Weather System: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 03:00, 19 July 2024

Weather is a game mechanic of Subnautica: Below Zero that will affect temperature and may affect power output for Solar Panels.^[1] Each weather type has a different effect in gameplay.

Weather Types

Available Weather Types

These weather types currently occur naturally.

Blizzard

Extremely heavy snowfall that restricts the player's vision to several meters. Decreases temperature quicker.

Calm

Calm weather has no falling effects and the skies are partially cloudy. Has a chance to trigger an aurora borealis effect at night.

Electric Storm

In an electric storm, there is a partial layer of snowy fog that impairs vision. There are also frequent lightning strikes and thunder all around the player.

Hail Storm

Hail storms add a layer of fog similar to a snow storm. It also produces heavy snowfall that causes particles effects of ice hitting the ground and shattering. Decreases temperature quicker.

Heavy Fog

Heavy fog adds a layer of snowy fog to the world. It can only occur naturally in the Arctic Spires.

Light Fog

Light fog adds a weaker layer of snowy fog. It can only occur naturally in the Arctic Spires.

Light Snow

Light snow effect with little or no fog. No effect on gameplay. Has a chance to trigger an aurora borealis effect at night.

Snow Storm

In a snow storm, there is a layer of snowy fog that impairs vision.

Whiteout Blizzard

A whiteout blizzard shares a name with the blizzard but the player cannot see at all more than a foot away due to the extremely heavy layer of fog. Sound is also reduced to a "whiteout" sound.

Unavailable Weather Types

These weather types do not yet occur naturally, however they may be added in the future. Some may still be triggered through in-game commands.

Clear Skies

Clear skies is identical to the calm weather type, however it has been confirmed to have been cut.^[2]

Rain

Rainfall effect. May decrease temperature in the future, if re-implemented.

Scripted Weather Events

These weather events are only triggered at specific point[s] during the story, and may not be triggered through console commands.

Meteor Storm

The meteor storm is active at the beginning of the game. It features little fog and meteors raining down from the sky and colliding with the terrain. Meteors can damage or kill fauna that they land on. Though not part of the weather event specifically, a meteor strikes Vesper Station.

Protection & Monitoring

Players will be able to avoid the negative effects of weather by hiding in caves^[3] or in a Seabase. The effects of weather may also be nullified by going underwater.

Triggering Weather through Commands

There are multiple commands specifically related to the weather system.

weather toggles weather entirely.
wind toggles all wind effects.
precipitation toggles rain and snowfall effects.
lightning toggles lightning effects.
forceweathernext ends the current weather and starts the next predicted weather event.
resetweather re-rolls all predicted weather for the next 24 in-game hours.
weatherevent [NAME] sets the current weather to the designated type. Note that this disables the normal weather flow and the weather will not change by itself after using this command. The weather event codes are as follows:
- blizzard
- calm
- clearskies
- electricstorm
- hailstorm
- heavyfog
- lightfog
- lightsnow
- rain
- snowstorm
- whiteoutblizzard

Trivia

Weather was originally planned and worked on during the development of Subnautica such as rain for example, however it was scrapped after alterations to the skybox.
Previously, weather was meant to be monitored using the Weather Station (and later with the Control Room), however it was later scrapped.^[4]

Gallery

<tabber> In-Game=

Blizzard in the Glacial Basin
Blizzard at night
Light snow in the Glacial Basin
Lightning in the sky
Hail hitting the ground
Snow storm in the Glacial Basin

|-| Development=

BZ SurfaceFogScattering 01

A sped up view showing various states of weather
BZ NewClouds 01
BZ NewClouds 02
BZ Cloudscape 02
BZ AuroraBorealis 01

Aurora Borealis dev video
BZ AuroraBorealis 02

Aurora Borealis dev video 2
BZ AuroraBorealis 03

Aurora Borealis dev video 3
BZ AuroraBorealis 04

Aurora Borealis dev video 4

</tabber>

References

[1] Expansion Feature Brainstorm

[2] Favro Card: Eliminate clear skies in favor of light weather.

[3] Favro Card: Add visual signposting for caves. Caves could use some visual signposting so player can find shelter more easily.

[4] Favro Card: Weather Room

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Weather''' is a game mechanic that will affect [[temperature]] and may affect power output for [[Solar Panel]]s.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1suz-D1bvdxbGDjlOxhUHgs-C3-pBVHnSojDYltDPWpI/edit Expansion Feature Brainstorm]</ref> Each weather type will have a different effect in gameplay. Currently, they have no effect other than visually.
+'''Weather''' is a game mechanic of [[Subnautica: Below Zero]] that will affect [[temperature]] and may affect power output for [[Solar Panel (Below Zero)|Solar Panel]]s.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1suz-D1bvdxbGDjlOxhUHgs-C3-pBVHnSojDYltDPWpI/edit Expansion Feature Brainstorm]</ref> Each weather type has a different effect in gameplay.
-==Available Weather Types==
+==Weather Types==
+===Available Weather Types===
 These weather types currently occur naturally.
-===Blizzard===
+====Blizzard====
+Extremely heavy snowfall that restricts the player's vision to several meters. Decreases temperature quicker.
-Heavy snowfalls. May decrease temperature in the future.
-===Electric Storm===
+====Calm====
+Calm weather has no falling effects and the skies are partially cloudy. Has a chance to trigger an aurora borealis effect at night.
+====Electric Storm====
 In an electric storm, there is a partial layer of snowy fog that impairs vision. There are also frequent lightning strikes and thunder all around the player.
-===Hail Storm===
+====Hail Storm====
-Hail storms add a layer of fog similar to a snow storm. It also produced heavy snowfall that causes particles effects of ice hitting the ground and shattering. May decrease temperature in the future.
+Hail storms add a layer of fog similar to a snow storm. It also produces heavy snowfall that causes particles effects of ice hitting the ground and shattering. Decreases temperature quicker.
-===Light Snow===
+====Heavy Fog====
+Heavy fog adds a layer of snowy fog to the world. It can only occur naturally in the [[Arctic Spires]].
-Default weather; light snow, no effect on gameplay.
-===Snow Storm===
+====Light Fog====
-In a snow storm, there is a layer of snowy fog that impairs vision. May decrease temperature in the future.
+Light fog adds a weaker layer of snowy fog. It can only occur naturally in the [[Arctic Spires]].
+====Light Snow====
-==Unavailable Weather Types==
+Light snow effect with little or no fog. No effect on gameplay. Has a chance to trigger an aurora borealis effect at night.
-These weather types do not yet occur naturally, however they may be added in the future.
-===Calm===
+====Snow Storm====
+In a snow storm, there is a layer of snowy fog that impairs vision.
-Calm weather has no falling effects and the skies are partially cloudy.
-===Clear Skies===
+====Whiteout Blizzard====
+A whiteout blizzard shares a name with the blizzard but the player cannot see at all more than a foot away due to the extremely heavy layer of fog. Sound is also reduced to a "whiteout" sound.
-Clear skies is identical to the calm weather type, however it has been confirmed to have been cut.<ref>[https://favro.com/organization/35200a08dbbad85b26102638/0d9378db42299691bb14c708?card=Unk-3716 Favro Card: Eliminate clear skies in favor of light weather.]</ref>
+===Unavailable Weather Types===
-===Cold===
+These weather types do not yet occur naturally, however they may be added in the future. Some may still be triggered through in-game [[Console Commands|commands]].
-Identical to calm weather, but its name suggests it will affect temperature in the future, if implemented.
-===Heavy Fog===
+====Clear Skies====
+Clear skies is identical to the calm weather type, however it has been confirmed to have been cut.<ref>[https://favro.com/organization/35200a08dbbad85b26102638/0d9378db42299691bb14c708?card=Unk-3716 Favro Card: Eliminate clear skies in favor of light weather.]</ref>
-Heavy fog adds a layer of snowy fog to the world. It does not currently appear to be stronger than the other weather types that add fog.
-===Rain===
+====Rain====
 Rainfall effect. May decrease temperature in the future, if re-implemented.
+===Scripted Weather Events===
+These weather events are only triggered at specific point[s] during the story, and may not be triggered through console commands.
+====Meteor Storm====
+The meteor storm is active at the beginning of the game. It features little fog and meteors raining down from the sky and colliding with the terrain. Meteors can damage or kill [[fauna]] that they land on. Though not part of the weather event specifically, a meteor strikes [[Vesper Station]].
 ==Protection & Monitoring==
-The current weather and future forecast will be viewable when using a [[Control Room]]. Players will be able to avoid the negative effects of weather by hiding in caves<ref>[https://favro.com/organization/35200a08dbbad85b26102638/0d9378db42299691bb14c708?card=Unk-1839 Favro Card: Add visual signposting for caves. Caves could use some visual signposting so player can find shelter more easily.]</ref> or in a [[Seabases|Seabase]]. The effects of weather may also be lessened by going underwater.
+Players will be able to avoid the negative effects of weather by hiding in caves<ref>[https://favro.com/organization/35200a08dbbad85b26102638/0d9378db42299691bb14c708?card=Unk-1839 Favro Card: Add visual signposting for caves. Caves could use some visual signposting so player can find shelter more easily.]</ref> or in a [[Seabases|Seabase]]. The effects of weather may also be nullified by going underwater.
 ==Triggering Weather through Commands==
@@ Line 44: / Line 54: @@
 * <code>weather</code> toggles weather entirely.
 * <code>wind</code> toggles all wind effects.
-* <code>precipitation</code> toggles rain effects.
+* <code>precipitation</code> toggles rain and snowfall effects.
 * <code>lightning</code> toggles lightning effects.
 * <code>forceweathernext</code> ends the current weather and starts the next predicted weather event.
@@ Line 52: / Line 62: @@
 **<code>calm</code>
 **<code>clearskies</code>
-**<code>cold</code>
 **<code>electricstorm</code>
 **<code>hailstorm</code>
 **<code>heavyfog</code>
-**<code>rain</code>
+**<code>lightfog</code>
 **<code>lightsnow</code>
+**<code>rain</code>
 **<code>snowstorm</code>
+**<code>whiteoutblizzard</code>
 ==Trivia==
 *Weather was originally planned and worked on during the development of [[w:c:subnautica|Subnautica]] such as rain for example, however it was scrapped after alterations to the skybox.
-*Previously, weather was meant to be monitored using the [[Cut Content#Weather Station|Weather Station]], however it was later scrapped<ref>[https://favro.com/organization/35200a08dbbad85b26102638/0d9378db42299691bb14c708?card=Unk-1037 Favro Card: Weather Room]</ref> and its weather-monitoring function was given to the Control Room.
+*Previously, weather was meant to be monitored using the [[Cut Content#Weather Station|Weather Station]] (and later with the [[Control Room]]), however it was later scrapped.<ref>[https://favro.com/organization/35200a08dbbad85b26102638/0d9378db42299691bb14c708?card=Unk-1037 Favro Card: Weather Room]</ref>
 ==Gallery==
-<gallery>
+<tabber>
+In-Game=
+<gallery widths="200" spacing="small">
+Blizzard Weather.jpg|Blizzard in the [[Glacial Basin]]
+Blizzard Weather Night.jpg|Blizzard at night
+Light Snow Weather.jpg|Light snow in the Glacial Basin
+Lightning Effect.jpg|Lightning in the sky
+Hail Effect.jpg|Hail hitting the ground
+Snow Storm Weather.jpg|Snow storm in the Glacial Basin
+</gallery>
+|-|
+Development=
+<gallery widths="200" spacing="small">
 BZ SurfaceFogScattering 01|A sped up view showing various states of weather
 BZ NewClouds 01
 BZ NewClouds 02
+BZ Cloudscape 02
+BZ AuroraBorealis 01|Aurora Borealis dev video
+BZ AuroraBorealis 02|Aurora Borealis dev video 2
+BZ AuroraBorealis 03|Aurora Borealis dev video 3
+BZ AuroraBorealis 04|Aurora Borealis dev video 4
 </gallery>
+</tabber>
 ==References==