Light Leakage problem
by Shane McLeod · in Artist Corner · 07/14/2002 (11:49 am) · 12 replies
The interiors we are working on are very dark, with minimal ambient lighting and most lighting being provided by torches, campfires, etc.
We are seeing light leaking through walls at the points where the wall meets the ceiling and floor. Any idea on what causes this and how to fix it?
A5 had this problem with dynamic lighting, which is why we switched to Torque. However, this appears to be happening with any type of light we use with Torque.
We have tried increasing the overlap of the wall into the ceiling to no avail.
We are seeing light leaking through walls at the points where the wall meets the ceiling and floor. Any idea on what causes this and how to fix it?
A5 had this problem with dynamic lighting, which is why we switched to Torque. However, this appears to be happening with any type of light we use with Torque.
We have tried increasing the overlap of the wall into the ceiling to no avail.
About the author
#2
Are you sure you integer coordinates on the vertices of the brushes? Also, make the ceiling/floor edges meet exactly the wall edges (not overlapped).
07/14/2002 (7:35 pm)
When you say light leak, are you referring to the lightmaps appearing lighted or are you seeing cracks? Are you sure you integer coordinates on the vertices of the brushes? Also, make the ceiling/floor edges meet exactly the wall edges (not overlapped).
#3
May it be, that the light shines throug the walls if you let the walls overlap a bit? Or does it only happen if there are leaks in the walls?
07/14/2002 (11:45 pm)
@ DesmondMay it be, that the light shines throug the walls if you let the walls overlap a bit? Or does it only happen if there are leaks in the walls?
#4
If you are talking about dynamic lights leaking through, I think you're just outta luck because I believe that's just their nature.
There should be no reason at all for you to get any leaks, if you have the walls lined up exactly. Even a single pixel off and you will have a leak.
You can TRY to use QuArK's leak-finder, though I do admit I've only had limited success with it. You never know. Or if you wish to email it to me I can check it out too: eforhan1@mybluelight.com
07/15/2002 (12:20 am)
Hhmmm...If you are talking about dynamic lights leaking through, I think you're just outta luck because I believe that's just their nature.
There should be no reason at all for you to get any leaks, if you have the walls lined up exactly. Even a single pixel off and you will have a leak.
You can TRY to use QuArK's leak-finder, though I do admit I've only had limited success with it. You never know. Or if you wish to email it to me I can check it out too: eforhan1@mybluelight.com
#5
07/15/2002 (1:08 am)
you say with dinamic lights. what, if its with statics? If I let the walls a bit overlap, does the light comes through?
#6
-make sure you stay with integer values (always work with grid on)
-don't overlap the walls... work with a grid and make it so they just touch eachother and there's no gap between them
I don't have this problem (altough with complex geometry I had a few problems like this before.... but were easy to fix with the above 2 rules)... so its your map.
07/15/2002 (4:03 am)
like desmond said:-make sure you stay with integer values (always work with grid on)
-don't overlap the walls... work with a grid and make it so they just touch eachother and there's no gap between them
I don't have this problem (altough with complex geometry I had a few problems like this before.... but were easy to fix with the above 2 rules)... so its your map.
#7
The setting is a number of rooms against a cliff. Where the rooms touch the cliff (irregular wall) we have overlap. But nowhere else. We attempted to use quark and level geometry to construct the irregular cliff wall to make up the back wall of the room. Where the side walls touch the back irregular wall, we had to overlap. I imagine that during the compile process, the walls are being cut, causing gaps. This would also explain why our portals are having no effect.
Perhaps this approach doesn't work and we need to create a .dts for the back wall? Any suggestions?
We'll check out the verts and make sure they're ints also. Thanks for all the input. I'll also post a screenshot after work tonight.
07/15/2002 (8:39 am)
Well, the light appears to be also leaking from outside (terrain) the interior. The setting is a number of rooms against a cliff. Where the rooms touch the cliff (irregular wall) we have overlap. But nowhere else. We attempted to use quark and level geometry to construct the irregular cliff wall to make up the back wall of the room. Where the side walls touch the back irregular wall, we had to overlap. I imagine that during the compile process, the walls are being cut, causing gaps. This would also explain why our portals are having no effect.
Perhaps this approach doesn't work and we need to create a .dts for the back wall? Any suggestions?
We'll check out the verts and make sure they're ints also. Thanks for all the input. I'll also post a screenshot after work tonight.
#8
07/15/2002 (2:17 pm)
i've also had this problem. but it was only caused when i entered high values like 500 (which isn't really high ) for the 2nd falloff of my light_omni entity. i guessed that - if the radius of the light is very high - the light may spread over the whole face, or the radius that is defined and so also skips any walls touching that face. but that isn't very logical, cause the face should be splitted by the wall touching it, except it's a detail-brush...
#9
07/15/2002 (6:06 pm)
Mac, backup your file and delete the irregular wall, and any lights inside. Compile and see if you still have the same problem.
#10
Right as the entrance ramp levels off, you can see a small area that seems to have light leaked in from outside. It's noticable, because it will make your model go from mostly shaded to completely bright.
I've had this problem in a few other places, and was beginning to worry it wasn't something I could remedy with some level editing tricks. I'll check out about the overlapping, thanks.
07/15/2002 (11:41 pm)
You can notice this problem in the waterworld map, in the underground cement bunker thing.Right as the entrance ramp levels off, you can see a small area that seems to have light leaked in from outside. It's noticable, because it will make your model go from mostly shaded to completely bright.
I've had this problem in a few other places, and was beginning to worry it wasn't something I could remedy with some level editing tricks. I'll check out about the overlapping, thanks.
#11
What causes this, I do not know. Perhaps the light radius is set to be too strong and/or too close to a wall, so map2dif can't properly compile it.
At any rate, it's not bad--at least on my machine. Most of the time the only way I could see it was if I turned on my editor--so that the white graph would brighten it up some. So, I don't think there's any harm done by using it as-is. :-)
A couple suggestions, if it really bothers you Mac: adjust the light radius to something smaller or use a darker texture.
Good luck. :-)
07/16/2002 (12:03 am)
I just got finished looking through the level. It's definately the interior lighting that is causing the problem. Its there when you first put the building in a level (before hitting relight), and if you change the light color it changes as well.What causes this, I do not know. Perhaps the light radius is set to be too strong and/or too close to a wall, so map2dif can't properly compile it.
At any rate, it's not bad--at least on my machine. Most of the time the only way I could see it was if I turned on my editor--so that the white graph would brighten it up some. So, I don't think there's any harm done by using it as-is. :-)
A couple suggestions, if it really bothers you Mac: adjust the light radius to something smaller or use a darker texture.
Good luck. :-)
#12
07/16/2002 (5:36 am)
Well, thanks for all the help. It sounds like some creative work arounds are in order as far as light position and radius is concerned. 
Torque 3D Owner Robert Blanchet Jr.
I do have a suggestion however. Have you tried overlapping the brushes just a little bit to see if perhaps that fixes the problem?