Looking For Feedback

KungFuSquirrel · January 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">Area on ns_veil</div> <img src='http://planethalflife.com/awmaps/pics/veil_overlaytest.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

Anyway, I'm trying to balance the ambient light in the room to match the light that should be coming back off the light on the floor. Is this something that looks fairly natural to most of you, or what tweaks would give the most natural look? Trying to balance it as best I can, but I'm afraid I've tweaked it as far as I can without any extra input.

Comments so far indicate parts being too bright, so I'll toy around with that.

Consider this a brief peek at ns_veil_beta3 for those of you who have seen the first 2 betas.

Jim · January 2003

looks ok to me <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'>

Lord_Requiem · January 2003

In that screenshot, to ME, the floor reflections look far too bright to be real, its not a marble or glass floor after all.

It looks good tho, no question.

KungFuSquirrel · January 2003

Well, it's not supposed to be a reflection so much as the actual projection of the light itself... I have a couple other thoughts on how to potentially further this effect. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'>

Bytor · January 2003

I would agree that right now it looks too bright (but still very very cool) ... what might help sell the illusion is if the rest of the room was darker, so that the projection on the floor would look that much more glaring. Ya know how, for example, a search spotlight on a helicopter really brightens one spot where it is projecting, and the surrounding area is seems pitch black (relatively) ? That's what I'm thinking might work here.

RhoadsToNowhere · January 2003

I agree with Bytor, reduce the overall light level to make those spots look a little more dramatic. In particular, I'd expect the short hallway that ends in the grey door to be noticeably darker.

Revenant · January 2003

KungFuSquirrel - In my opionion you have two options. Depends on which suits the rest of your map.

You could tweak it so it is more natural like some of the other guys suggested; or simply add a kalxon or piece of volumetric light or whatever its called. Then you might make some interesting lighting feature of this area. Otherwise I like that light and especially how you got the shape a texture yeah? Oh and also the lab textures you use are looking very nice. Especially with the new architechture ideas.

blueman · January 2003

i do think that lowering the whity of the lights in the floor (the effect) will make it look more natural, although it does really look very nice. Maybe Rhoads idea is nice, to make it a bit darker (the area) to have the room make you afraid...

Tomas · January 2003

The lighting is way too bright for the light source. Do a test if you need, find a place where you can simulate the effect or even something close to it. You'll be amazed at how little light is really given off by most light sources. Especially those that cast a specific light "shadow" on a surface. Think about a flashlight, the light emited may be bright on things it contacts, but does it make the room much brighter? Generally not.

Tomas

tommyd · January 2003

here is what i use for this effect:

render mode: additive
render amount: 50 (looks more natural)
and i have a low intensity white point light about 150 units above the texture itself.

<a href='http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/t/j/tjd159/strifeb2_2.jpg' target='_blank'>here's what it looks like ingame</a>

i think if you try to get the shadow texture to emit light itself, the texture becomes fullbright, which is too bright. i dont know if you have your shadow texture emitting light though.

try this out.

ImaTarget · January 2003

this looks really nice! I agree that you should darken some areas since the floor isn´t that refelctif and tone the brightness of the reflection a tad down.

I finally learned how these shadows are done. now i only need t learn to create the right textures.

Keep up your great work, both of you! <img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'>

Lord_Requiem · January 2003

Tommy: Specifically how did you make that light casting effect? I've seen it done and done it a few times myself but never to that good effect. What exactly are you doing, if you don't mind me asking?

Campaignjunkie · January 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (^Requiem^ @ Jan 18 2003, 08:41 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Tommy: Specifically how did you make that light casting effect? I've seen it done and done it a few times myself but never to that good effect. What exactly are you doing, if you don't mind me asking?</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
I'm pretty sure it's a func_illusionary with just the glowing parts of the lights as a texture, along with the settings he described in his post.

Frizzled · January 2003

the only problem i see is that because the floor and ceiling are using the same texture they appear too similiar (does that make sense?).

if the ceiling was darker it would give more contrast to the light coming in from the top, without changing light levels ... ie. if the ceiling texture was similiar to the walls (instead of the floor), i think the light would look "more natural" and you wouldn't have to change anything else.

$.02
_f

Liku · January 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (^Requiem^ @ Jan 18 2003, 05:25 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>In that screenshot, to ME, the floor reflections look far too bright to be real, its not a marble or glass floor after all.

It looks good tho, no question.</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
I lke it with that bright of a reflection and I'm going to love the map.

Mouse · January 2003

The ceiling does need to be darker because the dirty/clean contrast between the nos_fan and the wall_lab is far too harsh. Or you could just retexture the cieling with something dirtier

Zazi · January 2003

What they all said.

Oh, and I notice you're using one of my textures, that I use for Widow, for that trim on the fan. I hate you. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'>

KungFuSquirrel · January 2003

No I'm not. That's a standard wall_lab texture, just happened to align perfectly into what I wanted it to do. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'>

evoLvingeviL · January 2003

I agree that the additive amount should be kicked down (around 50, like tommyd suggested?)... it needs to be subtle! Subtle is good... i suggest a little more light_spot and a lot less additive texture... that way players underneath will be illuminated as if under such a bright light.

I also think the cieling aught to be different, something different than that grate texture, or at least darker and/or architecturally different to bring out those light sources.

The ambient light in the room could be kicked down, but its your choice.

Black_Dog · January 2003

I'm with the guys: two solutions: brighten down the func_illusionary or darken the ceiling, turning off/cutting the light tex on the ceiling...i would do this, cos the lightning would be more dramatic.

Geometry is lovelly as usual <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'>

X_z_0_r · January 2003

Very nice brushwork and texturing and I don't think it's too bright, looks just right to me.

blue2k · January 2003

ok looks nice, try this though. darken that area of the map a touch, then use a func_illusionary as a "beam" connecting the ceiling fan with the floor. this will make it appear more natural, and add a dust sprite or something to that effect inside the beam. make it appear that the fan is stirring the air currents (as you might expect it would)

Zazi · January 2003

Liar! Hehe... thats nos_port_wall1... or did you give that to meh? Bah... /me slaps self.

Anyhow, to try to dilute that effect on the fans, or to add some contrast, try adding in a minor particle effect.

KungFuSquirrel · January 2003

I gave that one to you after getting it from Ekaj. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'> And it's not that texture anyway.

And I've got some plans in mind... will test them tomorrow. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'>

BlackPanther · January 2003

KFS: The lights pattern on the floor is way too bright to match the ambient lighting accurately.

I suggest using the "off" version of the lighting textures and making that whole section only illumated by those light patterns, and the red lights in the bottom left of the picture.
A few loose wires and sparks, a couple of random jets of steam and VOILA!

The effect is complete!

By the way, the octogonal shape you put in your ceiling, i suggest raising it so that instead of looking like this:
__
/ \

It looks like this:
__
| |
| |
/ \

KungFuSquirrel · January 2003

I was thinking about that myself, BlackPanther, and in fact had some fun little ideas about more of an inset. Wasn't sure if I was going to do it, but I figure if someone else suggests it, why the hell not? <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'> This is an area close to a hive; I really like the idea about darkening everything up. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'>

Insane · January 2003

Yay for darkness! If you make that dark and creepy I will wvu more than I already do.

BlackPanther · January 2003

Well, keep on posting shots, and ill keep the good feedback coming!

Just looking at the screen, i can tell ya it's gonna be a key area.
Btw, it is nearby enough to maybe... seige? <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

KungFuSquirrel · January 2003

It is currently close enough to the hive area to be a viable siege emplacement.

I was playing around with some things today, but no real luck on getting the effect I really want out of it, sadly. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'> I'll give it a few more tries, but I may have to settle for a somewhat simpler effect. I'm toying around with some architectural stuff in another little dink map right now, so maybe I can apply some of that back to this map. Trying to figure the best architectural style to maintain that consistency with Eclipse but yet also offer something different, if not new.