Video Game Maglite?

Hi guys.

I've been a big fan of scary video games (which is what inspired me to get my maglite originally, as well as frightening arc-flash accident footage from inside a dark powerplant) and I was wondering if it's possible to make a maglite with the power of a "video game flashlight"

What I'm referring to here, is the fact that many scary games use flashlights that have amazing illumination capabilities.

Here's an example below taken from a creepy gamed called "Condemned". The player uses a maglite and it seems to have a way better flood on it than my maglite 4D. I went out and bought myself a Maglite 3w LED but even on flood it doesn't seem to have much consistancy in the brightness. There's a dim ring around the outside and an enormous dark circular area in the middle.

Comparing the two:

Here's the Real Maglite.
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7923/dsci0001g.jpg

A Dark Alley
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/5673/89759118.jpg

An Alley with the game maglite on
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1147/54231168.jpg (I quite like how the light extends to past the ciruclar flood, and up above the wall. Basically, in a dark room, it seems to illuminate the room well). There may even be a better maglite beam than this possible?

A dark trainstation
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7065/30672805.jpg

A lit trainstation
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8594/56431613.jpg

Anyone able to shed some light on this (oh wow, I'm sure that pun has been used a billion times before on these forums )

Nice shovel. Maybe they used a modified Maglite

Firstly, if you use Lights in totaly dark areas, they are "brighter" then you would think they are. however...

I think games work with the perception of how "powerful" maglights are, not the reality. Also, in games where a flashlight is the only source of light, its gotta be pretty darn good.

just look at games like Alan Wake.

Some games include the rings and artifects a maglight has, examples include Left4Dead and Doom 3

To achieve video game brightness....make an ROP or Mag85, that to my eyes, rouhgly replicates the perceived effects of lights in games.

Crenshaw

I have the same question regarding womens breasts. They also seem larger and more perky in video games than in real life. What gives?

In that case, where can I buy a mag85 kit =D If there are none, is anyone willing to do one for me for a price? I don't really have the know-it to make such a beast of a light!

Also, can the mag85 be focused or is it the same straight flood all the time (not that focusing it would be necessary given the brightness).

Packhorse said:

I have the same question regarding womens breasts. They also seem larger and more perky in video games than in real life. What gives?

Click to expand...

:laughing: PMSL

Packhorse said:

I have the same question regarding womens breasts. They also seem larger and more perky in video games than in real life. What gives?

Click to expand...

:laughing:

It will always remain a mystery :O

The player's flashlight in Crysis shows artifacts, much like a stock maglite. But as a member of the US Special Forces, I would think that the beam would be more like a surefire. Instead of realism for the story, I think the devs went for realism for the average player. What I mean is, players (mostly males? age 15-35?) will recognize the ugly beam, and go "Wow, that in-game flashlight beam is realistic, looks just like my maglite!"

Packhorse said:

I have the same question regarding womens breasts. They also seem larger and more perky in video games than in real life. What gives?

Click to expand...

I believe it has something to do with you being south of the Equator.

Just got some more screenshots. Interestingly enough, the players flashlight DOES indeed have the rings and artifacts of a real flashlight if you look close:

A shot of the maglite on.
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8944/condemned20090711030253.jpg

Comparison Shot (light on)
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2227/condemned20090711030311.jpg

Comparison Shot (light off)
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6580/condemned20090711030309.jpg

You know you're a flashaholic when you find yourself taking beamshots of video game lights.:naughty:

And it's more than possible. Have you checked out this thread yet? :naughty:

baterija said:

You know you're a flashaholic when you find yourself taking beamshots of video game lights.:naughty:

And it's more than possible. Have you checked out this thread yet? :naughty:

Click to expand...

Indeed, I love my Maglite to bits <3 I carry it whenever I can, and take care of it with the same amount of care I would a gun or a car! (I guess that varies from person to person).

Thanks for the thread link =) Looks very interesting. I'm looking at the Malkoff D size Seoul P7 drop-in, 4-6 cells, 5-13v to see if it's worth getting. It seems to have a fair amount going for it.

Crenshaw said:

Firstly, if you use Lights in totaly dark areas, they are "brighter" then you would think they are. however...

I think games work with the perception of how "powerful" maglights are, not the reality. Also, in games where a flashlight is the only source of light, its gotta be pretty darn good.

just look at games like Alan Wake.

Some games include the rings and artifects a maglight has, examples include Left4Dead and Doom 3

To achieve video game brightness....make an ROP or Mag85, that to my eyes, rouhgly replicates the perceived effects of lights in games.

Crenshaw

Click to expand...

In my experience, no video game flashlight (I play mostly Valve games -- Half Life 2, but it also applies to Doom 3) has any throw. Short answer: use 15° diffusion film.

baterija said:

You know you're a flashaholic when you find yourself taking beamshots of video game lights.:naughty:

And it's more than possible. Have you checked out this thread yet? :naughty:

Click to expand...

I did the opposite - I found beamshots of someone's L4, and replaced the Doom3 flashlight with the L4 pattern. Still no throw, despite a "hotter" hot spot.

Chrontius said:

I did the opposite - I found beamshots of someone's L4, and replaced the Doom3 flashlight with the L4 pattern.

Click to expand...

Chrontius said:

In my experience, no video game flashlight (I play mostly Valve games -- Half Life 2, but it also applies to Doom 3) has any throw. Short answer: use 15° diffusion film.



I did the opposite - I found beamshots of someone's L4, and replaced the Doom3 flashlight with the L4 pattern. Still no throw, despite a "hotter" hot spot.

Click to expand...

Interesting, you've given me an idea only the candlepower forums can appreciate.

Here I've made many different flashlight mods for hl2

Standard Incandescent
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4293/d1town010002.jpg

Another incandescent
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1858/d1town010003.jpg

Modified Incandescent
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9230/d1town010008.jpg

Close up of the standard incandescent (you can see the rings on it!)
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1426/d1town010009.jpg

LED #1
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4633/d1town010000.jpg

LED #2 (this one illuminated great amounts of the wall, but wasn't bright)
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4018/d1town010004.jpg

The original Half-Life 2 Flashlight (Still the brightest and the best out of the ones I had XD)
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/9096/d3c1706a0008.jpg

Played around with it a bit more (I know this is going off topic but what the heck XD)

Standard Flashlight
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7199/d1town010024.jpg

BLUMEN Bright Ultra-LED
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/7439/d1town010023.jpg

Looking at a town
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7326/d1town010025.jpg

The BLUMEN Bright Ultra-LED illuminating (and possibly about to ignite) the whole town. Using the new super compact 24-LED bulb 90 watt projection system (hey, it's a game, it doesn't have to be realistic), gives you the ultimate spotlight-strength maglite by projecting a blazing 25000 lumens, enough to wake the neighbours by simply pointing it at their house (the light is so bright it will shine through the brick walls!).
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/7537/d1town010026.jpg

If only a light that bright could exist within a maglite eh?

You would need to be over 150 lbs to turn it on though, or use a body strap for that light! The recoil that turning it on would be able to thrust weaklings backwards!

Crenshaw said:

Some games include the rings and artifects a maglight has, examples include Left4Dead and Doom 3

Click to expand...

Yeah, that was ridiculous. We have clean lights NOW, and they couldn't put one in a game that happens in the future? It irritated me enough that I swapped the light beam texture with a round, fully white one, and the result was a perfect white beam.

HAHA I read this thread and it made me think of a pic I found on the internet a while back, enjoy =)