Lighting and "used recently" look

[berkus]

Something to avoid is Fallout3-style abandoned shafts and mines and underground tunnels with freshly installed perfectly working lighting systems (sometimes even industrial/military lights). It sure should just go out of damn order over time.

It's fairly easy to run a checklist "Who inhabits this place? Who does come here often or sometimes?" and if the answer is nobody or wild animals, they wouldn't freaking maintain the equipment, would they now?

[Comrade Nightmare]

This is true, and there are good ways to avoid the "immortal torches" of the RPGs.

[BMF]

Good point.

[Vryheid]

I'd love to see some really vivid, dynamic lighting contrast for nighttime instead of that hazy shade of grey which seems to be everpresent in the Fallout series and many other RPGs. I think the Fellout mod for Fallout New Vegas did a fantastic job of this, just look at what a difference it makes compared to the standard release. I want dark areas to really be pitch black, and lights to have a lot of color. Some visual clarity really makes locations more memorable and landmarks stand out.

[__Pent__]

I'd love to see some really vivid, dynamic lighting contrast for nighttime instead of that hazy shade of grey which seems to be everpresent in the Fallout series and many other RPGs. I think the Fellout mod for Fallout New Vegas did a fantastic job of this, just look at what a difference it makes compared to the standard release. I want dark areas to really be pitch black, and lights to have a lot of color. Some visual clarity really makes locations more memorable and landmarks stand out.

I'm gonna have to disagree on making darkness actually dark. That's one of those aspects of reality that just isn't conducive to gaming and is avoided for good reason. Sure, it works well in horror games, but in other genres it just becomes a pain in the ass when you can't see anything.