Lighting tips
Angel_Kill
Join Date: 2002-10-04 Member: 1423Members
Join Date: 2002-10-04 Member: 1423Members
<div class="IPBDescription">.....please?...</div>Hey, i'm new to the NS scene, i pretty much just idle in #naturalselection.....but recently i've gotten into NS mapping......i have a pretty good map going right now and well, i just can't seem to get the lighitng other people have......are there any special tricks, or tips anyone could point out to me, or point me to......any and all help is appreciated......
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Oh, and your sig image is too big. The maximum size allowed is 400 pixels wide by 75 pixels high.
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Oh, and your sig image is too big. The maximum size allowed is 400 pixels wide by 75 pixels high.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ok, thanks a bunch, and sorry about the sig.....
What I learned about lighting while working on ns_nothing:
Basically the best thing you can do in regards to lighting is experimentation. NS lighting should be neither overly dark, nor overly bright. You need to be able to see where you are going (what's the point of detailing and even texturing a room if you can't make out the walls), but also provide a lot of atmosphere. Lighting contrast, which is achieved with lots of dark (or darkish) shadows against brightly lit areas, is the way to go. Or reverse it to be a somewhat dark area with plenty (and I mean plenty) of isolated pools of light. Spotlights (light_spot) are wonderful for this. Try experimenting around with various techniques using the light_spots. Put them behind little outjuttings or objects to create dramatic shadows, place them very near -and angled almost parallel to- a surface, experiment with different light cone spreads (inner and outer angle), etc etc. With extensive and creative use of spotlights, you'll find it much easier to create atmospheric and high-contrast areas. Extensive use, so that you end up with tons of lights (which leave nice dark shadows in between) creating an atmosphere that <i>feels</i> dark, yet actually isn't... and creative use, as in: Standard light_spot circular pools of light aren't all that exciting any more. It's all about the angles and light obstruction here. Again, placing small objects in front of the light sources will help create more varied and dramatic shadows.
One more thing to keep in mind about NS lighting is <b>color</b>. Subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) colored accent lighting can do wonders for atmosphere, and if not overused, can really liven up an otherwise drab room. What seems to be the key to colored lighting is to keep it controlled. A blaring red lit hallway will never look as good as a hallway with a soft -yet defined- red accent mixed with white or grey primary lighting.
Umm... yeah. Hope that helps a little. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Oct. 03 2002,15:29-->
Angel: No worries about the sig. You didn't know <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
I agree completey with what Ken said. A good technique I have found is to have a good mixture of spotlights and coloured texture lights so that the level is nice and bright, and then experimenting with turning various ones off to see what created the most ominous, skulk concealing shadows, whilst still keeping plenty of the original brightnes. Ken has done this wonderfully in his level, he is the god of lighting <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
......i'm having a bit of trouble here....i can't seem to get any spotlights to work....do i need to use the compiling tools that came with the NSTR ?
The new fgd also includes additions such as the info_location, but those are to be added at the end of a map's development cycle anyway.