

Wouldn't you need Concealed to avoid the "Flashlights shooting out of my eyes" effect, though?

 

Like seen from Benny the Cab in Who Framed Roger Rabbit!