Good news for thieves, toggleable electric lights are quite possible. Although whether in large numbers is debatable.


Consequently, instead of toggling them on and off by hand, one can re-name their internal name to something consistently similiar or just make a proper script that turns them off after turning them off via a switch or maybe after destroying a steam-engine...shutting off lights for an entire level (or even a city). It could be done.





[Download:]
http://duguayster.com/sites/hosting/ras/ToggleableLightFiles.rar





[Usage:]

NEW MODULE: Simply extract the folders into the main directory of your new module (EX: C:\Sierra\Arcanum\Mods\MyNewMod\)



EXISTING MODULE: Open up the scr file and place the .scr files in the SCR folder in your main module directory. I'm sure you've read AmTut if you already had an existing module, and should be acquainted with this procedure. The following you must place manually in the follow .mes files. The numbers are reasonably high so as to avoid conflict with any values you may have already entered:

OEMES/GameOName.mes

{1870}{Toggleable Light Type 0}


SEMES/GlobalFlags.mes

{500}{There is at least one light toggled off}


SEMES/GlobalVars.mes

{513}{X value of toggled ON light holder}
{514}{Y value of toggled ON light holder}




Step 1: Create a lamp of some kind (The holder) and then create your light. (If you do not know how to make a lamp or light, please refer to AMTUT) Make sure that "click through" is off for both items under "FLAGS".



Step 2: Under the "USE" section under "SCRIPTS" enter in the number 504. Do this for the light as well (so that if you click either, the script will still trigger).


Step 3: Open up the properties for the light object itself, under 'Internal Name' make sure to select "Toggleable Light Type 0" from the drop down menu.


Step 4: Test it out.




The script *should* be multiplayer compatible since it uses global flags and variables. I will have to test this at some point. Please let me know if you have any problems.





Skip to 14:44 for the demo of this particular script.


http://www.livestream.com/runsscicentre/video?clipId=pla_9c074c70-45de-4711-bab5-d1be089f6891&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

Funny. I was just thinking the other day this would be a nice improvement.

How coincidental.

I have a question: do these toggleable lights also create lightning in-game (your video showed the lamp in a fullbright environment), and more importantly, does it properly affect the Sneak modifier?

I'd imagine it would be great to create a quest where you, as a thief, can turn off all lights in a house to make sneakin' and stealin' easier.

Yes, the light dissapears when the light object to which it is attached is no longer rendered by the engine.

I believe it also updates the sneak effects for prowling. I haven't tested it, but I suspect it does. Why don't you give it a try?

I don't have any hard data, but I notice quite a large difference. Not only does a light make sneaking much more difficult, it seems monsters in dark places will beeline for a character carrying a light source.

Sound also makes a big difference. Gunfire brings all the nasties running in your direction, while you can often snipe at things with a boomerang and get away with it.

Wolf, the question is not whether light or sound in general can affect sneaking - it is explicitly stated (in the game? in the manual?) that illumination affects sneaking.

The question I asked was whether sneaking is affected by THESE toggleable lights.

I will test this out when I get some time on my hands.

Please do.