Vexxvididu Posted October 31, 2025 Report Posted October 31, 2025 Attached is a room in my base. It's always lit by a lamp and a torch. I confirmed with the /debug rooms hi command that it is counted as a room. I've had it for several in game days but just now a surface drifter spawned in there. I killed the drifter before thinking to screen shot it. Is there something else I can do to prevent drifter spawns or is this likely a bug or a freak incident? I have no mods. I think rift activity was medium at that time. 1
Solution Thorfinn Posted October 31, 2025 Solution Report Posted October 31, 2025 Lamps don't provide much light. 11 in the tile the lamp is, 10 in the next, 9 one further, etc. At light level 7, drifters can spawn. It looks well lit. It is not. 1 1
Professor Dragon Posted October 31, 2025 Report Posted October 31, 2025 (edited) To add on to what Thorfinn explained. * For beginner bases, keep the rooms a LOT smaller - only a few tiles bigger than a single oil lamp in the middle. Unless you like running around relighting torches every two days. * Light sources on the wiki here: https://wiki.vintagestory.at/Light_sources * For when you start serious base building with bigger rooms, I highly recommend a light level checker mod. Yes, they may be a bit "cheaty", but honestly, not too much. You do your building, put the lights in, flick the mod on and see if there is a red square or too you missed, fix it up and turn it off again. Otherwise, you're forever counting taxi-cab square spaces to lights, and that gets old fast. Eg Easy Light Levels - works on the current version v1.21.5. * Finally, there is this 10 minute (ish) video on light levels which is a pretty good overview. The main image actually captures your situation perfectly. Edited October 31, 2025 by Professor Dragon 1
Vexxvididu Posted October 31, 2025 Author Report Posted October 31, 2025 1 hour ago, Professor Dragon said: To add on to what Thorfinn explained. * For beginner bases, keep the rooms a LOT smaller - only a few tiles bigger than a single oil lamp in the middle. Unless you like running around relighting torches every two days. * Light sources on the wiki here: https://wiki.vintagestory.at/Light_sources * For when you start serious base building with bigger rooms, I highly recommend a light level checker mod. Yes, they may be a bit "cheaty", but honestly, not too much. You do your building, put the lights in, flick the mod on and see if there is a red square or too you missed, fix it up and turn it off again. Otherwise, you're forever counting taxi-cab square spaces to lights, and that gets old fast. Eg Easy Light Levels - works on the current version v1.21.5. * Finally, there is this 10 minute (ish) video on light levels which is a pretty good overview. The main image actually captures your situation perfectly. Thanks everyone! I didn't realize drifters could spawn in what still LOOKS like enough light. I actually do have some zinc so I may make a couple torch holders. 2
Maelstrom Posted October 31, 2025 Report Posted October 31, 2025 (edited) Drifters will spawn near rifts in broad daylight. Last night had a whole army show up hours before sundown. After I got over my amazement I checked what the rift weatherman had to say. "While no temporal storms are expected, the rift activity is apocalyptic out there. Seek shelter, immediately!" So I did. Edited October 31, 2025 by Maelstrom
Vexxvididu Posted October 31, 2025 Author Report Posted October 31, 2025 just as a little update, this morning before work, I made some torch holders to have permanent light in a few places. I haven't yet downloaded a light level mod, but manually counted the blocks everywhere. I had more zinc than I even thought I dd thanks to me overprioritizing mining, haha. 1
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