I really love this game. The sounds, the mechanics, the story, the motivations. I haven't felt this love for a game since I was little. One of the best features of this game is the lighting. And arguably the worst. I do love the early mornings in late autumn where it just reminds me of walking to school before the sun rises and everything is frosted. and the energy of the awakening city can be heard in the distance. but I would walk into town, and at the beginning of my walks, the mornings were grey and quiet and cold. sorry for the rambling. but this game can evoke so. many. memories for me. For example, the first picture i have reminds me of when I was very young and when I would get up and go to my parents, who were still up in the living room. What I am saying is; there's not much I would change for the lighting, BUT in the last photo. I wanted to get a shot of my house all lit up with my new lanterns and windows, but the whimsy and charm felt a little deflated when I when outside. The light was penetrating the walls while still illuminating them making them appear as they were glowing. I've noticed this breaks the immersion that the game had so carefully crafted up until then.
I think native ray tracing would be best. Not tacked on like any post-processing program which comes with its own host of bugs and loading. The game has some realistic lighting and often has scenes that I stop to look at, but I feel that introducing native ray tracing would take this game from best to over the precipice of legendary immersion.
