Texture Lights Created 20 years ago2004-02-27 20:18:30 UTC by RockyRaccoon

I was just turned onto the awesome power of texture lights and their my new favorite thing. Their uniform lighting is just awesome. I was wondering if they are a better choice for using than regular light entities and what are some of their drawbacks. I don't want to use too many of these babies and find out that they have SARS or something.

Behold the splendor of lights.rad! The only issue I can think of is all texlights are women... the can't be controlled! If you need the lights to switch on and off or strobe you'll need a light entity instead of a texlight. I use mostly texlights, some spotlights, regular lights for "effects". Rock on Rocky!

Gee Whiz, thanks! I really dig that analogy too, I'll tell all my friends!

Lol, interesting analogy but it's false using MHLT read here. It's a bit tricky but I did it.

Oh sure, make me learn something on the weekend!

Just a bit of advice on the lights.rad
When you are making a new map, open an empty .rad file called "mymap.rad" and yeah, you would put the maps actual name in and not mymap!
When you put a textured light in your map, and you want to change it's settings, copy the texture name from the original lights.rad and paste it into the new .rad
Your new .rad file should only have the names of textures you have changed.
Add -lights mymap to the hlrad compile line, and compile away....

Why,
It is easier to send a modified lights.rad to someone else, than ask them to overwrite their Original .rad file.
It won't generate redundant errors during compile, just overwritten warnings.
You won't have to e-mail your brother for a copy of the original valve.rad because you screwed that up also:-)

So much wonderful information!!

Hey thanks a lot! That's most definately wonderful information. I often find I'm messy with files and stuff. Invalueble!

One more thing: by compile line, do you mean the "additional game parameters:" at the top of the Run Map menu?

Nope, you need to compile in Expert.

Is that a program? I don't speak esoterically. Please elaborate.

in the run map window, CLICK ON THE "EXPERT" BUTTON mate

Yeah... If only there was a way to go back in time 3 seconds. I found the button the minute after I posted. :zonked:. Though I don't see any "hlrad" compile line specifically. Is it the same as the $light_exe $path/$file line? I see the BSP, VIS, and CSG, but not RAD.

"the $light_exe $path/$file line" is the RAD line.

light_exe is rad

Spirit of Half-Life has switchable texlights.

http://spirit.valve-erc.com

oh sweetness! thanks chums!