Dynamic lighting and "r_speeds" on HL2 Created 16 years ago2007-10-17 17:04:37 UTC by Halfmad

Hi all,

I've only just started using Source and am currently making my first ever map (this site has been a huge help), what I'm curious about is how much dynamic lighting hits peoples performance - specifically in Team Fortress 2 as that's the map I'm making.

I've run with +showbudget enabled and the only item that's ever anywhere near max is the dynamic lighting, yet there isn't that much in most of the rooms. I'm trying to make things a little more atmospheric, is this a common mistake to make ?

It runs fine on my PC, but it is a recently upgraded one and I simply don't want to make a map that'll kill peoples frame rates. Any guidelines or tips? I'm currently looking for ways to reduce dynamic lighting but still keep the map looking atmospheric.

Dynamic lighting is one of the most (if not the most) performance degrading thing you can use in the Source engine.

Source is not good at dynamic lighting.

At all.

If you use them, you've got to use them VERY well. Otherwise, people with lesser machines are going to grind.

A shame really. Valve should drop the whole BSP format now and work on something that can take dynamic lighting. Perhaps HL3 ;O (6 years time...)

Valve should drop the whole BSP format

You do realise they kept it specifically for us modders?

They shouldn't of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u6jy_Qfw9I

BSP fails. yay.

Any suggestions of how to get some atmosphere into a map without using a lot of dynamic lighting?

Is it possible to set a global lighting level with the exception of certain areas which could then be light dynamically?

BSP has jack shit to do with dynamic lighting; the way the lighting is calculated (radiosity processes) and the baked lightmaps do. Dynamic lighting is still easily possible; and should be more useful once the new engine upgrades arrive.

What do you really need dynamic lights for anyway? You can make things look fine with static light sources anyway. Use a light_environment to provide uniform light throughout your map (the ambient value provides a uniform lighting level everywhere, the sky value or whatever provides light from toolssky textures in your map) and then you can fill in areas you'd like with light_spots or light entities, faking environmental light if need be. I find that light_spots are more conductive to atmospheric lighting because you can aim and focus them at will.

Cheers RabidMonkey, good answer.

I hadn't had time to work on lights much this week so you've explained a fair bit there! top man!

Valve should drop the whole BSP format now

Bring on the Arbitrary Mesh Elements System now!

You could map with the flexibility of 3DS Max

the problem with mapping with 3DS Max would be the fact not everyone has the same versions... although valve could release a similar program for free that can do maps and models, even though they use XSI

You could map with the ridiculous complexity of 3DS Max, and exclude a huge number of modders out there that Valve has worked so hard to obtain! Amzing!

In russia there a lot of gamedev companies cant make own editor and use 3D max or somethin. Its eeevil - a lot of troubles with textures, scripts, oprimization, etc - not frendly interface for creative people.