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Plan for BobTheCBuilder (John Kabus)
Plan for BobTheCBuilder (John Kabus)
| Name: | John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date Posted: | May 29, 2004 | |
| Rating: |  5.0 out of 5 | |
| Public: | YES | |
| Comments: | YES | |
| RSS Feed: |  or Subscribe with  . | |
| Profile Page: | View profile page for John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) |
Blog post
Synapse Gaming: Lighting Pack 1.1 Features
I've wrapped up development of the Lighting Pack's 1.1 update and I'm very pleased with the results. I'm still doing some heavy testing, so the update won't be ready for a bit, but I wanted to show off the features that are coming up.
The features being introduced into version 1.1 of the Lighting Pack are:
-In game Light Datablock Editor - allows light datablocks to be edited in game, in real-time for very fast mission light modeling. Powerful architecture allows light objects to be quickly created using existing datablocks and quickly updated in groups by changing their shared datablock's parameters. Lights can easily be removed from a group by cloning the shared datablock and assigning it to the lights that make up the new group. The new group can be edited independently of the original and all lights in the new group will updated together.
-Enhanced interior dynamic lighting prevents textures from becoming washed out by dynamic lights. Affects all dynamic lights including all existing TGE dynamic lights (items, weapons, weapon fire, fxlights, ...).
-Sunlight as a directional light source for TSStatic objects - in version 1.0 TSStatic objects would indirectly receive sunlight from the surrounding terrain or interior as an ambient component, now TSStatic objects can directly receive sunlight (the original mode is still available).
-Adaptive self-illumination for TSStatic objects - when enabled on an object the Lighting Pack will adapt the object's self-illumination intensity to better suit the surrounding environment, this is very helpful when self-illuminated objects are too bright.
-Direct access to TSStatic objects' ambient component - allows a TSStatic object's lighting to be hand tuned. Also allows for cool self-illumination effects.
-Multiple lights and light groups assigned to TSStatic objects - makes organizing light objects simpler by allowing more than one light or light group (a SimGroup containing lights) to be assigned to a TSStatic object.
-High precision light weighting prevents light flickering when a large number of lights surround an object by using higher precision distance calculations and a weighting system to prioritize lights.
-Dynamic DTS objects can receive directional or ambient lighting - allows toggling between dynamic DTS directional lighting (similar to stock TGE DTS lighting) or ambient lighting (used in Lighting Pack 1.0). Directional lighting is generally better for brighter outdoor scenes like the TGE 1.2 demo and ambient lighting is better for darker scenes that do not use sunlight (nighttime).
Here's a series of shots and videos from the new Lighting Pack's demos showing some of the new features in action.
The following mainly show off the enhanced interior dynamic lighting in conjunction with the existing particle system lights:
www.synapsegaming.com/content/linkedimages/LightingPack_1.1_Tower1.jpg
An updated version of Mr. Orc getting warm by the fire, this time in 100% dynamic lighting (356K).
The following shows a triggered particle system and its linked particle system light illuminating a room as the player enters:
Triggered fire (2.8M).
The following is a very slow motion video of dynamic projectile lighting illuminating a hallway:
Slow motion projectile lighting (1.4M).
The following shows the Light Datablock Editor:
Light Datablock Editor (3.8M).
The following shows all of the new TSStatic object's light options in action on the TGE 1.2 demo:
And finally a little experiment I'm working on - the orc running around with a modified crossbow that has its image light enabled. I'm thinking of creating a Lighting Pack demo like this, however I may need to use a torch that emits light from above the player head, otherwise the vertex lighting looks too blocky, but it's still damn cool. :)
Light emitting crossbow (3.3M).
-John Kabus
Synapse Gaming
The features being introduced into version 1.1 of the Lighting Pack are:
-In game Light Datablock Editor - allows light datablocks to be edited in game, in real-time for very fast mission light modeling. Powerful architecture allows light objects to be quickly created using existing datablocks and quickly updated in groups by changing their shared datablock's parameters. Lights can easily be removed from a group by cloning the shared datablock and assigning it to the lights that make up the new group. The new group can be edited independently of the original and all lights in the new group will updated together.
-Enhanced interior dynamic lighting prevents textures from becoming washed out by dynamic lights. Affects all dynamic lights including all existing TGE dynamic lights (items, weapons, weapon fire, fxlights, ...).
-Sunlight as a directional light source for TSStatic objects - in version 1.0 TSStatic objects would indirectly receive sunlight from the surrounding terrain or interior as an ambient component, now TSStatic objects can directly receive sunlight (the original mode is still available).
-Adaptive self-illumination for TSStatic objects - when enabled on an object the Lighting Pack will adapt the object's self-illumination intensity to better suit the surrounding environment, this is very helpful when self-illuminated objects are too bright.
-Direct access to TSStatic objects' ambient component - allows a TSStatic object's lighting to be hand tuned. Also allows for cool self-illumination effects.
-Multiple lights and light groups assigned to TSStatic objects - makes organizing light objects simpler by allowing more than one light or light group (a SimGroup containing lights) to be assigned to a TSStatic object.
-High precision light weighting prevents light flickering when a large number of lights surround an object by using higher precision distance calculations and a weighting system to prioritize lights.
-Dynamic DTS objects can receive directional or ambient lighting - allows toggling between dynamic DTS directional lighting (similar to stock TGE DTS lighting) or ambient lighting (used in Lighting Pack 1.0). Directional lighting is generally better for brighter outdoor scenes like the TGE 1.2 demo and ambient lighting is better for darker scenes that do not use sunlight (nighttime).
Here's a series of shots and videos from the new Lighting Pack's demos showing some of the new features in action.
The following mainly show off the enhanced interior dynamic lighting in conjunction with the existing particle system lights:
www.synapsegaming.com/content/linkedimages/LightingPack_1.1_Tower1.jpg
An updated version of Mr. Orc getting warm by the fire, this time in 100% dynamic lighting (356K).
The following shows a triggered particle system and its linked particle system light illuminating a room as the player enters:
Triggered fire (2.8M).
The following is a very slow motion video of dynamic projectile lighting illuminating a hallway:
Slow motion projectile lighting (1.4M).
The following shows the Light Datablock Editor:
Light Datablock Editor (3.8M).
The following shows all of the new TSStatic object's light options in action on the TGE 1.2 demo:
And finally a little experiment I'm working on - the orc running around with a modified crossbow that has its image light enabled. I'm thinking of creating a Lighting Pack demo like this, however I may need to use a torch that emits light from above the player head, otherwise the vertex lighting looks too blocky, but it's still damn cool. :)
Light emitting crossbow (3.3M).
-John Kabus
Synapse Gaming
Recent Blog Posts
| List: | 09/06/08 - SunBurn Sneak-Peek (Part 1) 02/12/08 - GDC, "SunBurn" Beta, and Write-up on Ziggyware 06/19/07 - Game in a Day 21 - Adventure Game 04/24/07 - Constructor and Torque - Mapping in Style 03/05/07 - GDC, Growing support team, and more 08/05/06 - The Year Long Cycle and IGC 07/15/06 - GI10H - Extreme Kork Paintball! 05/02/06 - Torque Lighting Kit - Demo and Visual Studio 2005 Express |
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Submit your own resources!| Martin "Founder" Hoover (May 29, 2004 at 02:21 GMT) |
| Mark Miley (May 29, 2004 at 02:50 GMT) |
| David Grace (May 29, 2004 at 03:28 GMT) |
| Josh Williams (May 29, 2004 at 03:34 GMT) |
| David Grace (May 29, 2004 at 03:35 GMT) |
Edited on May 29, 2004 03:35 GMT
| Steven Jackson (May 29, 2004 at 03:36 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Frogger (May 29, 2004 at 03:54 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Ori Cohen (May 29, 2004 at 06:47 GMT) |
the 3 first links are pointing to the same avi. is this right ?
| John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) (May 29, 2004 at 07:07 GMT) |
Damn! That was the best video, too... oh well, all fixed now. Thanks, for catching that Ori.
Check it out: triggered particle system with dynamic light.
I'm hoping to have this out in a few weeks, and it's definitely a free upgrade
| Cisor (May 29, 2004 at 10:22 GMT) |
I want these goodies now! Wail!
Edited on May 29, 2004 10:22 GMT
| David Dougher (May 29, 2004 at 13:59 GMT) |
Do these lighting enhancements tie into the Day and Night resources that have been floating around? I know that the original Day and Night stuff had some issues and later, a more object-oriented version was submitted as a resource that had other issues.
But it would be very cool to have the lighting shift as the sun (or suns) move across the sky.
| Trent Reimer (May 29, 2004 at 14:07 GMT) |
I think Simpsons Hit and Run also bears this out where even the simplist of textures get the job done solely because of good lighting.
All of which is to say this is useful stuff!
| Davis Ray Sickmon, Jr (May 29, 2004 at 16:12 GMT) |
| Stefan Lundmark (May 29, 2004 at 16:31 GMT) |
I still have some problems with the lightingpack. I'm not sure wether these are bugs or something I've done wrong but I tried to copy and paste your example files without success.
Only one light at a time can be on, so to speak. I'll contact you soon when I have more details.
| John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) (May 29, 2004 at 17:27 GMT) |
I didn't realize you were having a problem, after doing a quick search I was unable to find any posts or emails referring to it. Send me an email explaining the problem, preferably with a few screen shots, and we'll figure out what's going on.
-John
| John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) (May 29, 2004 at 17:46 GMT) |
I really don't want to comment too much on future development, however many new features such as day/night cycles have been considered.
Stefan,
Thanks for the cool comment on the Lighting Pack product page, I just caught that!
All,
Thanks!
I have to agree with Josh and Davis, now would be an excellent time to pickup the Lighting Pack!
-John
Edited on May 29, 2004 17:46 GMT
| Stefan Lundmark (May 29, 2004 at 18:51 GMT) |
Expect an email within 24 hours. And thanks for the good support, updates & some nice lighting :)
| Michael Cozzolino (May 30, 2004 at 01:57 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Coz
| FruitBatInShades (Jun 18, 2004 at 14:23 GMT) |
| Charles Doty (Jul 12, 2004 at 15:00 GMT) |
| John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) (Jul 12, 2004 at 16:16 GMT) |
The release is nearly finished - just hang in there a few more weeks!
Thanks for the support!
-John
| Gabor Forrai (Jul 15, 2004 at 11:25 GMT) |
| Gabor Forrai (Jul 15, 2004 at 11:36 GMT) |
At the SG Light editor is there a color slider. Its looks very usefull, but could be more userfriendly solution a real WYSIWYG color picker (as in many application its works). As i see, is there a small rented box for the picker under the "color" text in the menu ;o), maybe its in your plans right now..
What do you think about ?
| Gabor Forrai (Jul 15, 2004 at 11:39 GMT) |
| Julien Millet (Jul 30, 2004 at 07:33 GMT) |
Any idea about how long still we have to wait ?
Is it a matter of days, weeks, months, years ?
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