WIP
REVAMPED NIGHT VISION FOR GROUND VEHICLES
Night vision devices have been in war thunder since, we’ll update Night Vision. However since their introduction there has been one problem, they have all been modeled incorrectly. You may ask: how is it modeled wrong? Well the answer is simple, not all night vision is the same.
The different types of night vision:
There are two main types of night vision: Active and passive.
ACTIVE: active night vision was the earliest forms of NVD’s and could only operate if there was a significant form of infrared illumination. However they usually were supplemented by the use of infrared spotlights that provided their own source of infrared radiation that the NVD could then pick up on. However they also came with the trade off of revealing a tanks position due to the beam that they created.
PASSIVE: passive night vision was introduced to eliminate the problems with active night vision giving away a vehicles position due to its IR spotlight. Instead of needing a somewhat bright source of ambient lighting it instead was able to use the light from stars and moon. This essentially eliminated the need for heavy, and cumbersome IR spotlights (however they were sometimes still used) and allowed for a tank to operate in nighttime conditions without revealing its position.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT GAMEPLAY?
This would have almost no effect on how modern vehicles night vision functions. It would have a much more significant effect on Cold War era vehicals. As early Cold War vehicles used active night vision and over time transitioned to passive NVD as it became available it would offer more diverse gameplay at these lower BR’s if night battles are enabled for them. Right now all vehicals regardless of br and night vision type use passive night vision, however in most cases this is not accurate in regards to their proper IRL night vision.
WHAT VEHICLES GET WHAT?
While I may not have an answer for this as of now, hopefully with help I believe that the community can help to determine what vehicles used active and which used passive.
So as a baseline assumption I believe that while it’s determined what used what it be assumed until proven otherwise that all vehicles with IR spotlights (not IRCM) used active night vision and those that don’t use passive.
However, there are a few exceptions to this that I currently do know of. Those being the following:
M60, M60A1 AOS, M41A1, M42, leKPZ M41, T92, M103, M48A1, and M47, as these vehicles were in service prior to the introduction of passive night vision they used Active NVD, however none of these currently have IR spotlights. (M60, M60A1 AOS have mounting points for said spotlights)
HOW WOULD IT LOOK?
Below are two sets of images depicting the difference in active and passive night vision under night time conditions. Active are the first images, passive is the latter (images edited to clearly depict the differences between the types as images of earlier active night vision from a tank’s perspective is almost nonexistent)
With IR spotlight
DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF NIGHT VISION
In addition to the different types of night vision there are also different generations of night vision similar to the different generations of thermals as newer generation NVD’s were created they improved upon several key factors that are for the most part already implemented in game such as resolution and noise
Resolution and noise go hand in hand and effects how clear an image is, resolution is how clear the basic image is. Noise is the interference that affects the image. Newer
Zero gen: any night design vision developed prior to the end of the Second World War. Always active night vision.
First gen: was an improved NVD where early passive NVD began to be introduced. However these passive systems required moonlight or an IR light source to operate. Suffered from noise
Second gen: an additional improvement over 1st gen that offered improved resolution and clarity that also was capable of operation off starlight in clear weather. Suffered from less noise compared to first gen NVD.
Third gen: the final form of true night vision, available exclusively passive night vision. Suffers the least from image noise and offers a significantly more clear image.
WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE INTRODUCED?
Only a small portion of what was covered would actually need to be introduced due to Quite a bit of this actually being already implemented, what would need to be introduced would be the passive and active night vision, as resolution, noise, and IR spotlights are already in game (though some vehicles lack their IR spotlights). This would add an additional form of realism to the game and hopefully pave the way for lower BR night battles (that’s another suggestion though)
- Yes
- No
- Arcade
- Realistic
- Simulator