Hl2: The Lost Coast
<div class="IPBDescription">New Steam Update</div> <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->One feature that we'll be adding to the Source engine in the coming months is high dynamic range lighting. To showcase this we've taken a part of the Highway 17 chapter of Half-Life 2 and worked it into a single level that incorporates HDR along with some new gameplay. We're calling this short level "The Lost Coast," and it will be made available free of charge to Half-Life 2 customers that meet a specific set of high end hardware requirements. We'll be publishing those requirements soon.
Below are a few early concept sketches of the level early in its development.
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_01.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_01.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_02.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_02.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_03.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_03.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_04.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_04.jpg</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well I found that in my Steam update news tonight, and I have to say it looks awesome. I just pray to God I meet the requirements...
Below are a few early concept sketches of the level early in its development.
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_01.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_01.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_02.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_02.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_03.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_03.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/Feb4.2005/img/lost_coast_04.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketin...st_coast_04.jpg</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well I found that in my Steam update news tonight, and I have to say it looks awesome. I just pray to God I meet the requirements...
Comments
lies.
Lets hope, for our sakes.
That's a rough layman's outline of it, at least.
I think this is really cool, personally. Even if the specs are set stupidly and/or the tech is iffy, having a free single player map is always pretty spiffy. Perfect no-commitment time investment. I can guarantee that, if I have the specs, I'll play it. None of that "will I have time" crap <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
My guess is that it simulates your eyes dilating and contracting when you enter and leave darkness. So when you are outside, you can't see very well into a cave, and when you are inside a cave, the outside area looks bleached out. Notice how in the first shot the building glows in the sun really brightly, such that you can't see all the detail.
Makes me wonder how far they're going to push the boat out for this level, aside from the HDR. New models? Textures? Dialogue with Faceposer work? I hope so.
My guess is that it simulates your eyes dilating and contracting when you enter and leave darkness. So when you are outside, you can't see very well into a cave, and when you are inside a cave, the outside area looks bleached out. Notice how in the first shot the building glows in the sun really brightly, such that you can't see all the detail. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm fairly sure it looks like that because it's a quick 3d model or something. I'm pretty sure there's a bink video of early HDR rendering somewhere around. Plus, there's already parts in HL2 with the lighting effect you've mentioned; namely, used when you're coming our or going into a tunnel (like the mines after Ravenholm.
Although, I'm pretty sure it's an artificially created effect...Although I could probably test in Hammer to see if it just does it if you're coming from light lit to enviroment_lit places or something.
Although, I'm pretty sure it's an artificially created effect...Although I could probably test in Hammer to see if it just does it if you're coming from light lit to enviroment_lit places or something. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I believe that effect is created from plain old fashioned glow sprites, or some variant of them.
It's a poor-man's compensation for basic radiosity and light refraction, essentially... and it would look WONDERFUL. A real-time rainbow off sea foam mist, anyone? A warmly-lit room from sunlight spilling against thin drapes? At least, that's the kind of thing I've seen HDR be capable of.
I'll post a link to a site with plenty of mini-demos, once I get back from dinner.
(edit) <a href='http://www.debevec.org/' target='_blank'>http://www.debevec.org/</a>
I can tell the little modmaker in you is screaming for engine enhancements regarding shadow manipulation <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I can tell the little modmaker in you is screaming for engine enhancements regarding shadow manipulation <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
wow, that really means nothing of human sense to me
I can tell the little modmaker in you is screaming for engine enhancements regarding shadow manipulation <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
wow, that really means nothing of human sense to me <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'll see if I can explain it to you. DOOMeh is making a HL2 mod - Espionage - and it will be needing good lighting. The mod is based on a guns team (the empire IIRC) and a stealth team (the rebels). With dynamic lighting, DOOM would be able to do some cool effects. Maybe someone can code dynamic lights in, but it would be an arseload of work.
Go there, check out the Fiat Lux, as well as the Campanile movie, under the 'movies' link. They're wonderful examples of what HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging) can do. ALL lighting in these movies is HDRI... as that's all it is. A better way to simulate light.
To REALLY screw with your head, download some of the real-time demos, and see how impressive it can be, on your existing hardware. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Fading portals, actually. Same effect can be seen inside some windows in the later levels, but only on the inside... looked kinda poor there. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> But you'd be getting a similar-styled (but better) glow from stuff.
and ahh, guys all of those pictures are 3d...it almost looks like the first one might be at least part 3d but it is not.
edit: did about 2 minutes of research. I guess the aura is light bloom but HDR allows pixels to get really bright by going "beyond" the usual 0-255 levels of brightness.
I'm fairly sure in time it will come out for lower end users, I'm guessing my Radeon 9550 will not run it well, but I'd load it up in-game and play at 3fps for the sake of it.
my computer failed to initialize the program saying i do not have a video card that supports DX9.0+ and advanced shaders
geforce 4 ti 4600 FTW!
Anyways, I'm just excited to find out that valve is continuously improving the sourse engine, which I like alot considering that there were thing about it that were really kind of dissapointing, and I now have hope that there is a possiblity they will be improved.
Makes me wonder if any kind of real dynamic lighting for sourse isn't possibly already on the list...
It was outdated a year ago... :P
and ahh, guys all of those pictures are 3d...it almost looks like the first one might be at least part 3d but it is not.
edit: did about 2 minutes of research. I guess the aura is light bloom but HDR allows pixels to get really bright by going "beyond" the usual 0-255 levels of brightness. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
But.. won't that break my monitor? I'm scared.