Lighting Issues Created 20 years ago2004-06-15 07:31:14 UTC by cyber-drugs

I normally don't bother making lights in my maps, I just let the compile do a default on for me. Well this time I have a problem, my map is waaaaaaaaay too bright and some objects keep appearing and dis-appearing

Ideas on what's going on?

When you don't place lights in your map, it will be made total-bright.

So, you should bother placing lights in your map. It's an essential part of mapping... lighting can make your map really awesome, but then again, bad lighting can break an otherwise good map.

On my other maps I've not had this problem though, so why start now? And is this why my map is making objects appear and dis-appear?

You've probably been using texture lights on the other maps.
This object disappearing issue can be caused by vis errors. Check your compile log for error messages.

Objects appear and disappear? Sounds like you're using software mode, wich can only draw 800 faces maximum. Switch to OpenGL mode...

Why start now with adding lights? Simply because it's an absolute necessary part of mapping. I don't know what you actually mean with "let the compile do a default on for me." but it sounds like you don't place lights in your map...

Checked and I have no error messages, and I didnt use texture lights in my other maps, as I grabbed one of my old maps, and compiled it and im getting the same problems, even though I have a compiled version of it that works perfectly :

Weird.

I'll make some lighting for it, and see if that helps, but I really hate making lights, takes aaaaaages on top of making the map, lol. No I am not lazy, I just need to finish my uni assignment and this is linked with it.

its usally a problem with invalid shapes due to bad vertex manipulation check the error report thingy in hammer...

also are you using the latiest ZHLT with the HLfix compiler too.

Yep, im using ZHLT X

What settings is Hammer using in the camera window? As that's what I used to get when I compiled and is what I need to get my uni work done, I just need some screenshots, not a proper working map.

ARGH! That sentece seems totally messed up.
If I interpreted it right, you want to make a screenshot of the map inside the editor?

Sorry, what I want to do is make screenshots of the map from inside the map, NOT the editor. My map lighting used to be like Hammer Editor's, and I was hoping there was some settings I could get to make it look like that again without having to add lights.

Is there maybe some free BSP viewers out there that I can use to get all my screenshots if half-life won't do what I want?

do you mean fullbright, becouse when your running the map in the engine just type "r_fullbright 1" into the console and it will take out all the lighting layers and display everything at a single bright lit level.

you also might be interested in trying to use "r_lightmap 1" that will take out all the texture layers and show how the light is bouncing off surfaces. i find it a very educational way of seeing how people acheve atmospheric lighting in there maps.

Cheers Bryce_Boi

I'll try that in a few mins, just wanna finish editing my report a bit more

OK, "r_lightmap 1" fixed my lighting issues, but I still have the problem of things dis-appearing and re-appearing.

And I keep getting "missing xxx surface" errors on the top left of my screen. What's going on? :

Fixed the problem, read up and saw a message by captain P that I missed, as I just re-installed Half-Life and it's updates, I forgot to setup the display modes. All fixed now

sry, but how did you not notice you were running in software mode?!
?
!

I was running the map in a 600x300 window and my desktop resolution is set to 1280x1024, you try seeing the difference