Lighting Roofs?

Jan 8, 2011
397
393
So I've finally moved on to the lighting stage of my map, and I was wondering how to make the interior ceilings of my rooms lit. What I mean is, all my indoor lighting shines downward, and the roof is lost in total black. Also, my spotlights are too well defined; the map lighting looks like stage lighting. I've been using the lighting library I found on the site here. Any suggestions?

Oh and also, I need a good roof texture for a building like the one in the center of Well. Recommendations, anyone?
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
6,394
5,571
For the spots, you can adjust the inner/outer angles. that willl make them wider and can "blend" more. For the roofs, you could (easy way) just use a light entity, the same color as the spot lights, and make it dim. Or you could do this (little more difficult) Nodraw.net
 
Jan 8, 2011
397
393
Just gonna go with the light entities. I just want it to not look rediculously black, doesn't have to be a big process to do it.
 
Apr 13, 2009
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Even with lights pointing downwards it shouldn't be pitch black. sounds like you may have no light bounces due to a compile error, post compile log or screenshot please ?
 

Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
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Jun 9, 2009
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Irrelevant: if your stage lighting looks like it's filled with point_spotlights, you're doing something wrong :p
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
The problem lies in "light bounces". By increasing the light angles you light the walls and allow more light to bounce around the room and illuminate your ceiling. Generally there are 20 light bounces calculated during vrad, but this can be increased to a max of 100. But before going that far you can also change your light brightness:

http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=15271

On a final note, dark textures reflect less light so you'll need to increase the light brightness to effectively light the room. Basic bringhtness is "200", medium rooms can be "450" to "800" and dark rooms will need "1400" to "1600" brightness settings to eradicate darkness.

A last resort besides increasing the light bounce count is to edit the textures reflectivity. Light bounces are performed map wide whilst relfectivity is texture specific.
 
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