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Lights
Overall household lighting is generally provided by wall-sized holoscreens to provide a simulation of daylight. However, accent lighting may make use of light strips or chips. These are typically dimmable and can be set to give a relaxing warm, orange-yellowish glow to an energizing blue-white radiance. Naturally, these options can all be controlled automatically by the home computer. Street lights typically use orange-yellow light to reduce atmospheric light scatter and to avoid interfering with the circadian rhythms of Humans and Pannovas.
Adventurers will want to bring portable lights along with them. These are described below. The basic stats assume that a Human, Pannova, or other being that evolved under a spectral class G star is doing the seeing. Tweechis, Pirangs, and anything else that evolved under a spectral class M star will see at only 1⁄2 the range while those that evolved under a spectral class K star will see at 2⁄3 the range. Of course, you can purchase lights that mimic the spectrum of an M or K star instead of a G star for full visibility for these kinds of creatures: with M-star lighting, Humans and other G-star adpated creatures will have 1⁄2 the visual range and K-star creatures will have 2⁄3 the range. With K-star lighting, both M and G-star adapted creatures see at 2⁄3 the range. To Humans, G-star lighting appears white, K-star lighting is yellow-white, and M-star lighting is yellowish. You can also get near infrared lights which cannot be seen by G and K-star adapted beings, and M-star adapted creatures see at 2⁄3 the range. For double the price, any electrically powered light can be adjustable to different spectral ranges, switching between G, K, and M-star lighting and near infrared.
- Reading Light: A compact light for reading and close-range work. Many come with a pad of reversible gecko adhesive on the back to allow it to be stuck to nearly any object. Illuminates a 1:1 cone out to 1.5 meters. Accepts standard button SMESs or recharges from wall current with an adapter. Lasts 35 kiloseconds (10 hours) on a charge.
Signature: +8 Mass: 10 g
Price: $0.1 - Flashlight: A general use flashlight for around the home and outdoors. Illuminates a 1:10 angle cone with a base visibility range of 20 meters and a wider, dimmer 1:1 cone out to 2 meters. Accepts standard flashlight SMESs or recharges from wall current with an adapter. Lasts 100 kiloseconds (1.2 days) on a charge. Alternately, the same stats can be used for a head lamp, which straps to the forehead.
Signature: +16 (narrow beam), +9 Mass: 60 g
Price: $0.2 - Tactical Flashlight: A rugged, waterproof, high inetnsity flashlight. Illuminates a 1:10 angle cone with a base visibility range of 50 meters and a wider, dimmer 1:1 cone out to 6 meters. Dimmable. Can attach to an accessory rail on a firearm. Accepts standard flashlight SMESs or recharges from wall current with an adapter. Lasts 15 kiloseconds (4 hours) on a charge at full intensity.
At distances of less than 2 meters, this flashlight can make vision difficult if shone directly into someone's eyes. It will cause a glare penalty of (range score - 3)/2, rounding fractions down (so -½ becomes -1).
Signature: +19 (narrow beam), +12 Mass: 60 g
Price: $3 - Searchlight: A powerful light for search and rescue, emergency services, caving, or construction. Illuminates a 1:10 angle cone with a base visibility range of 120 meters and a wider, dimmer 1:1 cone out to 12 meters. Accepts standard SMES pucks or recharges from wall current with an adapter. Lasts 120 kiloseconds (1.5 days) on a charge at full intensity.
At distances of less than 5 meters, a searchlight can cause difficulty with glare if shone in someone's eyes. It will cause a glare penalty of (range score - 6)/2, rounding fractions down (so -½ becomes -1).
Signature: +21 (narrow beam), +15 Mass: 1 kg
Price: $10 - Lantern: A sturdy, waterproof lantern for all-around lighting. It has a flat base for stability, or can be stuck to surfaces if the reversible adhesive on the base is activated. Illuminates a base radius of 3 meters. Dimmable. Accepts standard lantern SMESs or recharges from wall current with an adapter. Lasts 25 kiloseconds (7 hours) on a charge at full intensity.
Signature: +10 Mass: 0.5 kg
Price: $2 - Glowstick: When the internal seal is broken and the chemicals inside are mixed, it will glow for 12 hours. Comes in green, yellow, red, pink, and purple. Green gives base visibility in a radius of 0.2 meters for G-star adapted species (also yellow-orange for K-star species and red for M-star species). Other colors will generally have a base visibility radius of 0.15 to 0.12 meters.
Signature: +2 Mass: 10 g
Price: $0.3 for a pack of 100.
Primitive Lighting
Not every place in the Verge has access to high technology lighting. Jefferson, much of Zhǎngshān, and remote areas on many worlds or back-to-nature enclaves might all require the locals to rely on the old way of doing things.
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