What makes a maps' shadows not pitch black?

BagOfChips

L5: Dapper Member
Feb 7, 2009
227
17
Title. (like all of valves maps, no area is really dark.

-no leaks?
-valve's light entities?
-3dskybox?
 
Last edited:

Uriak

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Apr 27, 2008
543
70
First of all, no leak : this allows the light to bounce and create the ambient maps used by almost all surfaces.

Then, the ambient parameter, of course, that should not be pitch black. It's a cheap and efficient way to account to that light so much scattered bouncing it would take no sense. I'ts in the env_light entity settings.

And finally, smart light placement. There will be pitch black zones (darkers ones) but with lights with a dull color (yet powerful value) you can light up those areas without any discernable light source.

And of course, adding visible light where they should be. (and it adds details, too, cool, isn't it ?)