TUTORIAL - Night Lighting and Night Windows

[ErikMesa 5]

If we start with a large random cube that is subdivided into

[ak72 54]

OK, I don't know how get screenshots on

BAT

but I will help you with words. Once you'v made your box/spline click on the 'modify' tab and scroll down. There will be 'parameters' under there will be the deminsions and then there will be ______segs. That would be like length, width, height, ect. Thats how you subdivide 'windows'. But make sure they will only coincide with your building if you build it from the top viewport or they will be messed up. You could do it that way but it would be confusing. Hope that helps.

[ErikMesa 5]

I have a problem. I'm using the target spotlights in GMAX to illuminate part of my building. I use a title like nitelite_spot001 for the light (that way I've got them all numbered).

My problem is even with the nitelite prefix the brightness still shows up in the daytime too.

Any suggestions? What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

ErikMesa https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/8.gif>

[deadwoods 542]

When you say it shows up in the daytime, do you mean you see it in gmax or when you do a preview in the BAT? Gmax doesn't know what the nitelite prefix is supposed to mean, I gather that's something that the BAT gamepack uses to switch off for day previews/renders.

[Vlakhaas 13]

I get the same issues from time to time ... the OMNI lights are especially troublesome.

[phillippbo 54]

[bEGINQUOTE]

3/24/2004 11:12:13 PM[/quoteDATE]

ErikMesa[/quoteAUTHOR]

I have a problem. I'm using the target spotlights in GMAX to illuminate part of my building. I use a title like 'nitelite_spot001' for the light (that way I've got them all numbered).

My problem is even with the 'nitelite' prefix the brightness still shows up in the daytime too.

Any suggestions? What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

ErikMesa [/quoteMESSAGE][/bEGINQUOTE]


Try taking the underscore out of the name and testing that.  Instead of nitelite_spot001 name it nitelitespot001 and see if that makes a difference.

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

[ErikMesa 5]

It shows up in the game as a brighter area of the building. You can actually see the oval of the spotlight on the building in the daytime (its much brighter like a colour change almost).

I'll try removing the underscore and let you know.

ErikMesa https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

[SimGoober 2,351]

I'm still way new to this issue (I started learning last night), but one thing I think I noticed is the name nitelite appears to be case sensitive.  I tend to name things like I'm writing a program ; ie : NiteliteCorner   .  This gave me quirks until I dropped the caps.  nitelite_corner seemed to work instead.

[ErikMesa 5]

I'm using all lower-case so that isn't a problem.

Heres some quick pictures showing what is happening. I've eliminated the underscore and have titled the lights

nitelitespot001
nitelitespot002

As you can see in these day and night pictures the light is very visible during the day (these aren't buildings just text boxes I made to experiment with lights).





Any ideas? This is driving me crazy!

ErikMesa

[deadwoods 542]

You will normally see some spotlights in gmax if they're fairly bright, but I'm surpirsed at how bright it looks in your screenshot. The big issue is does it appear in the day renders/previews through the BAT toolkit?. Here's a screenshot of a simple test I just did...

 

 

You'll notice the name is niteliteSpot01. This light doesn't show up in the day render but it does show up in the night render, which is what you're after.

 

If the picture you've posted above is from the game (I think it might be), I'd recommend going back to gmax, deleting the spotlights and starting again. Sorry.https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/8.gif>

[Lord_Quillian2 38]

ErikMesa I am not to sure what the solution to this problem could be, although I aggree with deadwoods
, you have called your lights 'nitelitespot001'. I am wondering if the BAT can't recognise the light because it is not the default name 'Spot01' with the prefix? Try re-naming your lights 'niteliteSpot01' and 'niteliteSpot02' and see if this fixes the problem.

 

If not, I will endevour to look into this problem later and see if I can find a fix.

 

LQ2

[ErikMesa 5]

I'll give that a shot. Deadwoods what intensity is your lighting set at? Maybe I have it to bright or something? Even in rendering it shows up on the day picture (your screenshots were during rendering correct?).

ErikMesa

[deadwoods 542]

In the screenshot above, I had it set a 3.0, but that was because it was shining on a dark colour. I've used lighting between .5 and 2.5 depending on the colour of the target, the distance of the target from the source and the effect I'm trying to achieve.

[Yakuzi 0]

Hey ErikMesa,

I had the same problem, and I found out that the BAT is indeed case sensitive :
Whenever I used NiteliteSpot01 as the name for my spotlight-> it was also turned on during daytime. As soon as I changed it to niteliteSpot01 everything worked fine...

G'Luck

EDIT: A small question on the side: How do you get rid of all those light camera's in your BAT view screens after you put in a spotlight???

[deadwoods 542]

I don't have BAT handy so I can't do a screen print. But if you look at the tabs on the right section of the screen, there's a tab that looks like a monitor (or TV). Click on it an open the Hide By Category rollout. You can select Lights to turn them off on the BAT display (note that this means you won't see the light objects in the object selection list).

[Yakuzi 0]

Thx Deadwoods https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/2.gif>...

[Pegasus 2,814]

I posted this issue in other topics but its not getting much of a response as of yet... so I'm broadcasting it to various approprirate topics in the hopes that it will attract enough interest and the Great Minds will find a work-around or solution... and those with inside contacts to Maxis will relay the word and get an official response and/or cure.

NITE LITES DON'T WORK ON PROPS

Or to be specific... they won't work correctly.

The issue is that nitelites added to props (nightwindows, spots, directs, omnis... doesn't matter) will only show up in the game if the prop is oriented south or east (in the game). Oriented to the north or west, the nitelite effects don't show up or come on.

Now... if you take that same BAT rendered model, and make it a building in the Plugin Manager instead of a prop... the nitelite effects work properly from all directions.

Therefore, its not an issue with the BAT/GMAX (confirmed by checking the model's FSH files which include the nitelite images for all directions and sizes) The problem must be with the Plugin Manager... an assumption based on the game having default props, like streetlights, that work correctly.

This BUG is putting a hold and several of my projects and I am hoping to attract enough interest to it that the great minds will find a work-around or solution... and those with inside contacts to Maxis will relay the word and get an official response and/or cure.

[SimGoober 2,351]

PEG, I haven't had this problem. I use all my BAT creations as props, and use them on the blank lot set. The buildings and other things I have built are all props; except on growable lots.  The all lite up at night, no problem.  Not to say getting them to work right in the BAT is easy... but once I do, they work fine.  I do make sure lighting is on in the advanced tab in the PM.  I have had a couple not work if they are too close to the edge, but moving them fixes it.  I also went back just to confirm,and they work from every angle.

[Pooty 228]

This is a nice tutorial and all, but how do you use Omni lights?

 

Edit: How do I turn off Omni lights during the day?

[Yakuzi 0]

Pooty

Lets say your Omni ligt is called Omni01... You will have to change it's name in niteliteOmni01 for it to work only during night. And remember nitelite is case-sensitive....

 

G'Luck

[deadwoods 542]

[bEGINQUOTE]

4/4/2004 3:19:30 PM[/quoteDATE]

Pegasus[/quoteAUTHOR]

I posted this issue in other topics but its not getting much of a response as of yet... so I'm broadcasting it to various approprirate topics in the hopes that it will attract enough interest and the Great Minds will find a work-around or solution... and those with inside contacts to Maxis will relay the word and get an official response and/or cure. NITE LITES DON'T WORK ON PROPS Or to be specific... they won't work correctly. The issue is that nitelites added to props (nightwindows, spots, directs, omnis... doesn't matter) will only show up in the game if the prop is oriented south or east (in the game). Oriented to the north or west, the nitelite effects don't show up or come on. Now... if you take that same BAT rendered model, and make it a building in the Plugin Manager instead of a prop... the nitelite effects work properly from all directions. Therefore, its not an issue with the BAT/GMAX (confirmed by checking the model's FSH files which include the nitelite images for all directions and sizes) The problem must be with the Plugin Manager... an assumption based on the game having default props, like streetlights, that work correctly. This BUG is putting a hold and several of my projects and I am hoping to attract enough interest to it that the great minds will find a work-around or solution... and those with inside contacts to Maxis will relay the word and get an official response and/or cure.[/quoteMESSAGE][/bEGINQUOTE]

All the buildings I've put on lots so far (i.e. the deadwoods servo's and the Indoor Sports Centre) have been props. I haven't seen probs with lighting.

[Pooty 228]

[bEGINQUOTE]

4/22/2004 7:50:58 AM[/quoteDATE]

Yakuzi[/quoteAUTHOR]

Pooty

Lets say your Omni ligt is called 'Omni01'... You will have to change it's name in 'niteliteOmni01' for it to work only during night. And remember 'nitelite' is case-sensitive....

G'Luck

[/quoteMESSAGE][/bEGINQUOTE]

THANKS!

[Pegasus 2,814]

[bEGINQUOTE]

4/4/2004 7:52:27 PM[/quoteDATE]

SimGoober[/quoteAUTHOR]

PEG, I haven't had this problem. I use all my BAT creations as props, and use them on the blank lot set. The buildings and other things I have built are all props; except on growable lots. The all lite up at night, no problem. Not to say getting them to work right in the BAT is easy... but once I do, they work fine. I do make sure lighting is on in the advanced tab in the PM. I have had a couple not work if they are too close to the edge, but moving them fixes it. I also went back just to confirm,and they work from every angle.

[/quoteMESSAGE][/bEGINQUOTE]

We confirmed that this is a bug... in another topic I believe. Ralphael did some testing and it turns out that the nitelites of BAT props placed near the edge of the lot won't function reliably. The lites will be visible only from certain angles/orientations.

I never had issues with nitelites either, until developing props for use on the RTK3 seawalls, which are rendered offset and appear in the game outside of the lot's borders. Offset rendering is a great way to make items appear beyond a lot's borders (like piers) and is one of only two methods that can be used to make water lots that are immune to the water graphics bug. But with this nitelite bug, you can't lite 'em up.

[Lord_Quillian2 38]

Hi all,

 

Just to confirm what Peg was saying,

 

If you use night lighting on props, it will work. However it will not function properly if the prop is to close to the edge of the lot, or if any of the props on the lot are overlapping the edge. This is from experience, and it took me a long time to find out what exactly was the problem.

 

Cheers all,

 

LQ

[ak72 54]

Is there any way to make a square spotlight? And how do you move where a spotlight is? Here is what I wan to do.

 

 

See the 'SimWorld Auto' Sign? Well I just want that to light up. But if I label it nitebox## then it will just show lit up, you can't read the sign. So I want to make it square so just the sign will light up and also how do you move the spot light from place to place?

 

If you want to help out or read about the SimWorld Auto project then see the link in my sig.

[Caliban 2]

There is a radio button for Circle or Rectangle in the Spotlight Parameters section of its command panel rollout. Aspect controls the proportions of the rectangle.

Move it by selecting the light and moving it with the move tool. If you are using a Free Spot rotate it to face the right direction. If it is a Target Spot move the target with the move tool.

[SimGoober 2,351]

Ahah!  Here is one I know : YES!  I've lit several signs this way

 

Under parameters (either Spotlight or direct), right under hotspot are two check boxes : square & circle.  Check the square one.

 

The very next box down is apsect.  This is a ration of length to Width.  This allows you to make rectangular shaped lights, to match the shape of the sign.  Before playing with this, reduce your hotspot size down quite a bit, and then just start putting numbers in.  After a few tests, you'll get the hang of it.  You can use decimal numbers as well to make the rectangle orient the opposite way.  Again, play with those two settings, as it is a matter of fine tuning to get just the right shape.  One thing I figured out from experience; the Falloff most be at least 2 higher than the hotspot if using the aspect.  It will make the adjustment for you if you don't pay attention, and reduce the size of the hotpot.

 

I also find it best to set the sign slightly out from the wall (.1 to .3 meters), and adjust the far attenuation as well.  You can get pretty precise here, and have it start right at the front of the sign, and end at the back.  That way no light overflows onto the building.

 

Also be aware that once you tweak the settings, many of them will carry over to the next light you place.  The attentuation parameters do this, but are not used unless you check the box.  Check the settings carefully while placing lights.  It has been an easy oversight to assume they were active, and  drive you nuts figuring it out.

 

Check some of my recent lots on the STEX to see how this works.  Almost all my signs are lit up in this fashion.

[ak72 54]

Thanks yall, that helped a lot!

[mntoes 270]

Does anyone know how to change the way the light falls on a surface.?

 

Here is a light on the side of my building, as you can see it falls as a rectangle shape.

 

 

 

I want to change the rectangle from example a to example b below, this would I think look more natural.

 

Anyone know how to do this?(< that's supposed to be a question I'm sure it was different last time I used it!)

 

Thanks in advance

 

Mntoes.

[Caliban 2]

To create a truncated cone effect use a spotlight pointed nearly parallel to the surface and use the hotspot and fallout sizes to control the area of effect. You can also use attenuation to set where the light starts and stops.