{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-optics","type":"mechanic","id":"phone-flashlight--family-optics","lang":"en","title":"Reflection, transmission and materials","summary":"Materials change LED reflections. WildLight estimates shape and reflectance from multiple images; it is a research method, not a material sensor.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-optics/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-optics.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-optics.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Phone flashlight interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-486438ca6bfacdc6"],"sources":[{"id":"source-486438ca6bfacdc6","title":"WildLight (research prototype)","url":"https://junxuan-li.github.io/wildlight-website/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The flashlight works with the prepared physical scene."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-optics-variants\"></a>\n\n- Reflected path. Action: Redirect the light with a mirror to a specified area. Application: Mirror maze, transmitting a signal behind an obstacle. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: LED beam is wide; short distances, screens and visibility checks are needed. <a id=\"variant-41\"></a>\n- Illumination with sliding light. Action: Direct the light almost along the surface. Application: See relief, embossing, scratches or paper texture. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: This is a visual inspection, not a reliable forensic procedure. <a id=\"variant-42\"></a>\n- Translucent paper. Action: Shine through a thin sheet or multilayer card. Application: Find a hidden mark, read a pre-prepared puzzle. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: Works only with sufficient light transmission and pattern contrast. <a id=\"variant-43\"></a>\n- Combining transparent layers. Action: Fold translucent parts and highlight the result. Application: Assemble a card, develop the code from several films. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: Materials and order of layers are checked on a real layout. <a id=\"variant-44\"></a>\n- Search for a reflective mark. Action: Look for pre-placed reflective elements. Application: Indoor treasure hunt, labeled tabletop map. Requirements: Rear LED and app control; Prepared props or external sensor; Camera and proprietary image analysis. Conditions: Result depends on angle and material; a camera near the LED is often more useful than a side view. <a id=\"variant-45\"></a>\n- Glare puzzle. Action: Tilt a glossy object until the glare reveals or hides the detail. Application: Secret on a card, task on the viewing angle. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: You cannot promise the same glare for any surface. <a id=\"variant-46\"></a>\n- Physical color filter. Action: Pass white light through the prepared color material. Application: Selecting a channel on a printed puzzle, changing the atmosphere of a mini-scene. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: You need proven paints and filters; The LED cannot be programmed to have an arbitrary color. <a id=\"variant-47\"></a>\n- Stencil drawing. Action: Highlight a cut out outline on a nearby surface. Application: Faction sign, mask for shadow task, home theater. Requirements: Rear LED and app control; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: Sharp, complex projection will require suitable optics; regular LED not a projector. <a id=\"variant-48\"></a>\n- An object that glows after being illuminated. Action: Light a suitable photoluminescent prop, then turn it off. Application: Leave a temporary hint, collect a route from markers. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: Efficiency depends on material, spectrum and time; check before choosing mechanics. <a id=\"variant-49\"></a>\n- Scattering and refraction. Action: Change the pattern of light with a diffuser, prism or other optical part. Application: Caustic pattern, experiment with materials, artistic puzzle. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Prepared props or external sensor. Conditions: The form of the effect depends on the props; use a dry, stable installation. <a id=\"variant-50\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"phone-flashlight","id":"family-optics","title":"Phone flashlight interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-flashlight/#family-optics","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Reflection, transmission and materials","description":"Materials change LED reflections. WildLight estimates shape and reflectance from multiple images; it is a research method, not a material sensor.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/flash-wildlight.webp","width":1440,"height":387,"crop":{"x":285,"y":0,"width":283,"height":132},"game":"WildLight (research prototype)","sourceUrl":"https://junxuan-li.github.io/wildlight-website/","originalUrl":"https://junxuan-li.github.io/wildlight-website/static/images/teaser.jpg","credit":"Ziang Cheng, Junxuan Li, Hongdong Li","rights":"© Ziang Cheng, Junxuan Li, Hongdong Li. Author-distributed research figure; respective rights retained. Excluded from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"WildLight: changed reflections when a physical object is illuminated","alt":"WildLight: changed reflections when a physical object is illuminated","markers":[{"x":28,"y":24,"label":"Illumination changes visible brightness and surface reflections"}]},"tips":["Control the setup and test reflections on real materials."],"examples":[{"title":"WildLight (research prototype)","url":"https://junxuan-li.github.io/wildlight-website/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/phone-flashlight"}}