RuneQuake doesn't show the torches on walls, maybe it's a temp1/scratch1 type setting. That's all Yellow means.
Either way, it's been that way for a VERY long time, maybe even dating back to the Artifact-RJS days.
Quote:
// scratch1
//
// 1 equalize all lightstyles S1_EQUALIZE_LIGHTSTYLE
// 2 disable all ambient sounds S1_AMBIENT_SOUND_OFF
// 4 don't spawn any static lights S1_LIGHT_MAKESTATIC_OFF
// 8 bprint prints to server console S1_BPRINT_TO_CONSOLE
// 16 keep original level items S1_ORIGINAL_LEVELS
// 32 limit maximum traps per rune S1_MAX_TRAPS_FOR_LEVEL
// 64 basic/lite runes S1_BASIC_RUNES
// 128 custom exits S1_CUSTOM_EXITS
// 256 temporary/do not use S1_NOQUAD
// 512 temporary/do not use S1_NOPENT
// 1024 no default mode S1_NO_DEFAULT
// 2048 default mode arena S1_ARENA_DEFAULT
// 4096 default mode practice S1_PRACTICE_DEFAULT
// Force lightstyles 0-63 to one value, disable ambient sounds, disable
// static lights, and use custom exist.
// 1 + 2 + 4 + 128
scratch1 135
I think it is the above highlighted scratch1 bit.