Do you game in the dark or with a light on?

[Starik20X6]

It's much more fun with the lights out...Wink wink nudge nudge. /obvious joke

I prefer to game with the blinds and window open for fresh air and sunlight. If it's dark I'll have another light on, being illuminated by only the screen feels kinda... gross.

 

[Coffeejack]

With a ceiling light on, unless it's a horror game. I play those in short bursts to savour the atmosphere and because they're not often very long games, so the lack of light doesn't hurt.

 

[Hosker]

In the light normally. otherwise I have to keep turning the light on in order to see around. Playing in the dark doesn't actually harm your eyes at all, though.

 

[deviltry]

A single light pointed at a wall behind the TV. It's not direct or too bright, and still enough to prevent eye-strain.
I have no idea if a TV in a dark room actualy causes eye-strain.

This. I have LED strip powered from USB glued on my monitor's back. There's always should be light background arround your monitor. Unless you're playing Amnesia, atleast I made an exception for that game.

 

[Brainwreck]

Poll might be useful.

I generally don't care, unless I'm playing something that's supposed to be scary, in which case I'll turn the lights off.

 

[Tropicaz]

If i game during the day, I have my curtains open but my monitor is angled so as to not get the sun shining on it. At night I flick the light on, otherwise I just get a killer headache.

 

[Eleuthera]

I game in the adrk, curtains closed, lights off at all times. I only turn the light in my room on when I wake up or if I come home late at night.

 

[Milanezi]

Lights on, I don't know how to explain, but I get moody if I spend too much time in front of the TV/Monitor in the dark. When it comes to gaining I usually feel a heaviness to my eyes, specially when it comes to FPS... As mentioned by Ando85, I also have some heavy curtains, however they're due to the fact of the disposition of my living room receiving a LOT of sunlight, meaning if you want to use the TV AT ALL in a sunny day you'll see your reflex more than anything...

 

[Milanezi]

This piqued my curiosity, what about reading in the iPad, while in the dark? Does it cause eye strain? I don't understand shit of technicalities, that's why I'm asking, it's the only screen I use in the dark (right before simply closing my eyes and sleeping lol)

 

[Torrasque]

I always play with the lights off. The darker my surroundings and the brighter the screen is (within reason) the better I focus.
My eyes do hurt after a while, but that is usually after hours and hours playing, and is probably caused by a lack of blinking more than the whole "BRIGHT SCREEN IN DARK ROOM IS BAD FOR YOUR EYES".
I never bought that argument. Playing with lights on tends to cause more eye strain for me because I am trying harder to focus on the screen (DS/laptop/tv/etc.) when lights are on.

 

[LK9988]

I would use a desk lamp, but I mostly game on my PC and my PC setup, hell, the rest of my room doesn't have enough space to fit one. Therefore I just play with the lights on.

 

[redknightalex]

Rather surprised at most of the people saying they play with some sort of light source that's separate from the game they're playing. Personally, I like to play in the dark as it helps me to block out the rest of the world. Immersion basically. Just like watching a movie at a theater: turn off all the lights and try to only focus on the screen. Not sure if the lights on my keyboard or the LCD screen on it counts as a light source.

I haven't had many problems with eye strain, although the POV in CoD games are horrible and make me sick, so I'm wondering what actually happens to your eyes if you don't use a light. How damaging is eye strain? All I know is that it can make your eyesight worse later on in life.

 

[mParadox]

Desk lamp, which is at the other side of the room, facing the wall. The light reflects and gives a nice ambiance to the room. All peaceful and nice. Good for the eyes and night terrors.

 

[soren7550]

For the most part I have the lights on, otherwise the light from the game burn my eyes (same with being on the computer).

 

[Jamous]

Really depends on how into the game I am and whether I've noticed if It's dark or not.

 

[Beautiful End]

Lights on for the most part, but whenever everyone else goes to sleep, I must turn off the lights. So I just leave a dim desk lamp on. The room is not completely dark, though.

However, I'd never play a scary game completely in the dark. I'm a wuss like that.
Except L4D2. That's the one game I play every night. But I wouldn't consider it scary...

 

[NathLines]

I refuse to play in the dark, it starts to strain my eyes otherwise. I don't get more immersed in my gaming experience if the lights are out anyway.

 

[OtherSideofSky]

I game in well lit areas, except for horror games, which I play at night with no lights on.

 

[Bvenged]

Somewhere in the middle?

During the day I close one of the curtains, the one closest to the TV. During the night I either turn a lamp on or the main light, which are both energy-saving so aren't particularly bright.

I like it darkened, but want to be able to see what I'm doing and I don't want eye strain. So I suppose I prefer it light, but I despise sunbeams or reflections on the screen.