TLK-1.4 + RTS-EnvironmentPack : 'disable overexposure' : how?
by Steven Peterson · in Torque Game Engine · 02/17/2006 (11:32 am) · 5 replies
From the TLK Modelers Guide
I just merged Todd's RTS enviro-pack into a virgin TLK-1.4 SDK. However, the overexposure is a killer. As per the [first] paragraph above I cut the sun's color and intensity in half, but those sand and stone texture's are still washed out.
As a side note I believe John ment to say: "...so restoring the pre-TLK lighting levels is as simple as cutting the color and ambient values of the sun and the interior light entities in half." :-P
Which brings me to the next paragraph and my real question. How does one "disable overexposure on self-illuminated materials " at compile time? And is this in fact the option I'm looking for?
I'd really hate to start GIMPing Todd's beautiful textures if I can avoid it, so I'm giving that option a pass for now.
Thanks all,
RavenSlay3r
ps. I'm sure this has been covered before but a search didn't turn it up.
pps. @ John - Sorry buddy, don't mean to knock your hard work. Most of the documentation IS good, I think this section could be a little more detailed/clearer though; just for those of us who are easily confused :-P
Quote:Overexposure and Baked in Highlights
When adding TLK to an existing project you'll notice that the existing levels, scenes, and
assets look far too bright. TLK creates brighter more vibrant scenes by doubling Torque's
lighting intensity, so restoring the pre-TLK lighting levels is as simple as cutting the color
value of the sun and the interior light entities in half. From there you can go back and
increase the level of individual lights to your liking.
TLK also overexposes self-illuminating materials, which can leave them far too bright. There
are two ways to fix this, either disable overexposure on self-illuminated materials (talk to your
development team regarding this compile-time option), or cut the texture intensity in half
(assuming there are only one or two offending textures).
I just merged Todd's RTS enviro-pack into a virgin TLK-1.4 SDK. However, the overexposure is a killer. As per the [first] paragraph above I cut the sun's color and intensity in half, but those sand and stone texture's are still washed out.
As a side note I believe John ment to say: "...so restoring the pre-TLK lighting levels is as simple as cutting the color and ambient values of the sun and the interior light entities in half." :-P
Which brings me to the next paragraph and my real question. How does one "disable overexposure on self-illuminated materials " at compile time? And is this in fact the option I'm looking for?
I'd really hate to start GIMPing Todd's beautiful textures if I can avoid it, so I'm giving that option a pass for now.
Thanks all,
RavenSlay3r
ps. I'm sure this has been covered before but a search didn't turn it up.
pps. @ John - Sorry buddy, don't mean to knock your hard work. Most of the documentation IS good, I think this section could be a little more detailed/clearer though; just for those of us who are easily confused :-P
#2
I darkened the detail-maps, but in some cases it seems like the only solution will be to darken the textures too.. I guess I'll just havet to play with it.
Thanks for the help :-)
02/18/2006 (11:45 am)
Yeah, that didn't seem to make a difference after all :-(I darkened the detail-maps, but in some cases it seems like the only solution will be to darken the textures too.. I guess I'll just havet to play with it.
Thanks for the help :-)
#3
1) Cut sun ambient and color values in 1/2 as per above.
2) Double fxSunFlare minBrightness and maxBrightness (annimated) values.
3) Darken detail-maps (especially the snow one) to an average color value of 127.
- a) The swamp textures I put down to 100 avg color value. (darker seems better)
- b) Also ran a 3px-3px guassian blurr on the sharper detail maps; it came out nice.
4) Darken brighter textures to average color values of 160, +/- 10.
- a) Snow textures I didn't really do this with.
- b) I DID do it to ALL the desert textures except for desert-grass.
- Don't forget to "Relight Scene" -
As mentioned in another thread - in GIMP you can check the average color value of an image using "Colors>Histogram" and adjust it using "Colors>Levels". (Use the right-most marker on the 1st slide-bar to lighten and the right-most marker on the 2nd slide-bar to darken).
Results were moderatly successful...
This is what I learned! If someone can improve on this, please share!
Thanks to John, Todd, Eric, and anyone else who helped on this one.
02/18/2006 (1:04 pm)
I've found porting a level to the Lighting-Pack is not always trival and is largly a matter of practice, and 'trial and error'. Here are the steps I used to make the "RTS-Environment Pack" TLK ready. I'm sure this will be a popular case, but the steps will be similar for any level I suppose:1) Cut sun ambient and color values in 1/2 as per above.
2) Double fxSunFlare minBrightness and maxBrightness (annimated) values.
3) Darken detail-maps (especially the snow one) to an average color value of 127.
- a) The swamp textures I put down to 100 avg color value. (darker seems better)
- b) Also ran a 3px-3px guassian blurr on the sharper detail maps; it came out nice.
4) Darken brighter textures to average color values of 160, +/- 10.
- a) Snow textures I didn't really do this with.
- b) I DID do it to ALL the desert textures except for desert-grass.
- Don't forget to "Relight Scene" -
As mentioned in another thread - in GIMP you can check the average color value of an image using "Colors>Histogram" and adjust it using "Colors>Levels". (Use the right-most marker on the 1st slide-bar to lighten and the right-most marker on the 2nd slide-bar to darken).
Results were moderatly successful...
This is what I learned! If someone can improve on this, please share!
Thanks to John, Todd, Eric, and anyone else who helped on this one.
#4
-Cut the color and ambient of all lights in half (same for the sun).
-Make sure the detail maps are balanced (average intensity of 127 in PS/Gimp histogram).
-Disable SG_OVEREXPOSED_SELFILLUMINATION to cut the self-illumination back down to Torque levels.
02/20/2006 (9:01 am)
I'm not sure I follow this. Here's a quick rundown of what should change to get a stock mission looking identical in TLK.-Cut the color and ambient of all lights in half (same for the sun).
-Make sure the detail maps are balanced (average intensity of 127 in PS/Gimp histogram).
-Disable SG_OVEREXPOSED_SELFILLUMINATION to cut the self-illumination back down to Torque levels.
#5
I developed in an unmodified TGE1.3 and was learning the engine as I went.
I am now doing all development in 1.4 with TLK, so I am having to come up to speed fast. I actually have been sort of porting the winter environment over as part of a testing process for the pack I am trying to wrap up now. I think I am hitting every issue in the TLK forums all at once, so be patient with me please.
Eventually I will see if I can get full ports of all environments done and made available. In fact, the winter environment may make it into may new pack with some expansion to its original content.
If anyone wants to post screens of their efforts, I would be happy to give suggestions and will help as time permits.
06/15/2006 (5:45 pm)
Hey folks, sorry to be late to respond to this, it's the first time I have seen the post.I developed in an unmodified TGE1.3 and was learning the engine as I went.
I am now doing all development in 1.4 with TLK, so I am having to come up to speed fast. I actually have been sort of porting the winter environment over as part of a testing process for the pack I am trying to wrap up now. I think I am hitting every issue in the TLK forums all at once, so be patient with me please.
Eventually I will see if I can get full ports of all environments done and made available. In fact, the winter environment may make it into may new pack with some expansion to its original content.
If anyone wants to post screens of their efforts, I would be happy to give suggestions and will help as time permits.
Torque Owner John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder)