Ancient lamp

From RimWorld Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Ancient lamp

Ancient lamp

An ancient self-powered lamp. Its internal power supply is badly depleted, but it still emits a weak glow.

Base Stats

Type
BuildingRuin
HP
50
Flammability
50%
Path Cost
14

Building

Size
1 × 1
Placeable
False
Passability
pass through only
Cover Effectiveness
20%
Light Radius
0.78

Ancient lamps are buildings found ruins added by the Ideology DLC. They provide perpetual, but dim lighting

Summary

The white area (tile occupied by lamp) is 50% illumination, required for best surgery success chance; the yellow (2 tiles out) represents 30% or better, adequate for all general labor, avoiding mood penalties, and for growing decorative plants indoors in plant pots.

An ancient lamp produces light in a 4 tile radius, with the nearest 0.783 tiles at or above 30% light level and considered "Lit", to a maximum of 50%. The provided light in this area is bright enough to prevent work speed penalties, grow decorative plants, and prevent the debuff "In darkness". However, ancient lamps are not bright enough to grow most crops indoors, which require 51% illumination. Light does not "stack", so no amount of lamps will ever give more than 50% illumination (e.g. for rice plants, etc).

Analysis

The ancient lamp provides a very small amount of light immediately around itself, unconditionally. This light is incredibly weak, barely able to reach the tiles next to it, making it unsuitable for most tasks.

However, if the terrain is in your favor, you can build a Simple research bench right next to it, so that the colonist is in light to increase your research speed very slightly. You can also fit a second work station, such as a Hand tailor bench on the opposite side. This gives its light a niche similar to the Unstable power cell and Mech node, without the costs associated with those two structures (both having -20 beauty, the mech node being far more valuable to just deconstruct for plasteel and components, and the unstable power cell exploding violently if it's damaged).

It also provides no heat, which may make it slightly preferable to torches in conditions where heat cannot be easily managed, or where wood is scarce. However, it cannot satisfy ideological requirements (e.g. darklight or styles).

Version history