Lighting practice worlds?

[Algor]

This is probably an odd request, I've got a friend who is just starting in the game industry but wants to transition to more of a lighting artist. The problem is to light something well you need a good looking scene to begin with. Does anyone know of a site that releases something like a small scene where people are encouraged to poke around and edit the lighting and atmosphere of (with permission)? Something that might compare to like the style guide worlds in L4D2. The preferable tool he is looking for would be UDK. Thanks.

[Puddy]

Seems like a niche service. He could try approaching individual creators and ask permission to use their scenes as lighting practice? Just an idea.

[Jenn0_Bing]

If you dig around people do release the odd bit here and there.

Jordan Walker recently released his Bathhouse Scene entry to the Polycount BRAWL contest, your friend can get it here

[insta]

Why not just take the L4D2 example stuff and relight it? Or whatever example levels UDK ships with?

[Froyok]

Sponza maybe ?

http://www.crytek.com/cryengine/cryengine3/downloads

[Minos]

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87601

[Algor]

Awesome, thank you guys. I had seen that Deus Ex world poking around last night, but didn't see a download link. That should be a good one, as well as the Crytek one as sort of being the lighting standard world. I know some of the guys here use that to get ramped up on the tools. I can always suggest the existing ones in L4D2 and UDK since those have pretty high visual fidelity already and lots of space to work with and try out different techniques.

[Skjalg]

Why not just take the L4D2 example stuff and relight it? Or whatever example levels UDK ships with?

this. There also tons of vmf's shipped with HL2 as well iirc. They are superbly lit imo, but he can transfer day to night or dusk to dawn etc..

[2d-chris]

you could also take any crysis 2 map and relight it completely, theres a ton of options. Cryengines lighting kicks ass and you dont compile it!

[Serenius]

You can also relight every single level in UT3, Gears of War PC, etc. etc. etc.

No need for custom maps to practice lighting. Just use the maps included with the games in this post and the above and you'll have plenty of options!