Does Darkvision equal glowing eyes IC?

[PJtheFey]

In every Forgotten Realms novel I've read that featured characters with darkvision, the power caused their eyes to glow. Most commonly these glowing descriptions were used in reference to Drow or Orcs.

My question is this: Is this also true for characters that have darkvision on the server? I've never seen it described by other players during RP, though I would imagine that if it is dark and the character has the power they would be using it.

If the answer is yes, what about low light vision? Is it a lesser glow to reflect a lesser power, or none at all?

[Wolfshear]

I have always pictured it as simmilar to a cat's eyes.

In how they appear to be glowing because of light reflecting from them.
That is my take on it at least, people with darkvision having simmilarly effected eyes.

[Blackman D]

its basically the same as a cats eyes (and dragons), its just the amount of times light bounces off lenses in the eye that gives the glow effect (its the light bouncing off the first lens that does it i believe)

a lot of people probably dont realize the anatomy of it so dont think to rp it

i would imagine low light would just produce a fainter glow than full dark vision

[PJtheFey]

In theory that explanation sounds good, but I don't think it actually works for the descriptions in the text. In just about every case they speak of the eyes emitting a certain color. Usually for orcs and Drow it is red, but in the case of Drizzt who had purple eyes, it's described as... well purple.

If it were the same sort of mechanic as cats eyes, I think they would always appear white/yellow. I've never seen a cat's eyes reflect light in a way that appeared any other color, and it certainly doesn't change to match the irises...

[chad878262]

In earlier editions of D&D (1st and 2nd edition) Darkvision did not exist... Races such as elves, dwarves and others had infravision and were described with the glowing eyes and seeing heat signatures. R.A. Salvatore even describes in some of his early drow novels how Dritzz hides in the underdark by using his piwafwi (sp?) cloak to hide his heat and standing near a stalagtite/stalagmite to make it appear as though he is a part of the cavern structure, thus highlighting the difference between hiding from infravision vs. normal vision.

In 3E this was changed to low-light and darkvision which is where the description of cats eyes coming from (Wolfshear and BMD already went in to that so not going to repeat). Essentially your eyes dilate more to allow even small amounts of light in so you can see in darker environments.

TLDNR version - 2E and prior = glowing infravision eyes; 3E and later = darkvision, eyes don't glow, but could give off that appearance when light is caught in the dilated pupils.

[PJtheFey]

That makes sense.... So people have infravision in game since BG is set in first edition, or dark vision since the most of the NWN engine game mechanics are based on 3rd?

[Blackman D]

In theory that explanation sounds good, but I don't think it actually works for the descriptions in the text. In just about every case they speak of the eyes emitting a certain color. Usually for orcs and Drow it is red, but in the case of Drizzt who had purple eyes, it's described as... well purple.

you are taking the example too literal, like a cats eye, not the same color as a cats, the color remains the same (hence glowing red for drow and orc - dragons just tend to also have yellowish orange eyes similar to cats)

That makes sense.... So people have infravision in game since BG is set in first edition, or dark vision since the most of the NWN engine game mechanics are based on 3rd?

would be darkvision , nwn2 is 3.5 based

[Storm Munin]

Interesting topic guys.

Are there actually a difference between how darkvisioned/lowlight vision eyes are seen in the different spectras?

IE Assuming a partial to full darkness environment, would there be any difference to watching a ruby pupiled drow by:
1. Natural light sources (torch, lantern, light spell)
2. lowlight vision
3. darkvision
4. blind sight (no eyes "seen" at all?)
5. true sight