Realistic footsteps and snow formation

[EternityTide]

It's something that has been bugging me a little is that the prints on the ground are always perfect regardless of your actions.

I suggest that the formation of footprints in the snow is reliant on extra factors, such as the speed of the player, their direction, weight and thickness of snow.

As well as this, I ask that areas which are open to a prevailing wind (such as the pass between the hills where the camp office is situated) have snow drifts which also change shape over time (progressively changing polygons, that change by maybe 10cm over 2-3 hours).

Thick snow would mean that a heavily laden player will leave a pair of troughs in the snow where their legs have passed through the drifts.

Footprints that are formed whilst running should be elongated, to reflect the factthat players will be travelling forward as their feet touch the ground. When the player hunches down, the footprints should deepen and become angled, perhaps slightly deeper snow should be left with a larger oval print where the player's posterior touches the snow cover (It happens).

Walking whilst crouched should leave a long set of troughs in the ground where your feet scrape the snow out of the way.

Also, instead of foot prints disappearing the moment you step inside is a tad unrealistic. footprints should last 5 hours in game tops, or should disappear within 20-30 minutes after a blizzard has closed in.

When a fire is lit, a melting pattern should occur, and should remain until the fire extinguishes. The same should occur for lanterns and dropped flares. After they have extinguished, any snow fall should bury them. A lantern leftoutside in the snow should be blown over in a blizzard, and have its texture changed to represent accumulated snow

What should be added, and what do you think?

[DenverDad]

Some variation in footprint shape based on speed and type of movement (straight, strafe, etc) seems like it might be doable. The snow drifts - while nice - would likely be require a considerable amount of work though.

[simarson]

We need the same footprints for the animals. Clear ones.