How do eyes switch to low-light vision or dark vision?

[danzibr]

Suppose you're outside where it's bright and you look inside where it's dark. For us humans, we'd have to like step inside and let our eyes adjust. But what about a creature with low-light vision? Can they see inside with no problem? Or would bright light cause a problem? Similarly, how about dark vision?

I seem to recall reading the first Drizzt book and the Drow took the light away to have their vision switch.

[Hiro Protagonest]

The drow thing is called "adaptation". Plus, the drow sight has changed since the 2e days. HEAVILY changed. Before, they could barely look in the general direction of the sun, and they couldn't hold their gaze without permanently damaging their eyes for more than 20 seconds, tops, without adjusting by using the light of things like candles and stars. Now? They get a condition for one round and take a minor penalty the rest of the time. Besides, I'm going to assume drow NEED light. Imagine if you could only see out to 120 feet, in black and white.

As for "adjusting", low-light vision already uses the existing light. It doesn't matter for more than like, two seconds. Darkvision is something that doesn't exist, so we don't know how it works.

[Eisirt]

Without trying to get into the biology behind it.

Your character uses the vision-mode that has the least penalties.

[Fineous Orlon]

How do eyes switch to low-light vision or dark vision

To paraphrase Michael Okuda, "Pretty well, actually."

[Othesemo]

I imagine that it would be much the same way that we switch from looking at red to looking at blue.

[VGLordR2]

That's an interesting question. Especially since this is a game where commoners can summon chickens from nowhere, drowning is beneficial to your health, and kobolds are dragons.

[Toliudar]

I also like the idea of darkvision being a bit like blindsense, tremorsense, mindsense - overlaying an entirely different set of information, not supplanting regular vision. So there's never a transition between states because darkvision is never inoperative.

[Marnath]

Besides, I'm going to assume drow NEED light. Imagine if you could only see out to 120 feet, in black and white.


You are mistaken (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#darkvision). It specifically does not require light.



I also like the idea of darkvision being a bit like blindsense, tremorsense, mindsense - overlaying an entirely different set of information, not supplanting regular vision. So there's never a transition between states because darkvision is never inoperative.

Yeah. That bit about light not spoiling darkvision agrees with you. presumably it means if you're standing in the sun looking into a pitch black cave, you'll see into it fine.

[Malak'ai]

You are mistaken (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#darkvision). It specifically does not require light.

I don't think Jade Dragon was meaning they need light for their Dark Vision to work, just that they need light in a general sort of way. Just because you can see 120' in pure darkness doesn't mean you have to ALL the time.
Imagine a Drow Magician trying to brew a potion... "A little bit of this grey powder and a dash of this grey liquid and there we have it, a bit couldron of grey stuff."

[Keneth]

Drow cities are filled with (faint) magical lights that allow their low-light vision to function. They don't need light to survive, but that's like saying you can survive indefinitely on army rations. Sure you can, but why would you want to?

[danzibr]

Specifically, if you're in a bright spot looking into a dark spot, with low-light or dark vision can you actually see inside? Or do you need to step out of the bright light?

[stack]

I would imagine the color fading in and out as the light changes. Even our own eyes percieve color poorly in dark conditions, shouldn't be too hard to imagine the color fading out and distant objects going shadowy, then disappearing.

[Tanuki Tales]

Didn't the Drizzt novels mention Darkvision as being Thermal Optics in nature? I always envisioned it working like the Predator's one vision mode.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Didn't the Drizzt novels mention Darkvision as being Thermal Optics in nature? I always envisioned it working like the Predator's one vision mode.

Yes, that was written back in 2e (and he's kept that for consistency, rather than switching with editions). But in 3.X, darkvision is straight black and white vision with a very limited range.

[danzibr]

Yeah, it was totally thermal in the books, but now since it's all black and white... how exactly would that work? It sounds like sonar or something.

I know this is D&D we're talking about, but I'm j/w.

[Tanuki Tales]

Yes, that was written back in 2e (and he's kept that for consistency, rather than switching with editions). But in 3.X, darkvision is straight black and white vision with a very limited range.

Ah. Was unaware of that.


I think I like the thermals idea more.

[deuxhero]

Yes, that was written back in 2e (and he's kept that for consistency, rather than switching with editions). But in 3.X, darkvision is straight black and white vision with a very limited range.

Mostly because the rules were very unclear on what it actually did, and Hollywood makes it do most people have an incorrect idea on what thermoptics does.

Darkvision with flat explicitly layed out benefits is much saner.

[Marnath]

Specifically, if you're in a bright spot looking into a dark spot, with low-light or dark vision can you actually see inside? Or do you need to step out of the bright light?

According to what I linked up there, it's the first one. "The presence of light does not spoil darkvision."

[Keneth]

how exactly would that work?
I imagine it's a lot like a human's "darkvision" where all the colors fade and turn into b/w noise except the shapes are better defined and there's more depth perception (not sure how since there's no shadows, but there would have to be).

There was an image of what darvision is supposed to look like in a book somewhere, not sure which book, maybe the 3.0 DMG. But that's more like black with white outlines iirc, which wouldn't really work.

[danzibr]

According to what I linked up there, it's the first one. "The presence of light does not spoil darkvision."
... Well, I feel silly. Thanks Marnath.