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Sandstorm brightness changes too fast
Seems to be different from http://lacunapassage.userecho.com/topics/288-058b-dust-storm-effect-randomly-turns-onoff/ as in my case it definitely doesn't turn completely off (not even close). The storm density does change (that's what causes the flicker), but never does it seem unnaturally clear.
Anyhow, the brightness/density of the sandstorm changes with time, like I imagine it would IRL. However, this happens very fast and looks more like a failed lightning effect than a brightness change. I think it would look very natural if scaled to real time, but in game time (1 RL second per game minute or so?) it looks way too fast if compared to YouTube videos of sandstorms on Earth.
By the way, I really like the sandstorms! Just tried the sandstorm start and I actually felt relief when on sol 4 the storm finally cleared after 2.5 days, with power and oxygen running dangerously low!
Customer support service by UserEcho
Interesting. Well, the effect is composed of many large-scale particles that are blowing with the wind. Perhaps the brightness/density changes are a result of individual particles that are moving too quickly past your viewpoint? This is obviously an even more exaggerated timeframe, but does the effect look similar in your game to the way it's shown in this timelapse video?
Basically, the brightness and density of the storm is relative to your location to the storm's epicenter. So in order to get the sense of relief you felt when the storm lifted I have to have the epicenter move at a certain pace, and that pace will determine how quickly the transition occurs.
Aye, the effect is the same as what you see in the early/late stages of the storm in the video (so #2 in Mr. Fusion's post. The effect does feel natural except for the speed). A little slower, perhaps 2 to 5x or so, but still way faster than it should be considering how much you sped up the time scale in the video.
I'll see if I can find me some gaming time the next few days to try and get a video of the effect (if it happens again, it would need a new start).
I'm not quite sure what the OP may refer to. As far as visual intensity, I've noticed 2 distinct effects in play:
#1 - The movement of the storm itself, which causes all effects to become more/less intense slowly, over a period of several days, or as the player walks into/out of a storm area.
#2 - Local dust density fluctuations, causing the sky to briefly (a few seconds) become slightly darker or brighter than the "overall" light level in the area (but never completely clear, the effects are still visible), sometimes accompanied by a visibility distance change of the same duration. Maybe the range of these fluctuations could be narrowed a bit to avoid changes of extreme differences, for example if randomness happens to result in going from a maxium density reduction state right to a maximum density increase state without stopping at any middle point closer to normal levels; which would indeed be visible as going from a very bright to a very dark state in a matter of seconds.
To me, borh of these effects feel "natural" both in speed and duration, and I haven't noticed any other (anomalous) kind of intensity change so far, since the flickering issue has been addressed.