Solar Garden Lamps

[Seiaeka]

So, I didn't see this suggested anywhere and I searched pretty thoroughly, so... It might be part of the incoming alternate energy stuff, but since I can't seem to find that info I'm going to post this anyways.

 

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The idea is that when the power goes out, there's presently very little ways to create light. Candles and fire run out and risk burning down your base--batteries also die.

 

So, for lighting your base, solar garden lamps would work fantastically for providing a light source once the power goes out without using up your batteries. They could be attached to posts with rope like flashlights, planted in the ground to create lighted paths, or carried as a lame light. The point is that they're not as bright as other lights, but they're still better than complete blackness.

 

Positives:

-supply-free light source

-can be carried

-can be hung on posts

-can be placed into the ground

 

Negatives:

-Not nearly as bright as other light sources (important!)

-only work outdoors

-must charge during the day

-get dimmer as night progresses

-cannot be turned off and may attract zombies at night

-don't work well if it rains during charging hours

 

 

Is it somewhat realistic?

Totally. You can buy these almost anywhere.

 

Does it fit with the spirit of PZ?

I would like to think so. The list of positives and negatives balance out pretty well. Won't make the game too easy or hard. It's not unrealistic or OP. Just a fun little thing to add alternatives and deepen the realism of the world.

 

Would it make the game too easy?

Depending on how it's implemented, attracting zombies after the power goes out might make it more difficult.

 

Would it require rewriting the entire game (like changing the camera view, for instance)

It might take a little more coding than average to implement, with zombie attraction or removing the option to turn the lights off/making them only work outdoors.

 

Would it add enough to the gameplay that it would be worth taking the time to add?

I would say that it's of relatively low priority, but it could make for a good alternative to fire that's acceptable in a world that has decent technology. Also, since sleeping isn't a thing in mutliplayer, and being a mac user with the annoyingly bright bar across the top of my screen, it makes the game unseeable during the game's night hours. Having something that's not going to turn my base into a bonfire but still let me play would be fantastic.

 

Would it be found in Muldraugh, Kentucky common enough to be added?

As I said, can be bought almost anywhere. Dollar stores, hardware stores, gardening stores, spring decoration sections at grocery stores, home decor shops... the list is long. Not to mention, you can probably find lots of them in people's yards. They're decently ubiquitous.

[Suomiboi]

I haven't seen this particular idea presented before so thumbs up for that. Also well presented.

However. . . There is the thing of time setting of which you might or might have not heard of. Basically we suspect that the game is set some time in the past. (not quite in the 80's, maybe the 90's/early 00's) This is something the devs have hinted. If that is the case, solar energy might not suit the timescale.

[Seiaeka]

True, if the timeframe is in the 80's, solar would be a little less likely. However, being born in the 80's myself, I remember well that such things were in common use by the mid 90's--at least that's when I started paying attention to those things. It's possible they were used earlier, but going any further back than the late 80s for those would be pushing it unless they only showed up on expensive properties.

 

However, to add to my argument, some of the TVs in the houses look to be flat-screens--so solar lighting can't be that far of a stretch. :3

[syfy]

true, many houses do have flat screen's. but many houses also have Laser Discs. not cd's or dvd's, laser disc, which first appeared in Atlanta in December of 1978 and continued in one form or another basically until Pioneer stopped making laser disc players in January of 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc

 

so we have a 31 year span the game could possibly be set in just going by that.

[Seiaeka]

I suppose what we really need is someone of the appropriate age to confirm when they first realised there were solar garden lamps everywhere. XD

[Moose65]

I know this is an old topic, but I think this would GREATLY enhance the game.

 

Treat Solar Lights somewhat like crops if you choose to stake them into the ground, meaning they could be trampled and destroyed by zombies. You could even use this as a reason to make them somewhat rare to find in front yards (although you would have much better odds finding them in the markets intact).

 

Solar lights could be shut off, or simply removed and stored in your backpack if you didn't want to draw unwanted attention. You could even add in the fact that on rainy days they would get a poor charge, meaning less light time should you choose to turn them on (Its common for garden solar lights to have an on/off switch now).

 

Hopefully this gets added in the future to make night time travelling/base building more enjoyable. They would certainly have enough drawbacks to them to not warrant them broken, especially if you didn't try to protect them inside your base.