OB SDK models emitting light

    I'm sure I read quite some time ago that in OB it's possible for models to be light-emitting, removing the need for entity lights for prop light models. I've done a quick google search and checked the Valve Wiki but can't seem to find anything on it. Can anyone confirm or deny this or point me in the right direction?

    Why would you want to? All it would do is limit your control over lighting situations.....

    Just use the good 'ol light_spot, env_sprite, and light (at a very low brightness) combo for superior awesomness

    Quote from JeanPaul

    Why would you want to? All it would do is limit your control over lighting situations.....

    To reduce entity count and standardise lighting in this particular situation. The interior environments in Enterprise:TCW are very heavily reliant on models. It's an environment that just doesn't conform to how I'd normally do things. As the lighting is currently implemented it's not possible for every single light to have a corresponding env_light and env_glow entity due to the sheer number of small spotlights everywhere (this is based off reference material. reducing the amount of lights isn't an option). Due to the confined space within the corridors and close proximity of the spotlights, every light doesn't need a light entity anyway.

    We're combining models into larger, pre-fabricated sections to reduce entity count but I'm just trying to think of other ways to reduce and optimise.

    Quote from dissonance

    It might be useful if he's making a neon sign.

    A VMT with the following attributes can be used to create an effective neon effect. The alpha channel of the VTF is used for light falloff.

    "unlitgeneric"

    "$additive" 1

    "$translucent" 1

    So you're talking about baking light maps into the models? Hm? I think there's support for it, (maybe?) but it's pretty weak / not very good looking.

    I read somewhere that the guys behind Zeno Clash had to code in support for light-mapped props themselves via a 2nd UV layer or something (they didn't use brushes) - which sounds like what you need... which means it's probably not in the SDK if a licensee had to do that, much less a modder.

    you can use texture lighting, there should be a light.rad file ...

    For my insurgency level I created white brushes and set them to func_illusion/don't render. I got a very smooth lighting style. Valve used it in HL2 for some windows.

    The lights.rad file has material paths so I would assume you can emit light from a vertex prop material?

    Quote from 2d-chris

    you can use texture lighting, there should be a light.rad file ...For my insurgency level I created white brushes and set them to func_illusion/don't render. I got a very smooth lighting style. Valve used it in HL2 for some windows.

    The lights.rad file has material paths so I would assume you can emit light from a vertex prop material?

    You have to separate the 'light' texture in the models from the rest then and write it into the lights.rad, that would probably work.

    This material could be used in other models too, so you would have a standardized light coming from all of your models.

    Another thought... I don't know how this would look in Source (or your specific scenery), but have you considered baking some lighting into an emissive on the model, and then using just a baseline level of lights for actual lighting (characters, etc.)? If you've got a situation where there's little spotlights on the wall every X units, this might be the best way to go... in theory, you'd get lightmap-quality highlights down the line, but need far fewer lights to illuminate the floors and characters moving through. If you're heavily modeled, this might look better than just letting the vertex lighting handle it.

    I've had a lot of weird artifacts popup when using lights.rad with the episode1 engine. I never had any problems in goldsrc. These days I just use entity lights for the sake of my sanity.

    I really do miss emmissive surfaces though :/

    Quote from 2d-chris

    you can use texture lighting, there should be a light.rad file ...For my insurgency level I created white brushes and set them to func_illusion/don't render. I got a very smooth lighting style. Valve used it in HL2 for some windows.

    They use it EVERYWHERE in tf2 (atleast in hydro)

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