Ooh man I like this topic, but from what I have read I don't think anyone has really said anything about how to deal with night-time aside from how it can cause inconvience to the player or how the player could interact with the darkness to brighten it up.
I have seen some suggestions toward a Moon Cycle where it causes different monsters to spawn I.E. Full moon would mean were-wolves. I love these amazing idea's and the entire concept of these.
But lets just delve into the Moon Cycles just a little bit here, so we all can agree that the Moon emites light right? So if there is a moon that is emiting light then how would the Darkness be pure darkness? There would still be some sort of radiant illumination from the moon. (Unless tree-cover but even then holes between trees) So I think there should be some Caveats to the "Night-Time Darkness: Moon Cycle" theory here. So in RL when our Moon is in a "Full Moon" it emites the most light, vs a New Moon When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun the side that is being lit is facing the Sun. We see its dark side, which means we are unable to see (or can barely detect) the Moon in the night sky. Thus creating a darkness your eyes could barely penetrate without a lightsource, and even with a lightsource it only reaches out so far.
So lets say a Torch in a "New Moon" will cause immediate light around you, but as the light gets further and further away from the POI (Torch) it just fades as if the darkness eats and engulfs it.
So obviously players should have Torches and laterns to accomendate this issue, but only really helps enmase. Lets take a campfire for example: A Small Camp fire at night only produces X amount of light only allowing you to see Y distance. But once you start making the light-source larger and brighter you are now producing more X to see extra Y distance. So I think that players light sources should be able to compound to an extent to illuminate an area around them.
But now we get into the other night-cycles where the moon has some sort of illumination, even if it is just slightly, granted it won't be as terrifying as the Moon illumination gets brighter throughout the cycles as you are able to see more. SO maybe we can work it out as the Darker cycles have the creepier and hardest mobs vs a brighter moon only really having easier creatures such as Owls and Bats about (granted more enemies) But I do think we should incorporate creatures into how this also works, because Bats in the day-light? like wut? They are a nocturnal creature just like Owls.
Well it would be nice to see some change with day/night cycle. Some mobs should become stronger at day/night. More dangerous in damage, faster at running, more aggressive (Aggro line extended) etc.
Awesome topic.
If anyone here grew up in areas that tarantulas hang out, you may know this. Crouch down at night and shine a flashlight around, and you might see the light reflected on these tiny little spider eyes. One way to find a tarantula (if you're one of those weirdos looking for one). I'd like a feature close to this in Pantheon, where giant spiders can get the "jump" on you unless you're shining a light and see their glowing eyes first. And not just for spiders - I think seeing glowing eyes of the mobs around you in the dark of night just adds that extra little special flavor.
I want to see some mobs that will only approach you in the darkness. If you forget to bring an extra torch, and your goes out, I want those mobs to strike (think of those zombie dudes in I Am Legend).
LESS races that have infrared/darkvision - and with the dangers of nighttime, that special perk is HUGE, so they should have some restrictions elsewhere to make up for it so not everyone is using the same race.
More blood graphics ....I want to see a guard patrol that didn't reach home in time, their corpses littering the ground at night with clear signs of violence.
Absolute yes to added ambient night sounds, but make the scarier ones more sporadic and meaningful. If I hear a werewolf howl in the night, there should be a werewolf nearby. If I hear skittering in the trees, there should be giant spiders nearby. I want these noises to make me look over my shoulder.