AFX Presents: A Little Night Magic...
by Jeff Faust · 10/23/2006 (9:49 pm) · 35 comments
While we await the final release of TGE 1.5, I thought I would share some of the latest lighting enhancements we've made to the soon-to-be-published, Arcane-FX.
As we were developing AFX, we deliberately avoided using TLK for a long time. This wasn't because we didn't think TLK had anything to add, quite the opposite. We just wanted to make the best special effects possible using TGE plus AFX and nothing else. To avoid confusion, we refrained from using TLK or any other content packs when creating sample images and movies.
Eventually, we did add a few features that took some advantage of TLK when it was available, but these really just scratched the surface of what was possible. Then we learned that the AFX product was going to be built on the upcoming TGE 1.5 and that 1.5 would also incorporate integrated TLK lighting. Now that TLK would be the standard lighting system for Torque, we realized that we needed to go a little further with the lighting features in AFX.
First we made a number of enhancements to the AFX sample spell effects to improve their appearance under the starker TLK lighting. Then we implemented support for using TLK's sgUniversalStaticLights (called sgLightObjects in 1.5) and VolumeLights as AFX component effects. Finally, we created an alternative nighttime mission and added advanced lighting effects to most of the AFX sample spells to make them look great in day or night settings. The results can be seen in the images posted with this blog entry.
In the end we've found that AFX and TLK are a powerful combination. The TLK lighting adds many deep and flexible controls for incorporating advanced lighting in AFX special effects, and AFX offers powerful new ways to dynamically manage animated and mounted TLK lights.
To see a new movie showing AFX special effects using TLK lighting in a nighttime setting, visit here.
For more, visit arcane-FX.com.
As we were developing AFX, we deliberately avoided using TLK for a long time. This wasn't because we didn't think TLK had anything to add, quite the opposite. We just wanted to make the best special effects possible using TGE plus AFX and nothing else. To avoid confusion, we refrained from using TLK or any other content packs when creating sample images and movies.
Eventually, we did add a few features that took some advantage of TLK when it was available, but these really just scratched the surface of what was possible. Then we learned that the AFX product was going to be built on the upcoming TGE 1.5 and that 1.5 would also incorporate integrated TLK lighting. Now that TLK would be the standard lighting system for Torque, we realized that we needed to go a little further with the lighting features in AFX.
First we made a number of enhancements to the AFX sample spell effects to improve their appearance under the starker TLK lighting. Then we implemented support for using TLK's sgUniversalStaticLights (called sgLightObjects in 1.5) and VolumeLights as AFX component effects. Finally, we created an alternative nighttime mission and added advanced lighting effects to most of the AFX sample spells to make them look great in day or night settings. The results can be seen in the images posted with this blog entry.
In the end we've found that AFX and TLK are a powerful combination. The TLK lighting adds many deep and flexible controls for incorporating advanced lighting in AFX special effects, and AFX offers powerful new ways to dynamically manage animated and mounted TLK lights.
To see a new movie showing AFX special effects using TLK lighting in a nighttime setting, visit here.
For more, visit arcane-FX.com.
#2
10/23/2006 (10:03 pm)
Awesome as ever! 
#3
10/23/2006 (10:07 pm)
Wow. More proof that lighting is a HUGE factor in how a game looks. 
#4
10/23/2006 (10:17 pm)
*WOW* Those are gorgeous!!
#6
10/23/2006 (10:43 pm)
That 3rd image is awsome. The ground effects wrap all the way down the steps(interior) and onto the terrain. Wowzers. 
#7
10/23/2006 (10:45 pm)
Wow, very nice! Makes me wish I was working on something that required special effects like this... 
#8
10/23/2006 (11:23 pm)
Freaking awesome Jeff! Holy cow!
#9
10/23/2006 (11:40 pm)
Wow, I'm very impressed. If I were doing a fantasy-style project, getting AFX would be a no-brainer. 
#10
10/23/2006 (11:47 pm)
That looks amazing! very beautiful effects! 
#11
10/23/2006 (11:48 pm)
Very nice looking :)
#13
10/24/2006 (12:02 am)
Great work Jeff, Arcane-FX rules! 
#15
10/24/2006 (1:05 am)
Wow, great work. 
#18
10/24/2006 (2:37 am)
I was watching the videos on your website a few days ago, I was blown away! I sure can't wait for this pack! 
#19
10/24/2006 (2:42 am)
wow! This is from the category named "must-have" for any Torque owner! :) 
#20
10/24/2006 (4:41 am)
Holy flippin hell, the video is FANTASTIC. I must have AFX.
Employee David "Fulcrum" Wyand