Highlight Brushes with Larger than 256x256 lightmaps
by Greg Gardinier · in Artist Corner · 01/08/2007 (12:59 pm) · 3 replies
Since map2dif, and from the sounds of it torque, doesn't like lightmaps larger than 256x256 would there be anyway to highlight or somehow point out brushes that are to large.
I am currently working with some very large buildings and am having to chop them up in order to get them to work. However this means that if I have worked for awhile without exporting I have to go back and figure out which brush is to large and this is proving to be a very difficult process.
thanks
I am currently working with some very large buildings and am having to chop them up in order to get them to work. However this means that if I have worked for awhile without exporting I have to go back and figure out which brush is to large and this is proving to be a very difficult process.
thanks
About the author
#2
Sorry for my ignorance but I just never happened up on their definition.
Update: Every time I try to edit the light light_geometry_scale of a large brush and then convert the .map file map2dif crashes.
01/08/2007 (3:15 pm)
Thanks John. It is my understanding that Constructor simply used Map2dif to export and that there was no internal exporter implemented in beta 15. I didn't know how to scale the lightmaps however. In fact I am still a little confused as to what they are exactly. If you have some time do you think you or someone else that knows could explain exactly how the lightmaps function.Sorry for my ignorance but I just never happened up on their definition.
Update: Every time I try to edit the light light_geometry_scale of a large brush and then convert the .map file map2dif crashes.
#3
Because every surface has unique lighting, every surface has a unique light map. This can eat up a lot of texture memory. To minimize this light maps are far lower resolution than diffuse textures.
The lighting scale in Constructor and map2dif tells the light map generator how detailed to make the lighting. A lower number makes the light maps more detailed. I know that seems backwards, but the scale actually tells the light mapper what world area each lexel (light map pixel) covers, so a smaller scale (smaller area) means more lexels over the same size surface.
Constructor's dif exporter isn't finished, however once it is you won't have to worry about crashes or errors related to light map size - it will handle adjusting the surface scale as needed for you.
Are you saying you're changing the scale per-brush, and how? Try running the debug version of map2dif to see what the error is (if any) and where it crashes.
01/10/2007 (8:19 pm)
Light maps are textures that display the way lighting appears on a surface, so no realtime or dynamic lighting is necessary (though these techniques can be used together). A surface's light map is combined with its diffuse texture at render-time on the video card to display the lit-textured surface.Because every surface has unique lighting, every surface has a unique light map. This can eat up a lot of texture memory. To minimize this light maps are far lower resolution than diffuse textures.
The lighting scale in Constructor and map2dif tells the light map generator how detailed to make the lighting. A lower number makes the light maps more detailed. I know that seems backwards, but the scale actually tells the light mapper what world area each lexel (light map pixel) covers, so a smaller scale (smaller area) means more lexels over the same size surface.
Constructor's dif exporter isn't finished, however once it is you won't have to worry about crashes or errors related to light map size - it will handle adjusting the surface scale as needed for you.
Are you saying you're changing the scale per-brush, and how? Try running the debug version of map2dif to see what the error is (if any) and where it crashes.
Torque Owner John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder)
The max light map size can be changed in the Lighting Profile Manager.