I was playing GTA V, and I noticed a really cool effect, the lights flickering/blinking at a certain distante (that effect caused by the difference of atmosphere temperature, air turbulence and thermals...).

So I always thought that could be a nice effect to be implemented on a sim. It's not a "no buy" feature, just something that could add some kind of realism.

What do you think? I found a video similar about what I'm talking about

 

 

98% of the lights that appear to blink from the air, are not actually blinking.  Rather there is *usually* just a tree/building temporarily blocking it from view before showing up again.

Edit: but I do think a randomizer (sort of like the lighted building windows) would be a good addition, if not in already. It could make 2-5% of city lights blink, for example.

Edited March 14, 20206 yr by ual763

7 hours ago, ual763 said:

98% of the lights that appear to blink from the air, are not actually blinking.  Rather there is *usually* just a tree/building temporarily blocking it from view before showing up again.

Edit: but I do think a randomizer (sort of like the lighted building windows) would be a good addition, if not in already. It could make 2-5% of city lights blink, for example.

I know! It’s just an optical effect from the distance and the heated air that is between the light and the viewer. 

But I don’t mean blinking like a broken streetlight. It’s more like a little movement of the light ball. 

I really don't think this will be a problem.  They've already shown heat blur effects and as said, most lights that appear to blink are actually just temporarily obscured and this should happen in the sim as well.

I'd still like more evidence of a more dynamic lighting world (traffic lights, pulsing or flashing tower beacons)