Light Beams (060314)

Post by **LDAsh** » (060314)(10:03.35)

Here's a light beam effect I've been experimenting with for a while in a number of different ways. This is the way I'll do it. You might need to brighten this pic to see what is going on, against a white background in the daytime you might not see it. It's pretty expensive so it won't be a common feature, it will only be used in detail-restricted areas and it will be accompanied by other effects like tiny floating dust particles and dynamic light values. In this pic there is another flare effect from the entire ceiling window, but you can't really see it, it's not big and strong enough. Like so much else from this engine, you need to see it real-time to appreciate everything that's going on.
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Post by **JCH321** » (060316)(06:03.44)

I assume the floor has the oh so cool shadows of the grating on it? That effect alone is one that is beyond awesome

Post by **LDAsh** » (060316)(15:03.03)

The floor in that pic is using a mirror, but you're right, I'll do up an x-grate lightshader real soon.

Post by **fogmann** » (060320)(02:03.12)

Looking good! Ah so much still to learn, but I can't wait till I'm able to make something like it.
Talking about lights... how would you texture light fixtures? I'd assume you'd add a glow map, so that you don't have to rely on the light in the map illuminating it, and it being overlit and blown out if the light is too close, but then what you do if you have a light that can be switched off? Can you, say, swap or turn off a texture with gui switch, or something cool like that?

Post by **LDAsh** » (060320)(20:03.59)

You can, that's all handled with map scripts and I'm pretty sure you can use one of a few different methods. You can disable entire shader passes, or you can target RGB values (so if something is an additive blend as light effects usually would be, then an RGB value of 0 will make it invisible), or you can swap texture references all together. Not sure what the best option would be, probably the RGB value way where RGB uses "shaderparms", which are custom values that can be set in Radiant and map scripts.

Post by **Dark Knight ez** » (080520)(19:05.09)

Looks really good.
There are so many games out there with light beams looking like... well... crap, that I was interested to check this topic if you did pull it off correctly.
Point in case being this for example. Damn that makes me shiver.

Post by **LDAsh** » (080521)(07:05.42)

Made me shiver a little too. They used a shader that's too deep/dark and solid for the effect. Depending on the engine, they could have weakened but brightened the shader, making it almost invisible but enough to seem like a light volume, with a stronger brightening effect -through- the shader, an additive blend. Could very well be the technology they're using only allowing that or nothing.
As for the Shadowing Hate volumes, they are actually just the special light "flares" arranged like volumes, so I can't take any credit for it. Does work beautifully though, it's practically impossible to clip through the effects since it all uses occlusion and z-billboards (z-plane autosprites) so the effects always dance around the player, never clip through. This effect will get plenty of use in the project. Practically every light and light source will use it.