Light Sources, Dynamic Lighting, and Vision

Ok, Been thinking about lighting and light sources and various degrees of vision in roll20. How about having the ability to add "light sources" on the dynamic lighting layer - or any layer really I guess. (tokens that emit light just like tokens currently do with bright and dim radius and "all players see..." etc...). These could be torches, windows letting in sunlight etc... I know this is already possible - but read on. Then have players' vision dependent upon distance from the light source and in which light zone they are located (bright, dim, dark). You could then change lighting on PC tokens to three buttons (normal, low-light, darkvision). This could be coupled with API script for carrying tokens (to mimic players carrying torches). I think this would more realistically replicate lighting and vision in TT RPGs.

I am not sure what your suggestion is. You can already place light sources on the DL layer.

Suggestion is on the next line below the line about placing light sources - having PC tokens' vision dependent upon their distance from a light source. So - instead of having PC tokens emit light (as is the current setup and doesn't reflect reality a whole lot), you can have light tokens. As a PC token moves closer to - or farther from - a light source token, their vision changes. Imagine a torch token on a wall. It is set to 20 Bright 20 Dim. A character is 45 ft from the light source and is outside its range. That character (according to several systems' rules for vision) shouldn't be able to see anything (except what the torch illuminates). A character with low-light vision in the dim section would be be able to see two times what a character with normal vision would see. A character with darkvision wouldn't be effected by the light source as that vision variable doesn't change. You can add a check on PC tokens if said PC is carrying a light source and set radius appropriately.

I'm not really understanding your suggestion. How does it contrast with the normal use (below)? Take 3.X/PF style light vision for example. Normal light : If the character is carrying a light source it is represented just fine via the token's light settings. Darkvision : Darkvision is a specified distance (such as 60') from the character so it makes sense to have the light be from the character. Low Light Vision : In 3.X/PF low-Light vision doubles the various distances and so there we do have a problem with how Roll20 does things. However, you can create a second light source and set it to only those characters with low-light vision. If you do not want to move it manually with the main light source then the API is required move it for you. Other than low-light vision (which atm is not well supported without workarounds) it seems to me that everything you are suggesting is already doable.

Exactly! That's my suggestion exactly. Design a system that doesn't require a workaround by simply changing the way tokens interact with light (instead of emitting, perceiving).

Ahhh, so this is all about Low-Light vision, not normal and Darkvision. The Devs have already stated that they are looking at possible solutions for Low-Light vision.