Torch with no light?

[Acolyte]

Can you make a recipe using a torch as the base item that produces no light?

I ask because a very ancient way of fire lighting was to have a smoldering ember of something and carry that with you. The torches functionality with lighting a fire would be the in game equivalent, but such things wouldn't produce any light, especially when tucked away in a pack.

   - Shane

[Signatus]

Are you asking if an item based on a torch is "lightable"? I tested the following code and both seemed lightable by [a]pplying them:

Code: [Select]

.Test torch. "Torch" [effort:0] [phys:hands] *COMMON* /1/ [noquality]

.Test item. "Torch" [effort:0] [phys:hands] *COMMON* /1/ [noquality]
I'm guessing we could perhaps check on the CONSTANT.OBJ file which value it is assigning to the torches and see if it can be extended to other items. To apply them you'll need fire, though

[Acolyte]

Test items based on the torch are lightable, but what I'm looking for is something that's lightable which doesn't produce light. A small glowing ember would not allow me to see inside a cave, for ex, but it would let me light a fire pretty easily and would weigh a lot less than a torch.

Basically looking for a way to carry fire without illumination. No real biggy if it's impossible. I thought just because I can't figure it out doesn't mean a better modder hasn't. 

   - Shane

[Privateer]

Can you make a recipe using a torch as the base item that produces no light?

I ask because a very ancient way of fire lighting was to have a smoldering ember of something and carry that with you. The torches functionality with lighting a fire would be the in game equivalent, but such things wouldn't produce any light, especially when tucked away in a pack.

   - Shane

Like in "Quest for fire"? No, the game assumes you have flint or something with you all the time.

[Brygun]

+1 with Privateer's response.

In this topic the word "lightable" is itself a bit confusing as it can mean
= Generating light by which the character can see (as in light in the dark)
= Starting a fire (as in light a fire)


If it were possible a fire starter would count as a big bonus to starting a fire. The bonus does exist in the code. In doing agriculture patches of fires for ash you will see the "the nearby fire helps a lot" (or similar) come up.

I believe the original intention was that the fire starter would also allow you to light a newly made torch without having to fully start a fire. (I think that was an idea)

Fire carriers did exist in the real world but my understanding is that they were rather bulky. You need enough fuel to smolder for hours. Then you needed a container to insulate the smoldering material so it didnt burn other things.

To my knowledge the practical use of a fire carriers is rare for solo people but might be more practical for groups. Imagine a village on the go might have 1+ fire carriers along with their tents, pots, food stores and so forth.

[Acolyte]

Like in "Quest for fire"?

That's more of a primitive lantern than what I'm talking about.

I'm looking at something more like Otzi the Iceman. He had a dried mushroom that would have contained an ember that burned for days. You keep it wrapped up in something like small piece of leather to exclude as much oxygen as you can - kinda like a miniature charcoal making process.

There are references to things like this at least into Roman times.

But if I can't, then no biggy.

   - Shane

[Brygun]

I think Otzi's ember carrier might be one version of the always-with-you fire starting kit.

Currently AFAIK there is no way to have tools improve the chances of starting a fire. If there was then a fire carrier/ember carrier could be made with a spoilage rating of say 30 days (or whatever research suggests). Bow drills could help improve chances too.

Then again, that is all kind of already in the ability to start fire even when playing "Naked and afraid"

[Acolyte]

I though that lit torches made fire starting almost automatic? This is the mechanic I was looking to use.

   - Shane

[Privateer]

I though that lit torches made fire starting almost automatic? This is the mechanic I was looking to use.

   - Shane

Version: 3.30
Released: Feb-24-2016
- added: carrying lit torch or having a fire in adjacent tile helps to build a fire