tgm@ukc.UUCP (T.Murphy) (03/10/85)
I have had many arguments with my players as to the effect and use of infravision. I use the strict definition ``infravision is the ability to see into the infrared spec- trum.'' (Players Handbook 102). Sadly, given this defini- tion Gygax goes on and imposes all sorts of rules bearing no basis on this physical supposition. Effecively infravision is just another colour. The normal human eye can see in the electromagnetic spectrum from red to violet so extend this to from infra-red to (possibly ultra-) violet. Things like ``switching'' infravision on and off and ``concentrating on infravision'' and `letting your eyes adjust'' just don't make sense. Your eyes adjust to the dark because of the difference in brightness, not colour. (Just a minute, let my eyes adjust so that I can admire the blue wallpaper) Bear in mind that the human body with normal clothes on (which doesn't make much difference anyway) radiates as much infra-red light as a 80-watt lightbulb radiates normal light. You must make the distinction that it the heat and not the light of a torch that spoils infravision. So the old trick of casting continual light on a stone and hanging it in a lantern should work without spoiling infravision. Perhaps the most inconceived idea of infravision was in ``Vault of the Drow'' by the great Gygax where there existed clocks that ``glowed green in infravision''. Just a note: both invisibility and darkness cancel infravision. mcvax!ukc!tcdmath!jaymin Joe Jaquinta, c/o D.U. Mathematical Society, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
euren@ttds.UUCP (Leif Euren) (03/14/85)
Joe Jaquinta writes: >Effecively infravision is just another colour. The normal human eye can >see in the electromagnetic spectrum from red to violet so extend this >to from infra-red to (possibly ultra-) violet. Things like ``switching'' >Infravision and off and ``concentrating on infravision'' and `letting >your eyes adjust'' just don't make sense. Your eyes adjust to the dark >because of the difference in brightness, not colour. As far as I know, the human retina contains of two kinds of light-sensitive cells (I can't get their correct english names, but let's call them `rods' and `taps'), of which the taps `come in three colours' but are less sensitive. Should one give a physiological explanation to infra-vision, I'm tempted to assign it to the more sensitive rods. As everybody knows, it takes 10-20 minutes to aquire night vision (changing from taps to rods), but a mere instant to destroy it (changing back). With this explanation, Gygax is right. >The old trick of casting continual light on a stone and hanging it in a >lantern should work without spoiling infravision. According to what's said above, it shouldn't. Of course, it's completely ridiculous to give scientific explanations to fantasy concepts. And what do we know about elven physiology? In the AD&D universe I'm Mastering, seeing comes from the sight-beams emanating from each persons eyes (thats why you sometimes can feel if someone is looking at you), and even then I discourage my players to use their infra-vision. It hasn't been useful to them, anyway. >Just a note: both invisibility and darkness cancel infravision. In any case, you are right about this! = = = = = = = = = = Real Life: Leif Euren Fantasy : Herven (Fighter), Siegfried (Assassin) Usenet : enea!ttds!euren
berosetti@watrose.UUCP (Barry Rosetti) (03/18/85)
> > Of course, it's completely ridiculous to give scientific explanations > to fantasy concepts. And what do we know about elven physiology? In > the AD&D universe I'm Mastering, seeing comes from the sight-beams > emanating from each persons eyes (thats why you sometimes can feel if > someone is looking at you), and even then I discourage my players to > use their infra-vision. It hasn't been useful to them, anyway. > I don't think that it's rediculous to give scientific exlanations. As a matter of fact, if you can come up with a feasible explanation for a novel phenomena (sp?) you will know a lot better how to react to various twists and unexpected actions on the part of the players (as far as the phenomena is concerned). In my campaign, I developed a new race (the Dwundel). These creatures started off as humans and half-elves but were corrupted by a high devil called Trintur (son of Glasya and Mammon). Their blood was mixed through eons with various different kinds of devils and the like. As a result of this and high magicks, they developed extended abilities and resistances, with those of the lower types of devils as base. Included in these abilities is a 'special' infra-vision which is described as follows: (0) Infra-red light is just another spectrum of light. It is not solely associated with heat, however hot objects act much as a night light since heat gives off a limited amount of infra-red light. (1) The sides of the Dwundel's eyes enamate a frequency of light in the infra-red spectrum. Their sensitive pupils collect any reflecting light and thus they can 'see' much as a bat can 'see' whenever there is a total lack of infra-red light (or a great diminishing thereof). A membrane over their pupils screens the amount of light that reaches the sensitive areas (ie. the conterpart of rods and 'cones' in humans). Thus, they always have some sort of light (of relatively consistant intensity) and they are seldom blinded by a burst of infra-red light. (2) The Dwundel's eyes are NOT hot. The light they enamate is IR but as I said above IR light is just another form of light and not strictly associated with heat. (3) The Dwundel have no sensitivity to any of our 'normal' light. This is because of their specific breeding, magicks, etc. This background for their sight gives me the ability to handle strange situations (ie. a control temperature at a range of greater than 60' (the range of the light their eyes enamate) will give those within practical invisibility, but any closer the light from their eyes falls upon the sphere and spots something wrong). A scientific explanation (or nearly scientific) provides the ability to reason about something, and you don't have to rely on an enumerated set of rules like (if xx then yy). Barry Rosetti ( ..!watdcsu!watrose!berosetti) "When in trouble, scream and shout, run in panic, jump about.." - Heinlien (sp?)
moroney@jon.DEC (Mike Moroney) (03/19/85)
>Effecively infravision is just another colour. The normal human eye can >see in the electromagnetic spectrum from red to violet so extend this >to from infra-red to (possibly ultra-) violet. Things like ``switching'' >Infravision and off and ``concentrating on infravision'' and `letting >your eyes adjust'' just don't make sense. Your eyes adjust to the dark >because of the difference in brightness, not colour. Not exactly true. In the human eye, the sensitivity to color IS dependant on the amount of available light. When it gets dark enough, the color sensing portion of the eye doesn't have enough light to operate and we lose our ability to differentiate colors and we see in black and white. Not only that, the low-light sensing portion of the eye cannot sense red, so in the dark, humans lose ALL ability to sense red. If you don't believe me, take some bright red object into a dark room with you and look at it. What color does it look like? That's right, BLACK as COAL. As far as the eye is concerned, it isn't reflecting any light in the visible range. Granted, this is the exact opposite of what infravision is described as, so it's a little confusing. >The old trick of casting continual light on a stone and hanging it in a >lantern should work without spoiling infravision. Not necessarily. Imagine one of those "glow-in-the-dark" toys that glow green in the dark. In normal light, they appear white from the reflected light, even though they are still glowing. If infravision worked the same way, it is possible normal light could overpower it, especially if the elven eye was BARELY sensitive to infrared. That makes some sense, since infravision is only good to 60-90 feet, and the bodies being sensed are as bright as a 100 watt light bulb in the infrared. "There's a madness to my method." Mike Moroney ..decwrl!rhea!jon!moroney