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I wasthinking that it would be interesting if the standard light source actually attracted mobs, both hostile and passive, and maybe hostile ones more based on their 'mean' stat. It would add new depth to walking around at night - maybe even have the light source drain sap or have its own energy gauge or something.

This seems like a nice idea and would certainly add to the complexity of the game, however, if that were the case it would discourage people from actually using the light ability in fear of aggro. Also there would either then be complaints that people cant see or nagging about how aggro always come to themselves at night. I myself am in favor of your idea, but then i again i use the light skill once every purple moon (essentially never).

Glad to see I'm not the only one that likes the idea, lol.

I just feel that it would be a bit more realistic - creeping through the jungle at night, sticking to the walls to avoid aggro I realized that I had my light on and got the idea. I love realism in games, and Ryzom is full of it... it just seems like the idea fits perfectly.

It would also add a bit of challenge - especially if the aggro only occurs based on the mob's 'mean' value, much like how Taunt does.

Keep in mind that right now, the light is completely client-side. This also means that I cannot see if someone else has his light turned on, which also means that I do not know if he might attract mobs that then could attack me.

Yeah, I realized it was client side after a few minutes, just because I never saw anyone else's lights on. I see your point, and it does make sense - I guess the only way would be to make the lights serverside.

Not sure about the engine being used for Ryzom (other than that it doesn't have a physics engine, >.<) so I can't really predict just how much work it would be to switch the lights to serverside.

I guess that would be the key factor in this idea.

How about creating torches and make them have those characteristics?
(I really love torches in RPGs)

Torches would of course be 1H weapons and could be combined in the same way daggers can.
(Little physical damage but a bit fire damage in addition)

-1

Don't like the idea of more agro based on time or use of light and really wouldn't like to equip a torch and when under att taking a weapon out

I have to agree with Suboxide on this. We really don't need more ways to attract aggro.

On the other hand, I also leave my light off pretty much all the time. Its range is too limited to be of real use (imho), and it doesn't make sense to be sneaking past kinchers whilst glowing like a firefly.

Another problem I see is when doing a trek for instance, what if one of the boobs has his light on and the others not if it's like now there is now way for knowing since we can't see each others lights.
In that case the trekkers will have no idea what the agro range is (I imagine more agro isn't possible in your idea just a larger agro range on the mobs for ppl that have the light on).

And if you want to make the light visible for others so they can know if somebody during a trek i using it that also implies that I will see other homins light up all the time and i don't want that either.

Don't forget about the subversive boobs that like to taunt aggro durring treks,

The light is a visual aid irl for me, since my shiny screen reflects a lot during the day. Ryzom can be so dark, all I can see then is my own reflection in real life without that light option. So; please don't make this an aggro thing...

+1 for the realism (I like it, and was thinking about using a light in the jungle can be a dangerous thing too)

But... if I undestand well, the "aggro" is implemented as a mob characteristic, not a toon's one. So, e.g., if a ragus have 25 m aggro range, any player into his range will be chased (maybe preferring the weaker ones, if what they told me is right).

If there is a way to have toon-based aggro (which can be more realistic for sure but maybe it will impair the server's performances a lot), then the suggestion can be viable, as all of us can have his own "aggro attiring" range: e.g. a zorai with a big HA can be "more visible" than a tryker in LA. A toon "carring" a light can be more visible than one with light off which, in turn, can be more visible than a sitting down one (like, to make an example, the RCS (Radar Cross Section) of airplanes).
Toon's skin and armours' colors can enter in the pit of changing the toon's noticing-range too so a white armor can increase your visibility in the jungle far more than a dark-green one, but will reduce it when on the snow (so colors and seasons can have more sense, while colors 're mats' quality related atm), and so on...

I really don't know how aggro is calculated nowadays: just thinking as any mob is "sorrounded" by a circular "barrier" as large as their noticing-range and toons which enter that circle will be noticed (enlisted) and, in case of aggro mobs, (evaluated and) chased.

Having toon-based aggro is like to circle the toon too with an "aggro range" which will need to recalculate (1) the dynamic range every time (as it can vary under some circumstances: worn armors, lights, weather, environment's light and conditions, running/walking/sitting stance, and so on), and (2) if toon's noticeable-circle collides with the mob's noticing-circle: maybe heavier than just checking if an "x/y-point" (the toon) is in/outside a "circle" (mob's aggro) for the server.

P.S.
in client-server environments the client can't never be trusted, by common rule, for meaningful things (like aggro).

light reveals small geometry tiny cliff and such otherwise invisible <3

If you want to be realistic, doesn't light usually prevent agro from attacking?

Light seems not, fire yes: we should hold a torch to lower the aggro: our "inner lights" reveal us, IMHO.
("inner lights" from some kind of technology or magery)