Light problems in my map

*[TNB]*TrEuZ

L1: Registered
May 29, 2009
9
0
Hey,

I've been working on a map for TF 2 since Januari this year and I'm now trying to finish it in the upcoming week. But I keep having a huge problem with the lighting.
In hammer there are only 3 types of light but these lights only come from one point.

Since there is a huge hall (from a factory) in my map and there are a lot of very small tubes, which you can walk through, I can't find a way to bring light in it

For the hall I have to use at least 50 lights to prevent it from having dark spots. And I can't place lights in the tube cuz they light up the wall near the light source with very bright light and it quickly fades.

So I was wandering if it is possible to make one type of light in my whole map. Like there is light everywhere when I use Hammer. I think it's possible cuz in 2Fort there are tubes as well, and they can't be lighted by the skybox (with the Environment light) and there arent lights in there as well.

I really hope that someone can help me out, it would mean a lot to me...

Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad English
 
May 23, 2009
205
34
Are you using a light_environment? it casts light as though it was a sun. but it wont light up indoor areas much.
You can make light_spots (the general all round best light type) with large brightness values (say 255 255 255 2000) and that should cast light far enough to light up a big hall with less than a dozen lights (big halls in real life DO have lots of light sources in them so don't worry about having a lot too)
Alternatively you can place lights and alter the 50% and 100% fall off values, once you've put a non zero value in these you'll end up with two yellow spheres which you can adjust in the 2D views, make the spheres large enough to touch most of the room and you should end up with enough light.

If those ^^^ don't work, post some screenshots of what light entities you have and what it looks like in game.
 

Fraz

Blu Hatte, Greyscale Backdrop.
aa
Dec 28, 2008
944
1,152
The tubes in 2fort do have lights in them. And yeah, use light_spots and just play around.
 

Sgt Frag

L14: Epic Member
May 20, 2008
1,443
710
Icy Mouse is on the right track but a value of 2000 for brightness is gonna burn everybodys eyeblass out of their sockets and/or is gonna be very hard to control and get what you want.

With the entity tool make a light. I'll call it an Omni light, because omni lights light up in all directions, spot lights point in one direction.

OK, so you have a light. By default it is white and a brightness of 200. Leave that as is.

In 0 % distance make it 1500
In 50 % dstance make it something between 50-200.

That'll give you 2 yellow spheres around it (If you have the tools/helpers ON)

The small inside sphere is the 50% falloff. At that distance the light is 50% bright - a fade from 100% at the light entity itself.
Making it small enough so the sphere doesn't touch any walls , floors or ceilings will keep it from making a bright spot on the wall (which would give away the fact there is a light source with no light bulb).

The large sphere is where that light is 0% bright. Making it a large distance like 1500 will give you a nice smooth transition out so it really isn't noticeable that a light source is there. Good for lighting places like the 2fort tunnels that don't have a light model (light bulb, lamp, etc...)
-------------
That just helps with ambient lighting. No visual light source.

If you want to have a light bulb or flourescent light those are models. They don't actually cast light by themselves, they just make it look like there is a light source.
In addition you can add the light cones to make it look hazy. They are also just a model. (or entity I guess)
Either way you still need to add a light or spot light entity for the actual light. Unless it's a 'turned off light'.
 

*[TNB]*TrEuZ

L1: Registered
May 29, 2009
9
0
wow thanks for the massive support guys... I'll try it out right now.
Unfortunetely I don't know how to post screenshots :s I'm kinda new to this site.

I find it a pity though that there ain't an option to make light everywhere witout using light entities :s but hopefully Frags idea will help.

Icy mouse had a great idea but the lights are way to bright then :s

thanks all for the support Il be posting soon if it worked out well XD
 

*[TNB]*TrEuZ

L1: Registered
May 29, 2009
9
0
Thanks a lot Sgt. Frag, you're lights worked very well to light up the hall, the look nice and bright, just as a TF 2 map should be XD.

Unfortunetaly it doesn't work for the small tubes... But I made the light's quickly fade and now it looks quite alright. I kept working on the map all day and it's already looking a lot better now.

I still find it hard to find and apply the right textures but with some extra practise I think the map will look great when I'm finnaly done :D

Thanks again all... I'll be posting some screenshots soon!
 

Sgt Frag

L14: Epic Member
May 20, 2008
1,443
710
no prob.

Tex aren't too bad.

Once you get the hang of how to use the alignment tools (C=center, L, R, top, etc..) that can help alot. Fit can be really handy if your brush isn't too big/small.
if you have a cube that is 256x256 units fit is perfect. If its 512 long you'll have to manually adjust the scale (x plane I think), but still a quick way to align.

Also if you want to apply a tex you already used click on it, then shift-click (? off top of my head) on another face to apply it.

If you want to continue a tex around a corner or to the next brush Alt-click. I just learned that a few weeks ago and it is very useful.