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CTF-Panamax [FINAL]

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:18 pm
by fudgonaut
CURRENT VERSION: Final
CTF-Panamax.zip
CTF-Panamax (final)
(11.96 MiB) Downloaded 32 times

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I’m wondering if it’s possible to define a color tint for a texture (or even all textures) on a mesh.

I tried played around with the properties of the Tube Light (Actors > Decorations > ut_decoration > TubeLight) and managed to make it a light source, but not actually affect the color of the mesh itself. But I noticed in SzGeorgio’s cool map DM-thesuspense that he had re-purposed the TubeLights as handrails, and they appear to have a dark orange tint.

I’d like to do something similar for meshes like the TubeLight or ilamp in order to give them a tint that matches the hue of the lighting in a room.

Anyone know how this is can be done? Or can anyone point me to maps that do something like this, so that I may study & emulate them?

Or is there a way create a mesh using BrushToMesh and give it (or one of the textures on it) the ability to have its LightHue and LightSaturation changed through the properties setting? Like giving one of its textures a SpecialLit property before it is baked into the mesh?

I can think of 3-4 different industrial light sconces I’d like to build for my map that would take advantage of this (and they’d probably be useful to other mappers for their industrial-themed maps). Thanks in advance for any/all info!



Unrelated, I’d also like to thank Hellkeeper, papercoffe, and everyone else who contributed to my thread about my first map attempt. I learned a lot and there is some good info there for new mappers. That project isn’t necessarily dead, just on hold until I can rethink it (or get better at mapping).

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:45 pm
by sektor2111
These can be in first case bUnLit=True - then AmbientGlow=whatever, going in higher values and then... Using a Skin or whatever MultiSkins[x] - 1..7 here depending on actor. For creatures, Skaarj uses a Skin, for pupae I used some Multiskins because Skin did not do anything, it's up on actor type.
I'll check a bit this thing and reporting it later...
EDIT: back with report
Tubelight will be like here
[attachment=0]new_tube.PNG[/attachment]
as follows:
- MultiSkins[1] is an original edited in some application
- bUnLit = True;
- AmbientGlow = 210.
Completed with some Coronas lights this can be beautiful.
In some 3072 MH map of mine I used a different color for a closer light nearby such tubes and some setup which I don't recall well right now, but there these tubelights were looking like done by different factories spreading different colored light.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:09 pm
by fudgonaut
Cool, I will play around with this tonight. Thank you.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 8:20 am
by Red_Fist
Try Omnibumpmap light in a light properties, it will make the meshes a color and if it's a light bulb (any source light color like blue walking past a window etc etc) it will also light your skin as you walk by.

I use a small light radius, so when bots or pawns walk past a row of lights they will glow accordingly as they walk past each light.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:28 am
by fudgonaut
I used the UT Package Tool to extract the tubelight texture, then threw a little color over it - just enough it to give it more of a sickly glow. Then per sektor2111, I used multiskin slot 1 to apply the modified texture. I don't know if this will be the final result (haven't played around with omnibumpmap yet) but it definitely looks better now.
panamax_13.jpg

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 8:02 am
by sektor2111
Not bad at all, I'm hoping you'll share it soon.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:46 am
by UnrealGGecko
Bookmarking this, looks really neat (think I did ask a similar question with those StudMetal decorarions before, mostly on how to keep their neat effect with a different texture on.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5770
Do need to reupload that pic, still have the wip map somewhere.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 2:20 pm
by papercoffee
Really neat. :tu:

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:32 am
by fudgonaut
Thanks everyone. I loaded a bunch of maps to look at their lighting today, most of them seem a light brighter than mine.
panamax_20.jpg
If I boost the existing lights much more in this room, they start to wash out each other. If I add more light sources it's going to look too cluttered (t's already a bit schizophrenic as it is). Increasing the zone lighting does not provide pleasing results.

Does this area seem too dark to you guys, or is it okay? (note the screenshot's a little darker than it actually looks in-game at default brightness settings)



Also, I expect I'll have more editor questions and updates as I continue this map. Maybe one of you kind moderators could change the title of this thread to "WIP: CTF-Panamax?"

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 9:33 am
by sektor2111
Screen-Shot posted above is way Too Nice. Do not waste time Over-Working map. Leave freedom to your judgement. Play it and see if you have visual troubles somewhere. ALWAYS someone will have a comment toward lightning - even if for 90% of players map has NO ISSUES and it's a great thingy. With other words your map might not have 100% desire from players, forget this, but it might be used if has a good game flow by 90% of them and even more. If map is full of action, a light problem is a nothing to sit on the way.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:49 pm
by papercoffee
fudgonaut wrote:Thanks everyone. I loaded a bunch of maps to look at their lighting today, most of them seem a light brighter than mine.
You mean those blue/violet one there?

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:19 pm
by fudgonaut
papercoffee wrote:You mean those blue/violet one there?
I'm referring to the general lighting level.

I remember back in the day, lots of user-made maps were horribly under-lit. Looking at the default maps, as well as more recent high-quality user-made maps, I see the overall illumination is a lot brighter than what I have. I don't mind if my map's a little dimmer — darkness hides a multitude of sins — but I don't want the lighting to negatively impact gameplay (navigation, being able to see/target other players, etc). I suppose part of it depends on personal taste.

One thing I have learned that has been invaluable is using bEdShouldSnap=true on light actors. So much easier. Can a line be added to editor.int to have this bool default to true?

Also, a correction: I used the UE Viewer to extract the TubeLight texture, not UTPT.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:40 pm
by sektor2111
fudgonaut wrote:One thing I have learned that has been invaluable is using bEdShouldSnap=true on light actors. So much easier. Can a line be added to editor.int to have this bool default to true?
INT will not react at all values, only at those done on purpose for that.
But... there is a cheap solution for this task.
Create a txt file of just a file called... umm... "snapit".
Edit this file as follows:

Code: Select all

set Light bEdShouldSnap True
Save it (System folder here)
Before mapping type in console ( it's down there at bottom ) "exec snapit" ENTER. A simple exec is faster than writing stories in console, in that file you can set more things as you like if mapping task requires this, else actors have default properties in map, but they are aligned or tuned for a good placement. I'm going to do other research toward these...

AlternatePath - create a button doing this through a single click - good reminder for me, I have to update my "buttonized" Editor...
I go to draw that button... Hey... PC, do you want to paint such a button for future button command ?

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:53 pm
by papercoffee
fudgonaut wrote: I remember back in the day, lots of user-made maps were horribly under-lit. Looking at the default maps, as well as more recent high-quality user-made maps, I see the overall illumination is a lot brighter than what I have. I don't mind if my map's a little dimmer — darkness hides a multitude of sins — but I don't want the lighting to negatively impact gameplay (navigation, being able to see/target other players, etc). I suppose part of it depends on personal taste.
Zone Lighting.
Set in the level properties zone lighting to 10 or 20 brightness and give it a dark blue colour.
Your Shadows aren't black any more and you can see enemies easier than before.
And dark blue looks more natural than only black... because shadows are never black.
If you have more blue lighting in your map use dark red or orange for shadows.
Shadows are always the complementary colours of the light source. Only muuuuuch darker.
sektor2111 wrote:I go to draw that button... Hey... PC, do you want to paint such a button for future button command ?
Sure.

Re: Question about meshes (decorations) as light sources

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:13 pm
by fudgonaut
sektor2111 wrote:But... there is a cheap solution for this task.
Create a txt file of just a file called... umm... "snapit".
Edit this file as follows:
set Light bEdShouldSnap True
Save it (System folder here)
Before mapping type in console ( it's down there at bottom ) "exec snapit" ENTER. A simple exec is faster than writing stories in console, in that file you can set more things as you like if mapping task requires this
Nice!
papercoffee wrote:Zone Lighting
I tried this and it works in some places in the map and not in others. For the room pictured above, an increase in the Zone Lighting makes the texture on the large pipes look weird. Also, I have a couple secret areas in the map that increased Zone Lighting would make not-so-secret.

I have a couple ideas, maybe some strategically placed portable work lamps to fill in the darker spots... although I don't relish the idea of having to build them as brushes or meshes (I have zero experience with 3D modeling). But the TubeLights have already managed to fill some otherwise dark spots in other areas of the map:
panamax_21.jpg

Also, can you change the title of this thread to "WIP: CTF-Panamax"?

Thanks!