Starting Fire With Lantern

[JiffyPopKids]

Dosn't it make sence? Why can't we? just open the thing and put a stick over the flame and wait a few seconds--- FIRE

[IFIYGD]

Lol! Ever try to start a fire this way with a Colman lantern? Lantern is burning, glass mantle... gets... hot. Unscrew cap, okay, alittle warm, but doable, maybe a small burn or blister on your finger(s).. Try to lift glass amntle off to have access to the flame... burn damage, Bandgae up. Your whole hand now is a bit on the 2nd degree burn side. Remove glass mantle... slight breeze blows out lantern flame.

Just a wee bit too complicated, and too many variables that they would have to work in. RNJesus says you get a burn, RNJesus says you don;t get a burn. RNJesus says wind comes up, blows out flame. ENJesus says wind comes up but doesn;t blow out flame. RNJesus says no wind... the list of things, including fariestarting chance and time it would take the stick to catch, or nt catch...

Interesting idea. But, not really all that practical my friend. (And yes, I have been part of trying to get a stick lit this way, usually to try to light a stubborn Coleman Stove. It never ended well. For at least one person, anyway.) :p

[Gustuv Wynd]

There are enough lanterns in the game where I think you couold afford to take one appart and just use it for starting fires...basically a fire striker and accelarant in one.

Though that woul make starting fires really easy. Probably out of scope for the game.

[iwasa]

The game storm lantern is HInterland's facsimile of a lighting device. A modern coleman style lantern would not have an open flame and kerosene (and lamp oil) is just not volatile enough to be ignited by an electronic or mechanical igniter, at least not without preheating.

So if Hinterland decided to allow that use as a fire starter, it would work. They don't have to be too concerned about the technical issues. It is a computer game, after all, what the devs says works will work. But up to now they do not seem to be interested in new and creative uses for existing equipment likely because to put it into the game means they'd have to think of all the ramifications of its use and misuse, etc. and program that into the game.

But then I am getting technical.

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by iwasa:

The game storm lantern is HInterland's facsimile of a lighting device. A modern coleman style lantern would not have an open flame and kerosene (and lamp oil) is just not volatile enough to be ignited by an electronic or mechanical igniter, at least not without preheating.

So if Hinterland decided to allow that use as a fire starter, it would work. They don't have to be too concerned about the technical issues. It is a computer game, after all, what the devs says works will work. But up to now they do not seem to be interested in new and creative uses for existing equipment likely because to put it into the game means they'd have to think of all the ramifications of its use and misuse, etc. and program that into the game.

But then I am getting technical.

Not true, that Coleman open flame or mantle lanterns can't be ignited with a striker type igniter, like the storm lantern in the game. The modern propane tank lanterns almost always have them pre-installed, but older coleman fuel (lamp oil) type lanterns have had seperate striker type igniters that can be installed in the lighting hole. Very handy. I have one installed on my really old (1970's) Coleman lantern, and it may take a few tries, but it lights it very nicely. And works pretty much just like the igniter for our in-game storm lantern. I have an even older Coleman, the open flame (no tube and mantle set-up) that used the same plunger pressurization for the fuel tankk, to pressurize the fuel for delivery. VERY similar to the a lanterns we use in game. Sadly, mine is so old it has broken parts that I have never bothered to replace. It's a wall hanging decoration now. I really should fix it up and put an ingiter on it. :)

Coleman srtiker type storm lantern igniter[www.amazon.com]

[iwasa]

I would concede ignorance about anything other than coleman lanterns that I used with the Boy Scouts a long time ago. I looked on Amazon to find something similar to what is depicted in the game and found nothing, even when looking for the history of coleman lanterns. I cannot say that I am completely convinced but I know that my experience with them is quite limited.

[PBR]

It would work, thing is it would cause balancing issues. We already find more lanterns than we need, this would add to our supply of matches, firestarters and if you're desperate flares. There would need to be a larger downside to cannabalizing a lantern besides only having 4 left.

[Nil Desperandum]

When you have so many means of starting fires in the game anyway, to be able to use the lantern as well is just 'overkill' imho.

The only real fire starting problems you can have in game is when playing Interloper, the reason that level has problems with 'everything' is because players begged and pleaded for a much harder level than Stalker, so's that's what the devs gave them. Be careful of what you wish for I say. Enjoy and GL

[AAAARGH!]

I always thought the in-game lantern resembled an old-school hurricane lantern, though I've never seen one with a striker.

[Nuggi84[DK]]

it would be possible but, it very hard to get the flame out of the closed class and you most likly burn a few fingers in the proces.

[Gustuv Wynd]

Originally posted by flaviusrex:

I always thought the in-game lantern resembled an old-school hurricane lantern, though I've never seen one with a striker.

I've seen one that was self lighting...it was probably made circa 1960 though...and no longer worked. I am guessing that it would have taken a lot of tries to get the little wick to start burning.

[JiffyPopKids]

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Lol! Ever try to start a fire this way with a Colman lantern? Lantern is burning, glass mantle... gets... hot. Unscrew cap, okay, alittle warm, but doable, maybe a small burn or blister on your finger(s).. Try to lift glass amntle off to have access to the flame... burn damage, Bandgae up. Your whole hand now is a bit on the 2nd degree burn side. Remove glass mantle... slight breeze blows out lantern flame.

Just a wee bit too complicated, and too many variables that they would have to work in. RNJesus says you get a burn, RNJesus says you don;t get a burn. RNJesus says wind comes up, blows out flame. ENJesus says wind comes up but doesn;t blow out flame. RNJesus says no wind... the list of things, including fariestarting chance and time it would take the stick to catch, or nt catch...

Interesting idea. But, not really all that practical my friend. (And yes, I have been part of trying to get a stick lit this way, usually to try to light a stubborn Coleman Stove. It never ended well. For at least one person, anyway.) :p

Some of this is true. but how about use your brain? open the glass case before turning it on. and face the direction of the wind or just stay out of it completly. or inside? there's manny ways to avoid what you've said.

[AAAARGH!]

In another post, I suggested that maybe the lanterns should burn a lot longer, as many hurricane lanterns are designed to run up to 24 hours on a single tank of fuel. Someone pointed out that the short burn time is probably for gameplay reasons, much like the hunger/thirst and spoilage mechanisms. Well here's another suggestion: the game could have long burning lanterns that require a match every time you light them. The cost would be matches, but the advantage would be being able to illuminate an interior space for a long period, for example for crafting.

[iwasa]

I ran a short test and the ingame storm lantern (at least in Pilgrim) runs for about a bit longer than 3 hours on a liter of lamp oil.

[Bison]

Nobody who says there are too many ways to light a fire has had an Interloper level Sandbox weekend like I just had. I went through most of Mystery Lake and Forlorn Muskeg without finding one damn match. Found a lantern in the dam, but you can't light fires with it, which killed me after a couple of days!

[Tamiore]

Originally posted by Bison:

Nobody who says there are too many ways to light a fire has had an Interloper level Sandbox weekend like I just had. I went through most of Mystery Lake and Forlorn Muskeg without finding one damn match. Found a lantern in the dam, but you can't light fires with it, which killed me after a couple of days!

Matches next to the forge in muskeg are ALWAYS there.