Kasami`s Light Tutorial!!!

Because alot of you Players and Mappers out there asked me how to set or install lights in a map, have i decided to make a Tutorial about using and setting different Light Styles in a map.

I also made a "light_example" map where you can see the different styles and choose the right one for your map. You`ll find the download link at the end of this page.

BTW This is my first selfmade Page and i hope you guys like it somehow : )

Ok then, lets start with

1.Adding a Light to a map!

Welcome to Kasami`s

Light Tutorial !!!

Editor: QERadiant

This Page is best viewed in 1024x768 resolution !!!

1. Adding a light to a map
2. Setting light intensity
3. Choosing a color
4. Using "Juniors"
5. Using different light styles
6. Giving the light a "Flare"

The first thing you`ll need is a map or at least a room where you want to install your light : ) I know you`ve done that already! Make sure you checked in the QERadiant preferences the "Right click to drop entitys" flag!!!

Then click with the right Mouse button in the editing window to bring the entity list up and choose light!

This installs a light entity right where you right clicked!
The light entity looks like a diamond and has a default
light value of 300 and a white color! Make sure you
place the light at the right place where you really need
or want it!

To change these settings hit "N" to bring the Entity window up!

2. Setting light intensity!

There are alot of posibilitys to set your light like you need it. In the screen to the left have i set the light to a value of 250 and checked the "Dynamic" flag. Which means the players drop shadows and will not look like just black. You can also use "Juniors" but i`ll explain that later. Ok, to adjust the light, type in the "Key" field "light" and in the "Value" field the amount of light intensity. You need to check in your map what intensity would be the best at that place but first try something between 250 and 280! And thats it already : ) now you need to set a color for your light.

Leave the "Shift" key pressed and click with the 3rd mouse button on the light, also in the 3D-Window. You will see that the light changed its color pretty close to the color of that texture. I used this procedure to light up some dark places at a ceiling or bottom because its like a unobtrusive light.
Now lets have a look at the use of "Juniors".

Lets say you installed a lamp like this one

and you want it to light up an area or room like in real life. First make sure you deselect the light flag in the surface inspector for this texture. Because this texture comes default with a light value. To do so select the lamp in the 3D-Window and hit "S" to open the Surface inspector with the settings for that texture. To select just one side of a brush press Shift+Ctrl and click on that side in the 3D-Window.

3. Choosing a color

4. Using "Juniors"

To choose a color hit the "K" key. This brings you this window up. Just pick one and click "OK".
I choosed a nice blue light in the example to the right. There is also another way to choose a color for your light. Just pick a texture out of the texture window which color you like. Then select the light with pressing "Shift" and clicking on the light in the 3D-Window.

Now just deselect the light flag and set the Value to "0". Click "OK" to apply it and closing the Surface inspector. Hit "ESC" to deselect the lamp texture.

Then install a light right in front of the lamp and a junior in front of that light. Give the junior the same color and light intensity like the light. It should look like in the picture to the left. In this case you will not need to check the "Dynamic" flag for the light because the "Junior" does all the work now.

Im not sure about the differences between using "Juniors" or checking the "Dynamic" flag of a light. I used both variants in my maps and didnt see any difference but thats actually how you use and install a "Junior".

Ok now you know how to install and set a light. Let me show you in the next step how to use different light styles.

5. Using different light styles

Select the light which you want to give a style. Hit "N" and type in the "Key" field "Style" and in the "Value" field the number of the style you like. The different light styles are shown in the "Light_Example" map which you can download at the end of this page. I took the style with the number 2 in the picture to the left.

6. Giving the light a "Flare"

If you installed the light like in the Junior example but need that flare closer to the lamp just right click in the editing window and choose "lightflare" and place it as close as possible to the lamp. You can use the same procedure like above to set this flare(size and color). It`s not necessary to give the light a flare.

To give the light a flare, just select the light, hit "N" and check the "Flare" flag. Now you are also able to give that flare a different size and color. Which means you could give the light a blue color and the flare of the blue light, lets say a red color. Which looks of course unreal but just do it to test if it really works (i know already it does : ) Ok, to change the size of the flare, type in the "Key" field "health" and in the "Value" field a number which specify the size. Try something between 50 and 150! Of course you can use any number or size you want but check in your map if it looks real or like you want or need it. To change the color of that flare, type in the "Key" field "dmg" and in the "Value" field the number for the color you like. There are several choices like
FLARE_WHITE is 0
FLARE_SUN is 1
FLARE_AMBER is 2
FLARE_RED is 3
FLARE_BLUE is 4
FLARE_GREEN is 5

Hmm.....looks like i`am done with my light Tutorial. Ok thats all i know about using lights, juniors, flares and stuff. I hope it will help you guys if not just ask me!

Kasami@mapartists.com

Here now the link to the "Light_Example" map.

Light_Example.zip (26 kb)

BTW Excuse my bad english but im still learning : )