Week 7 - Virtual Skyscapes

So, for my entries so far, I try to find something in my week to discuss in terms of lighting. For example, last weekend I was filming a movie, so I wrote about film lighting, because it is how I spent my time. So, concerning this week: On Thursday at midnight, I waited in a line for the release of a new game, and that is how I have spent my time this week.

This is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Since a lot of posts so far have been of natural lighting, i.e. sunsets and sunrises, I thought I would share some virtual examples of natural lighting. This first image I took at approximately 5:00 AM in game-time, just before sunrise. Notice, firstly, the sun's reflection on the moon, which allows us to see the moon, as in real life. It's just a lot closer to the planet in this game. Secondly, I'd like to draw attention to the clouds and the lighting of the sky in all of these pictures. These in particular stand out to me as wonderful, realistic graphics, in comparison to the mountain, trees, and ancient temple. Next is the same location, around 7 AM.

I like how the sun coming from around the mountain not only brightens the sky, but creates a silhouette of the clouds, while the clouds in front of the mountain are not sillhouetted but white. Here is an image from around 2PM.

I think the sky in this one is extremely close to the daily sky we see. If it weren't for the crosshairs and compass at the top of the screen, I would think the sky was a photograph. Here is an image from sunset.

Here we can see the purples and pinks that we like so much in sunset. And finally, a later image from around midnight.