Rules Announcement: Lighting

Rules on what is permitted for lighting are now posted:

www.knightrealms.com/index.php?option=co...ew&id=331&Itemid=169   (Bottom of the page.)

The main purpose of this is to prevent high-powered flashlights from ruining atmosphere as someone is walking to or from their cabin - as a side bonus, it prevents high-powered flashlights from ruining people's night vision.

Oh, thank god.

A question for those of us who are completely night blind.  In order to get around at night, I have a small flashlight that I point at the ground to illuminate where I'm walking so I don't flip over another tree stump in the dark.  Is this going to be a problem?  I understand that if an IG scene is going on nearby, I would have to douse my light, but am I still permitted to use my light source provided I don't try to blind people with it?

Not any sort of an official answer, as I have no authority to give one    you never know where or when you will encounter a PC or NPC in the dark regardless of it being an IG scene or not.  Further, the reaction most people have is to immediately point the flash light at anything they see or hear, essentially blinding the person.  I, for one, am happy to see this update.

Larry,  I'd say roll with it In-Game.  Ask for an escort back to your cabin, or find a way to use a light IG.  Lanterns can be bought from a blacksmith (inexpensively), spells & prayers can generate light.  There's plenty of ways of making a light In-Game and not needing to resort to an OOG light source to get back.

(I'm terrible at night vision, too.  Trust me, I feel for you on this one.)

Whatever happened to requiring red or blue cellophane over a flashlight to make it both more IG (the light itself) and easier on the eyes?

LEDs have somewhat circumvent it, since they come in colors now (as opposed to 10 years ago, when the rules were originally written).  That, and even the colored ones are powerful enough to disrupt someone's vision when shined at them.  This brings the rules in line with modern technology.

Since fire is permited outside.  Wouldn't it be reasonable for a person wandering about outside in the dark to have say a tin candle lantern rather than a flash light?

Yes, as long as you extinguish it before entering a porch or building.  I'll suggest combat as well - secure it safely or extinguish it if you're about to get into a fight, please.

A light effect produced by an item, spell, prayer, or other ability can be represented by a glow stick or by an LED light no larger than a keychain light.

I'm guessing that these are what a keychain light is?

Then any flashlight that has a bulb in it can not be used IG? What about the electronic glow sticks (Formerly needed when in true form by advocates)?

Those are examples of what we mean by "keychain" lights, yes.

I think that the rules are abundantly clear that only light sources that are noted in those rules are permitted for IG use. If anyone is having trouble determining what qualifies as "keychain" or "simulated candlelight", feel free to post links to items for us to examine and we'll be happy to tell you what it qualifies as. But if you're thinking of a different lighting technology altogether, please just refer to what is written.

Regarding red cellophane being cut out of the rules, Geoff answered half of it, that colored LEDs and glowsticks make for excellent magical/divine light sources. The other half is that rather than have you cover a flashlight in red cellophane to simulate a candle, we want you to buy an artificial candle - which is designed for that purpose and does a much better job.

If we were using a sun jar type thing, do we have to rationalize IG why we're carrying such magical (or devilishly clever) devices?

The solar lights we were using to make the jars look astonishingly torch-like in their natural incarnation, and with a bit of cellophane or waterpaint around the plastic, do an admirably realistic job.

I was just about to ask that. Are these the magical/divine equivilant of the leather wallet made at summer camp during arts and crafts?

One other question.

If someone were to construct a lantern that contained a flashlight within it, and ensured all the parts inside made it look like a candle, would that pass, or no?

What of people who use glow-weapons?  The light from these aren't that great (from my opinion), but I would like to hear from Officers about the candle strength of these items.

If they are bright enough to be used as a light source to see by, I'd be surprised.  If they are that bright, they fall into the above rules - you would need an IG effect (such as a Light spell) to make them glow that bright IG, and you cannot use them to blind someone OOG.

The phrase "simulated candlelight" should be taken to mean a light that is of the same color, brightness, and consistency (i.e., it flickers, preferably) of a candle. Devices that are made with this purpose in mind, like the candles that KR provides at events, will always past muster because they are specifically "simulated candlelight". Homemade props will have to be judged on an individual basis. We can't tell you if your idea will work without seeing it functioning in the dark.

Take the "simulated candlelight" standard very seriously, though; bad lighting is a terrible detriment to game atmosphere and the issuance of these rules is intended to correct that problem by narrowly restricting the light sources that can be used IG.

Again, I would encourage everyone to read each of the stipulations in the rules that were just posted, because your questions are answered there - by inference if not directly.

For example, supposing you sun jar meets the standard for simulated candlelight, then it is of a size that is larger than a candle and therefore must be an IG item. Thus you would not merely have to rationalize its existence; you would have to acquire such a lantern IG. If it does not meet the standard for simulated candlelight, but is deemed to be dim enough to serve as a magical/divine/whatever light, you will still need an item card for it because now it's quite a special thing.

The only problem I see with this is the hazards of the trails at Daddy Allen.  I have broken my toe due to the badly maintained pavement in the pitch black of night at that site.  I am actually afraid to walk on may of those trails without a good light due to how dark they get at night due to the tree coverage. 

What can we do to maintain safety in these situations?

I saw today's WOOT and remembered this post so I thought I would share.

Available today only is a pretty good deal on the types of flashlights that seem to be ok for IG use. (Keychain sized LED lights.)

www.woot.com

Due to the nature of WOOT, this post will be useless after 08/25/09.

If you cant see well at night I would be comfortable assuming your character can't see well at night. Ask for an escort and combine many pitiful light sources into one decent one.

Hopefully this ruling is part of a formula to make the woods at KR a scary place to be again.

An example that I think of immediately when I see just anyone walking around with a incredibly bright light is that of pvp. If my character were to come upon an intended target at night and Ijump out of a bush and start calling damage and as you fall your flashlight presents an undeniable picture of who I am. Would it be metagaming of you to remember my face because it was presented so clearly. Or would it be metagaming of me to refuse to attack someone because they had a good light source?

Another example being that; it may be hard for some people to see at night, but for those of us blessed with good night vision (cones ...rods?) one blink of a flashlight anywhere near me or my face and I am not only blind for the moment but for 5-10 minutes after my nightvision is entirely gone. Is there a way for my character to explain this very real blindness.

Now thats a rant, but I am very happy about this change. Finding in game ways to deal with the dangers of the darkness will present very domestic and casual RP opportunities. Maybe you could make a sweet in game looking torch and offer to guide people to their homes.

One thing regarding light I would like to see change is the availability of light on a nighttime mod sight where combat is either likely or assured. Monster Marshals and Storyteller and Event plot organizers should find among their props for the weekend sufficient tiki torches/candles/glow rocks.    Main mod spilling into the woods on a new moon is never fun and often painful.

I have always had good night vision, which combined with good hearing works great for me at night.  What I suffer from at my age is a longer reset time when my night vision is blown.  My holy light has always been an LED light source, although often powered by 2 AAA batteries.

I agree with Craigm in that if one cannot see in the dark, one should either not travel alone or is SOOL.

rods = night vision; cones=color  (I used to teach bio)