A lighting problem Created 9 years ago2015-04-09 18:12:59 UTC by hardcore_gamer

I am using a light_spot or whatever it's called in my map to make it appear as if a brush I have on the ceiling is projecting light down on the floor. It works except that the actual brush itself and the ceiling is still dark, so it looks kinda stupid. How can I make it so that the ceiling and the actual brush that is suppose to be the light are also bright?

You could either put a light (point light, that is) underneath the brush with the same colour values as the light_spot but with less brightness, or turn the texture of the light brush into a texture light, which would remove the need for the light_spot as well.
You can modify/use lights.rad as the tutorial states, or add an info_texlights (might not be in your FGD, but should still work with modern compile tools) with the name of the light texture and the colour/brightness value as entries.

You could also put an env_glow at the light origin to simulate the light glow effect.
If you don't use texlights, definitely use the point light / spot light combo that jeffmod mentioned.

Recommended pointlight brightness below 50.
Recommended spotlight brightness above 500.

Are you running the compile tools in fast mode? I've encountered this before, it's probably becuase the light program only calculate direct lighting in fast mode. If the problem persists even if you're running RAD in extra mode, it's possible your map have a hole in it.

Weeell, I don't know...

If his "map have a hole in it", it'd be fullbright. I think you've critically misread the question, Dr. Mange.

As far as I've experienced it, leaks sometimes make RAD only compile direct lighting, and sometimes make it not run at all. The latter I've never experienced myself, but seen in other's maps. I guess it depends on... something I don't know about.

This question is in the Goldsource forum category, Lt. Citrus. Leaks will always cause fullbright maps in GS.
You're thinking of Source, where leaked maps will still allow direct lighting.

The question is pretty clear, though. He's just asking how to make the texture emit light and Jeff has already answered perfectly.

I will try those out thanks!

How do you manage to even compile a map with a leak though?

Everytime my compiles finds a leak in the map, the RAD process stops as the whole compiling process.

CSG and BSP run before VIS and RAD, Alberto, so the BSP is generated whether there's a leak or not. It's still playable without the VIS and RAD passes.

I'm actually an idiot, indeed...

If a compile process doesn't go well because of leaks, it doesn't necessarily mean that the map isn't playable.

Point taken.
Fail absorbed.
Thanks Archie.