How does invisibility work?

[FullmetalHeart20]

The way I see it, there're two possibilities. One is that it bends light around you or passes it through your body. The other one is is that it forces people to ignore you and forget whatever they see until you draw attention to yourself. Which one do you think makes more sense?

 

[Chadonraz]

Well, considering Invisibility is an Illusion spell I would say it's the latter.
However for invisibility potions the former (light passing through your body) seems more likely...

An interesting question.

 

[khazan99]

In terms of Skyrim gameplay...how effective is this spell? I have noticed that enemies still seem to find me if I drink a potion of Invisibility whilst in their line of sight, for example. Is your Sneak level somehow important to the effectiveness of the spell (or potion, etc)? Is it only effective if you haven't been seen prior to using the spell? The wiki wasn't very helpful with these questions, so I was wondering if anyone has had in-game experience with this sort of thing

 

[Daelon DuLac]

In terms of Skyrim gameplay...how effective is this spell? I have noticed that enemies still seem to find me if I drink a potion of Invisibility whilst in their line of sight, for example. Is your Sneak level somehow important to the effectiveness of the spell (or potion, etc)? Is it only effective if you haven't been seen prior to using the spell? The wiki wasn't very helpful with these questions, so I was wondering if anyone has had in-game experience with this sort of thing

I've found that that is true. As long as I'm already hidden when I drink the potion, they never see me (same with the spell), although there are exceptions. I think it's a combo when using either the potion or the spell. Of course, if you don't have the silent cast perk when casting invisibility it makes the whole thing moot anyhow.

 

[Chadonraz]

In terms of Skyrim gameplay...how effective is this spell? I have noticed that enemies still seem to find me if I drink a potion of Invisibility whilst in their line of sight, for example. Is your Sneak level somehow important to the effectiveness of the spell (or potion, etc)? Is it only effective if you haven't been seen prior to using the spell? The wiki wasn't very helpful with these questions, so I was wondering if anyone has had in-game experience with this sort of thing

The last time I did "Compelling Tribute" and sneaked around Mistveil Keep, I drank an invisibility potion in full sight of guards. They didn't notice me entering the "trespassing zone", though, and I was able to move around undetected.

I think my Sneak was in the 40s, so not particularly high.

I do believe armor weight/noise from armor affects the effectiveness of invisibility spells/potions; invisibility doesn't muffle.

 

[Twiffle]

Well i've looked, and i mean i've looked really hard, , but i just can't seem to see the answer to this one.

 

[Nephor The Shadow Stalker]

If you have the Master Of Shadows perk and follow up with a potion or spell it works as intended. I've never had a problem on the PS3 with this.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

If you have the Master Of Shadows perk and follow up with a potion or spell it works as intended. I've never had a problem on the PS3 with this.

True, but, as a Master of Shadows, you aren't really visible anyhow so what's the point of invisibility?

 

[FullmetalHeart20]

On a minor note, I was thinking less gameplay mechanics and more in universe function.

 

[Nephor The Shadow Stalker]

Actually you aren't. It only last a few seconds and if you're in line of sight you'll still be seen. Use it in tandem. As far as how it works it might work the similar way The Shadow does. Clouds the enemies minds so he remains invisible. Or like the Predators technology. I'm in favor of The Shadow considering every other spell you cast effects peoples minds so why not invisibility?

 

[Medea]

Since it is an Illusion spell and not an Alteration spell, one would think that what you are actually doing is clouding the minds of those around you, and not actually manipulating the physical world in any way.

On the other hand, dwemer contructs do not have a "brain", and they are unable to see you when you are invisible as well. So my conclusion is that you are actually causing your physical form to disappear.

 

[Nephor The Shadow Stalker]

Fair but the perks in illusion say otherwise. I mean why put perks in the tree that can effect those that don't have a brain or are undead. It's something to ponder.

 

[Medea]

Hmmmm....I forgot about that.

Only thing I could guess concerning that is that the undead are basically a vessel for some kind of animating force, or a soul that wasn't the original soul inhabiting the body. In the case of constructs, the animating force is a soul gem. So maybe that means that a soul from "beyond" is able to see mortal souls when they use a lesser form of invisibility, and you need a higher form of the spell to make yourself invisible to these kinds of souls.

 

[Nephor The Shadow Stalker]

Best explanation I've heard as far as my own.

 

[Nephor The Shadow Stalker]

It's like you put a cloud around you or bubble if you will. No one knows you're there cause you're blocking their mental processing of you.

 

[Irishman]

Dragons obviously have a higher mind or intelligence and therefore the 'illusion' of invisibility does not work on them...

On a related note, I wonder if invisibility would work on camera's and video recorders in this day and age, coz they work on dwemer machinations... hypothetically of course...

 

[raido KASAI]

The real question is the "invisible man paradox" which would suggest that a person who is invisible would also simultaneously have to be blind. If light passes through you, then it can't bounce off the back of the eye and thus no vision is possible.

For the record, the incredible shrinking woman would have had to have been a deaf mute because her ear drums and vocal chords would be far too small to operate in the normal human auditory spectrum.

 

[FullmetalHeart20]

It's like you put a cloud around you or bubble if you will. No one knows you're there cause you're blocking their mental processing of you.

Or like the perception filters from Doctor Who. Not invisible, just unnoticed. Sight and hearing just glancing over your existence, but only if you're careful.

 

[tx12001]

as mentioned before it bends the light around you the reason some may still see you as its extreme camouflage not true invisibilty and dont forget the sounds you make can alert others to your presence it does not work on any creatures with superior senses uch as Vampires or automatons as they could sense your movement or a heat signature

 

[The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass]

How it works is it makes it impossible for NPCs to detect you by seeing you. But they can still hear you. They will move to the last location they spotted you at if you use invisibility while detected. If you can move to a new position fast enough, they will lose track of you. Invisibility along with custom enchanted muffle boots makes you completely undetectable. Though if you are already detected, you still must relocate ASAP to get them to stop aggroing. You must also recast invisibility. If you can get a high enough sneak percentage on enchantments, you can even attack people while in sneak mode and remain undetected.