Lighting London in 1897
Gas, oil and early electric light each tell a different story about class, power and safety.
Three sources, three meanings
London in 1897 was lit by several technologies at once. Gas lamps lined the streets, oil lamps remained common indoors and electric arc lights appeared where wealth and influence gathered.
We treat those differences as part of the narrative. Gaslight is warm and unstable. Oil light makes rooms feel intimate and enclosed. Electric light is colder, harsher and still unfamiliar.
Reference before rendering
Before adjusting the game, we collected period photographs and written accounts describing how these lights were experienced. One rule emerged from that work: every pool of light must have a believable physical source in the scene.
What the rule gave us
- Darker rooms with clearer focal points.
- Natural places for the player to pause.
- A visual language that connects technology to social power.
