Directional lighting?

slayer20

One thing I would like to see is the ability to create a line of some sort that can cast light.

<img src="http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1322/directionallighting.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Well I'm not really sure how to explain this. I think the picture explains most of it.

The highlighted line represents what the directional lighting line is. You would be able to change it's intensity, color, casting shadows, and anything else just like a normal light.

This could be used for long hallways (as seen in the picture) that have things like repeating lights that are close together. So instead of using a whole bunch of light entities, you could simply draw a directional lighting line from one point to another.

Ink

thats a really really good idea lol and seems it would be much better for optimizing.

Cruor

Plus it would be much easier to make the reflections and lighting from the various elongated fluorescent lamps to look good, point based lighting doesn't quite cut it unless your willing to throw in several omni lights and wish for the best optimisation wise.

Examples:

Pointbased light (1 omni directional light):

<img src="http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/5817/pointbased.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Linebased light (1 omnidirectional line based light, in this case 4 omni lights to simulate the effect):

<img src="http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/903/linebased.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Now I don't know how difficult this would be to achieve from an engine techincal point of view but it would certainly add to the dynamic lighting system family, Omni light, Spot Light and perhaps geometry light. eg not only limited to a line but could perhaps be a rectangle you could modify or something like that.

Draco_2k

Great idea, signed.

While we're at it, how about area lights?..

schkorpio

I guess what you really want, is to be able to

-draw a wall like you do normally
-then paint it with a texture called "LIGHTSOURCE" which turns it into a light entity
-and you set the properties of the wall as you do with a normal light entity

this way you can make it any shape/colour/intesity exactly as you want using the all of the existing editor's features :)

slayer20

<!--quoteo(post=1747577:date=Jan 16 2010, 08:09 PM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Jan 16 2010, 08:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747577"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I guess what you really want, is to be able to

-draw a wall like you do normally
-then paint it with a texture called "LIGHTSOURCE" which turns it into a light entity
-and you set the properties of the wall as you do with a normal light entity

this way you can make it any shape/colour/intesity exactly as you want using the all of the existing editor's features :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No, that's not what I want. I'm not saying to make a wall and give it a texture. I'm saying you should be able to draw a special kind of line specifically made for light (like omni light and spot light).

schkorpio

<!--quoteo(post=1747594:date=Jan 17 2010, 08:22 AM:name=slayer20)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (slayer20 @ Jan 17 2010, 08:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747594"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No, that's not what I want. I'm not saying to make a wall and give it a texture. I'm saying you should be able to draw a special kind of line specifically made for light (like omni light and spot light).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


*face plam


maybe i described it wrong, but that is pretty much what i meant

slayer20

Both the directional lighting and the textured lighting needs to be added.

Pipi

A directional light isn't that exactly. It's like a spot light but with a diameter instead of a cone.

You want a line the emits light just as a neon does. Unfortunately, this would be extremely demanding to render in real-time.

You'd better use multiple non-casting shadows omnis with low intensities.

Teisu

<!--quoteo(post=1747686:date=Jan 17 2010, 06:12 PM:name=Pipi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pipi @ Jan 17 2010, 06:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747686"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->A directional light isn't that exactly. It's like a spot light but with a diameter instead of a cone.

You want a line the emits light just as a neon does. Unfortunately, this would be extremely demanding to render in real-time.

You'd better use multiple non-casting shadows omnis with low intensities.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You are correct.

I would suggest making one object or instance and copy-pasting that to make it fit so you do not have to re-create the light over and over.

regard, possibly captain obvious!