advanced lighting

[rain_gloom]

First thing to declare: I know nothing about HLSL, so here comes:

I'm trying to accomplish a much darker look with realistically behaving lights (explained later), these would be spotlights (like in the awesome flashlight resource) and point lights, like the Hydra's flare, but with longer drawing distance.

The problems: how can I create more lights (which function does it? I have no idea what to look for. )

is there a way to make a blockable light? (so it can't pass through a 20cm diameter steel wall) (using colshapes to reduce poly count, if possible)

how to make point lights (traffic indicators, campfires, rear lamps, flares) that can be seen far away?