Have lighting impact productivity

[REMworlder]

When a colony is happy (or poor), lighting is often a waste of metal and electricity. When I build, I often find myself forgetting to place any lights aside from sun lamps. To encourage players to use indoor lights more often, local lighting could be used as a modifier for colonist work rates. Specifically, when colonists are in dark rooms they would work slower.

The simplest implementation of this change would only apply to workstations. Activities like sculpting, crafting, and cooking would all be completed slower in dark rooms. Expanding on this concept could also make medicinal, building, repair, and recreational activities affected by lighting.

_{Even philosophizing benefits from a good source of lighting. Philosopher in Meditation, probably by Rembrandt}

Would lighting just add unnecessary complexity? Currently lighting only plays a minor role in colonist moods and shooting accuracy; these are two of many reasons humans need lighting to be productive. While a colonist's surgical ability might suffer dramatically from the loss of an eye, that same colonist can perform surgery or create a masterpiece in the dark as easily as in broad daylight. Not that realism is a goal, but the concept is intuitive since everyone knows how light works.

Tieing lighting to productivity would give indoor lamps real value, encouraging players to make meaningful decisions about their bases and how they're lit.

[daft73]

What would this do to those who play a non-electric game. May not be the best, but there are those who play a more role-play style of game.

I like the idea in theory, but in practice may cause red alarms for some.

[REMworlder]

I've wondered what the impact of solar flares or low electricity colonies would be. Since most non-electric playthroughs aren't really viable in biomes with extreme temperatures (like tundra), outdoor crafting stations that take advantage of natural daylight would be pretty straightforward solution.

[Johnny Masters]

What can i say? +5!

What would this do to those who play a non-electric game. May not be the best, but there are those who play a more role-play style of game.

What about non-electric light sources?

[daft73]

Torches, candles ect, great Idea! plus more to craft. Like I was saying I like the idea in general. Cool looking medieval bases.

[b0rsuk]

Makes sense, certainly more than mere -3 to mood. Additionally, people should walk slower in the dark. Speaking of mood, it should be affected by weather. People don't like spending a long time in the rain. But in Rimworld, there's no reason to put workbenches indoors unless it requires electricity (might short-circuit). Long time in the rain, storm, or even strong sun should bother people.

Once I accumulate enough apparel, I toggle off heaters and coolers. I don't know about desert, but in Tundra you can use jackets INSTEAD of heaters.

It seems the main advantage of putting work benches indoors is the "spacious interior" bonus.

[Kagemusha12]

What would this do to those who play a non-electric game. May not be the best, but there are those who play a more role-play style of game.

I like the idea in theory, but in practice may cause red alarms for some.

Aside from candles and torches (as other people suggested), it may also be a situation where windows would be useful

[Johnny Masters]

*sigh*, don't bring windows up, it still hurts me that we have so many alphas but no windows yet. Unless he is preparing some neat update with a revamped light system, then yeeeey!

[daft73]

*sigh*, don't bring windows up, it still hurts me that we have so many alphas but no windows yet. Unless he is preparing some neat update with a revamped light system, then yeeeey!

Ya windows. As long as I've played this game I have wanted them, and the closest to it is the faux windows from the glittertech mod, and older mods added faux windows.

[BetaSpectre]

+1 I can't work blind.

[kingtyris]

+1

[attachment deleted due to age]