Daybreak has previewed a new lighting system they are applying to H1Z1.
The lighting system is not a new iteration or improved tech. Instead, it is a simple improvement on the older system. The previous lighting system attempted to be as true to life as possible, but because of tech limitations, this fails in some areas. So, for example, all light particles were visible whereas in real life this would not be the case.
The new lighting system simply replaces the numbers used for calculations for lighting. The new system essentially makes the game ‘look good’ instead of trying to be realistic. Another change the system brings is that it moves around where the satellites appear around the moon.
These changes are cosmetic, and because there’s no ramp up in the tech or calculations used there should be no visible change in PC performance.
There is another system which will apparently become more conspicuous as a result of the changes. The Iris system simulates how your eye acts in the real world, for example in places filled with trees.
With the Iris system, the game’s camera will adjust its exposure systems in such a way that the trees will be more visible. This is particularly useful when you’re walking into the light. Again, the system is intended to make the game look better.
Lastly, the lighting system is also confirmed to work with fog, as you can confirm below.
H1Z1 is in development for PlayStation 4 and Windows. You can check out a gallery of before and after images, as well as a look at how the new lighting works on trees, and on fog, below.
