by overlordror » Sun Nov 18, 2012 9:54 pm
I think a day/night cycle could be added to the game and darkness still added as a means to tell how far away you are from civilization if two things were utilized, though I'm not even sure they're possible. The first is a skybox for the blackness. During a normal night cycle, you'd see stars and the moon phases, but if you were to wander into the darkness, it would be roiling dark clouds with no stars or moon.
Secondly, you could differentiate between the two levels of darkness by having night darkness be more sepia toned than actual no-civilization darkness. Adding a day/night cycle to the game could potentially add so much, I hate to see it being dismissed so easily. I really enjoyed it in HnH. In addition to changing what type of fish you catch, it could change certain inspirationals. Dew-laden flowers, a patch of fireflies, a slippery slug, etc.
Animals could also have a higher propensity to come out at night. If wolves were ever added to the game, they'd be a sure night creature. Bears might spawn more frequently at night as well.