Very broken lighting in my level

ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
I have no idea how to fix this and none of my friends do either. These are prop_statics that are mostly unlit. The map is also rendered in HDR full compile. How in the world do I fix this?

The light_environment and skybox match those of Rottenburg, by the way.
 

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MOCOLONI

L6: Sharp Member
Dec 16, 2014
373
89
Try compiling with the following VRAD parameters in Expert>HDR Full compile (final):
  • -StaticPropLighting
  • -StaticPropPolys
  • -textureshadows

Note that this will increase compile times, as well as the BSP's filesize.
 

ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
Are all the props in your map like that or just a few?
Just the static props. I started converting them to dynamic props and that worked for a moment, but then it literally just stopped working for no explainable reason.
Also, eventually Hammer broke entirely and stopped updating the map after the compile process was done. I only have one version of the map saved so I know I wasn't loading up a wrong map.
 
Last edited:

ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
Try compiling with the following VRAD parameters in Expert>HDR Full compile (final):
  • -StaticPropLighting
  • -StaticPropPolys
  • -textureshadows

Note that this will increase compile times, as well as the BSP's filesize.
didn't work unfortunately
 

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ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
Just the static props. I started converting them to dynamic props and that worked for a moment, but then it literally just stopped working for no explainable reason.
Also, eventually Hammer broke entirely and stopped updating the map after the compile process was done. I only have one version of the map saved so I know I wasn't loading up a wrong map.
Edit: I forgot to mention that some of the props might be unlit because they're partially clipping into a world brush. However some props are unlit and not clipped into any brushes.
 

ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
Would you post your compile log so we can check for errors?
here you go



** Executing...
** Command: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\bin\vbsp.exe"
** Parameters: -game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1
-StaticPropLighting" -StaticPropPolys -textureshadows


Valve Software - vbsp.exe (May 21 2020)
Command line: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\bin\vbsp.exe" "-game" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1

-StaticPropLighting" "-StaticPropPolys" "-textureshadows

"

usage : vbsp [options...] mapfile
example: vbsp -onlyents c:\hl2\hl2\maps\test

Common options (use -v to see all options):

-v (or -verbose): Turn on verbose output (also shows more command
line options).

-onlyents : This option causes vbsp only import the entities from the .vmf
file. -onlyents won't reimport brush models.
-onlyprops : Only update the static props and detail props.
-glview : Writes .gl files in the current directory that can be viewed
with glview.exe. If you use -tmpout, it will write the files
into the \tmp folder.
-nodetail : Get rid of all detail geometry. The geometry left over is
what affects visibility.
-nowater : Get rid of water brushes.
-low : Run as an idle-priority process.
-embed <directory> : Use <directory> as an additional search path for assets
and embed all assets in this directory into the compiled
map

-vproject <directory> : Override the VPROJECT environment variable.
-game <directory> : Same as -vproject.


** Executing...
** Command: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\bin\vvis.exe"
** Parameters: -game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1"

Valve Software - vvis.exe (May 21 2020)
MSG_FILEWRITE - Filesystem was asked to write to 'c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.log', but we don't own that location. Allowing.
12 threads
reading c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp
reading c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.prt
LoadPortals: couldn't read c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.prt


** Executing...
** Command: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\bin\vrad.exe"
** Parameters: -both -final -game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1"

Valve Software - vrad.exe SSE (May 21 2020)

Valve Radiosity Simulator
12 threads
MSG_FILEWRITE - Filesystem was asked to write to 'c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.log', but we don't own that location. Allowing.
[Reading texlights from 'lights.rad']
unknown light specifier type - lights

[56 texlights parsed from 'lights.rad']

Loading c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp
Setting up ray-trace acceleration structure... Done (3.69 seconds)
4447 faces
3118355 square feet [449043200.00 square inches]
1748 Displacements
1319413 Square Feet [189995552.00 Square Inches]
4447 patches before subdivision
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
145235 patches after subdivision
sun extent from map=0.087156
5 direct lights
BuildFacelights: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (182)
BuildVisLeafs: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (12)
transfers 6798234, max 691
transfer lists: 51.9 megs
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #1 added RGB(207436, 187566, 198877)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #2 added RGB(19889, 15426, 13866)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #3 added RGB(2121, 1418, 1141)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #4 added RGB(302, 174, 123)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #5 added RGB(49, 25, 15)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #6 added RGB(9, 4, 2)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #7 added RGB(2, 1, 0)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #8 added RGB(0, 0, 0)
Build Patch/Sample Hash Table(s).....Done<0.0631 sec>
FinalLightFace: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (4)
FinalLightFace Done
0 of 0 (0% of) surface lights went in leaf ambient cubes.
ThreadComputeLeafAmbient: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (3)
Writing leaf ambient...done
Ready to Finish

Object names Objects/Maxobjs Memory / Maxmem Fullness
------------ --------------- --------------- --------
models 12/1024 576/49152 ( 1.2%)
brushes 358/8192 4296/98304 ( 4.4%)
brushsides 2665/65536 21320/524288 ( 4.1%)
planes 3804/65536 76080/1310720 ( 5.8%)
vertexes 5297/65536 63564/786432 ( 8.1%)
nodes 1489/65536 47648/2097152 ( 2.3%)
texinfos 785/12288 56520/884736 ( 6.4%)
texdata 48/2048 1536/65536 ( 2.3%)
dispinfos 1748/0 307648/0 ( 0.0%)
disp_verts 134268/0 2685360/0 ( 0.0%)
disp_tris 211360/0 422720/0 ( 0.0%)
disp_lmsamples 3227052/0 3227052/0 ( 0.0%)
faces 4447/65536 249032/3670016 ( 6.8%)
hdr faces 4447/65536 249032/3670016 ( 6.8%)
origfaces 2774/65536 155344/3670016 ( 4.2%)
leaves 1502/65536 48064/2097152 ( 2.3%)
leaffaces 3578/65536 7156/131072 ( 5.5%)
leafbrushes 1722/65536 3444/131072 ( 2.6%)
areas 3/256 24/2048 ( 1.2%)
surfedges 30704/512000 122816/2048000 ( 6.0%)
edges 16509/256000 66036/1024000 ( 6.4%)
LDR worldlights 5/8192 440/720896 ( 0.1%)
HDR worldlights 5/8192 440/720896 ( 0.1%)
leafwaterdata 0/32768 0/393216 ( 0.0%)
waterstrips 248/32768 2480/327680 ( 0.8%)
waterverts 0/65536 0/786432 ( 0.0%)
waterindices 3735/65536 7470/131072 ( 5.7%)
cubemapsamples 0/1024 0/16384 ( 0.0%)
overlays 0/512 0/180224 ( 0.0%)
LDR lightdata [variable] 17855712/0 ( 0.0%)
HDR lightdata [variable] 17855712/0 ( 0.0%)
visdata [variable] 111998/16777216 ( 0.7%)
entdata [variable] 33459/393216 ( 8.5%)
LDR ambient table 1502/65536 6008/262144 ( 2.3%)
HDR ambient table 1502/65536 6008/262144 ( 2.3%)
LDR leaf ambient 7777/65536 217756/1835008 (11.9%)
HDR leaf ambient 7809/65536 218652/1835008 (11.9%)
occluders 0/0 0/0 ( 0.0%)
occluder polygons 0/0 0/0 ( 0.0%)
occluder vert ind 0/0 0/0 ( 0.0%)
detail props [variable] 1/12 ( 8.3%)
static props [variable] 1/38448 ( 0.0%)
pakfile [variable] 1980/0 ( 0.0%)
physics [variable] 23438650/4194304 (558.8%) VERY FULL!
physics terrain [variable] 0/1048576 ( 0.0%)

Level flags = 0

Total triangle count: 10740
Writing c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp
3 minutes, 25 seconds elapsed
Valve Software - vrad.exe SSE (May 21 2020)

Valve Radiosity Simulator
12 threads
MSG_FILEWRITE - Filesystem was asked to write to 'c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.log', but we don't own that location. Allowing.
[Reading texlights from 'lights.rad']
unknown light specifier type - lights

[56 texlights parsed from 'lights.rad']

Loading c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp
Setting up ray-trace acceleration structure... Done (3.82 seconds)
4447 faces
3118355 square feet [449043200.00 square inches]
1748 Displacements
1319413 Square Feet [189995552.00 Square Inches]
4447 patches before subdivision
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
zero area child patch
145235 patches after subdivision
sun extent from map=0.087156
5 direct lights
BuildFacelights: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (182)
BuildVisLeafs: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (12)
transfers 6798238, max 691
transfer lists: 51.9 megs
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #1 added RGB(270074, 245939, 260775)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #2 added RGB(25387, 20093, 18185)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #3 added RGB(2661, 1836, 1495)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #4 added RGB(374, 226, 162)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #5 added RGB(60, 32, 20)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (1)
Bounce #6 added RGB(11, 5, 3)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #7 added RGB(2, 1, 0)
GatherLight: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Bounce #8 added RGB(0, 0, 0)
Build Patch/Sample Hash Table(s).....Done<0.0630 sec>
FinalLightFace: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (4)
FinalLightFace Done
0 of 0 (0% of) surface lights went in leaf ambient cubes.
ThreadComputeLeafAmbient: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (3)
Writing leaf ambient...done
Ready to Finish

Object names Objects/Maxobjs Memory / Maxmem Fullness
------------ --------------- --------------- --------
models 12/1024 576/49152 ( 1.2%)
brushes 358/8192 4296/98304 ( 4.4%)
brushsides 2665/65536 21320/524288 ( 4.1%)
planes 3804/65536 76080/1310720 ( 5.8%)
vertexes 5297/65536 63564/786432 ( 8.1%)
nodes 1489/65536 47648/2097152 ( 2.3%)
texinfos 785/12288 56520/884736 ( 6.4%)
texdata 48/2048 1536/65536 ( 2.3%)
dispinfos 1748/0 307648/0 ( 0.0%)
disp_verts 134268/0 2685360/0 ( 0.0%)
disp_tris 211360/0 422720/0 ( 0.0%)
disp_lmsamples 3227052/0 3227052/0 ( 0.0%)
faces 4447/65536 249032/3670016 ( 6.8%)
hdr faces 4447/65536 249032/3670016 ( 6.8%)
origfaces 2774/65536 155344/3670016 ( 4.2%)
leaves 1502/65536 48064/2097152 ( 2.3%)
leaffaces 3578/65536 7156/131072 ( 5.5%)
leafbrushes 1722/65536 3444/131072 ( 2.6%)
areas 3/256 24/2048 ( 1.2%)
surfedges 30704/512000 122816/2048000 ( 6.0%)
edges 16509/256000 66036/1024000 ( 6.4%)
LDR worldlights 5/8192 440/720896 ( 0.1%)
HDR worldlights 5/8192 440/720896 ( 0.1%)
leafwaterdata 0/32768 0/393216 ( 0.0%)
waterstrips 248/32768 2480/327680 ( 0.8%)
waterverts 0/65536 0/786432 ( 0.0%)
waterindices 3735/65536 7470/131072 ( 5.7%)
cubemapsamples 0/1024 0/16384 ( 0.0%)
overlays 0/512 0/180224 ( 0.0%)
LDR lightdata [variable] 17855712/0 ( 0.0%)
HDR lightdata [variable] 17855712/0 ( 0.0%)
visdata [variable] 111998/16777216 ( 0.7%)
entdata [variable] 33459/393216 ( 8.5%)
LDR ambient table 1502/65536 6008/262144 ( 2.3%)
HDR ambient table 1502/65536 6008/262144 ( 2.3%)
LDR leaf ambient 7777/65536 217756/1835008 (11.9%)
HDR leaf ambient 7809/65536 218652/1835008 (11.9%)
occluders 0/0 0/0 ( 0.0%)
occluder polygons 0/0 0/0 ( 0.0%)
occluder vert ind 0/0 0/0 ( 0.0%)
detail props [variable] 1/12 ( 8.3%)
static props [variable] 1/38448 ( 0.0%)
pakfile [variable] 1980/0 ( 0.0%)
physics [variable] 23438650/4194304 (558.8%) VERY FULL!
physics terrain [variable] 0/1048576 ( 0.0%)

Level flags = 0

Total triangle count: 10740
Writing c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp
3 minutes, 26 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\maps\mvm_daybreak_v1.bsp"


** Executing...
** Command: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\hl2.exe"
** Parameters: -dev -console -allowdebug -game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" +map "mvm_daybreak_v1"
 

Da Spud Lord

Occasionally I make maps
aa
Mar 23, 2017
1,339
994
VRAD runs twice when HDR and LDR are both turned on; one generates LDR lighting, the other generates HDR lighting. That is normal.

What's less normal is this:
usage : vbsp [options...] mapfile
example: vbsp -onlyents c:\hl2\hl2\maps\test
When VBSP (or any part of the compiler) spits out its usage info, that's an indication that its arguments have been formatted improperly. In this case, you put Mocoloni's command line args in the wrong place. Firstly, they're supposed to go in VRAD ($light_exe), not VBSP. Secondly, they're supposed to come before the filepath to your map, not after; the filepath to your map should always be last.
 

ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
VRAD runs twice when HDR and LDR are both turned on; one generates LDR lighting, the other generates HDR lighting. That is normal.

What's less normal is this:

When VBSP (or any part of the compiler) spits out its usage info, that's an indication that its arguments have been formatted improperly. In this case, you put Mocoloni's command line args in the wrong place. Firstly, they're supposed to go in VRAD ($light_exe), not VBSP. Secondly, they're supposed to come before the filepath to your map, not after; the filepath to your map should always be last.

So I put the args in the wrong place, where do I put them? still pretty new to hammer and don't know which textbox is VRAD
 

Da Spud Lord

Occasionally I make maps
aa
Mar 23, 2017
1,339
994
upload_2021-2-22_18-19-14.png

Put the args into this command here, before the -game part. And make sure you delete them from $bsp_exe, otherwise that will remain broken.
 

MOCOLONI

L6: Sharp Member
Dec 16, 2014
373
89
didn't work unfortunately
** Executing...
** Command: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\bin\vbsp.exe"
** Parameters: -game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1
-StaticPropLighting" -StaticPropPolys -textureshadows


Valve Software - vbsp.exe (May 21 2020)
Command line: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\bin\vbsp.exe" "-game" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf" "c:\hammerautosave\mvm_daybreak_v1

-StaticPropLighting" "-StaticPropPolys" "-textureshadows

"

usage : vbsp [options...] mapfile
example: vbsp -onlyents c:\hl2\hl2\maps\test

Common options (use -v to see all options):

-v (or -verbose): Turn on verbose output (also shows more command
line options).

-onlyents : This option causes vbsp only import the entities from the .vmf
file. -onlyents won't reimport brush models.
-onlyprops : Only update the static props and detail props.
-glview : Writes .gl files in the current directory that can be viewed
with glview.exe. If you use -tmpout, it will write the files
into the \tmp folder.
-nodetail : Get rid of all detail geometry. The geometry left over is
what affects visibility.
-nowater : Get rid of water brushes.
-low : Run as an idle-priority process.
-embed <directory> : Use <directory> as an additional search path for assets
and embed all assets in this directory into the compiled
map

-vproject <directory> : Override the VPROJECT environment variable.
-game <directory> : Same as -vproject.
That's because you put them on VBSP.

When VBSP (or any part of the compiler) spits out its usage info, that's an indication that its arguments have been formatted improperly. In this case, you put Mocoloni's command line args in the wrong place. Firstly, they're supposed to go in VRAD ($light_exe), not VBSP. Secondly, they're supposed to come before the filepath to your map, not after; the filepath to your map should always be last.
This; my bad for not mentioning that VRAD is "light_exe". When clicking on it, to the right there's the "Command" field, which should read, "$light_exe", and then the "Parameters" one just below, which should read,
"-both -final -StaticPropLighting -StaticPropPolys -textureshadows -game $gamedir $path\$file" (without the quotation marks).
 

Da Spud Lord

Occasionally I make maps
aa
Mar 23, 2017
1,339
994
For future reference:
VBSP = $bsp_exe
VVIS = $vis_exe
VRAD = $light_exe
 

ARC8DE

L1: Registered
Jan 25, 2021
34
1
That's because you put them on VBSP.


This; my bad for not mentioning that VRAD is "light_exe". When clicking on it, to the right there's the "Command" field, which should read, "$light_exe", and then the "Parameters" one just below, which should read,
"-both -final -StaticPropLighting -StaticPropPolys -textureshadows -game $gamedir $path\$file" (without the quotation marks).
Days of suffering in hammer finally over
Thank you so much man
 

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