Illumination map texturing overview

[GC_Vos 714]

This guide shows you how different illumination and specular values affect the look of your structures during night time. It's primarily intended for asset creators and serves as a visual reference only.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=524027632

I will update it as we learn more...

[GC_Vos 714]

I think it's definitely something we have to get used to. I think it works really really well for convential windows and doors, but if you go more fancy you'll start noticing some artifacts similar to unsmooth specularity.

[boformer 3,169]

I know how to create custom light props. Maybe we can add that information.

[GC_Vos 714]

That would be awesome info yeah!

[boldlybuilding 873]

I know how to create custom light props. Maybe we can add that information.

That would be useful! Especially because I already have lights on my WTC, so I had to stick these weird light props on the plaza lamps, looks odd. They're hidden mostly from above, but yeah. Something that's either a custom light prop with the whole fixture, or a light prop that can be placed that has a nearly invisible model so I can add lights to fixtures that are part of the model.

[Shroomblaze 320]

I know how to create custom light props. Maybe we can add that information.

Really? So we can make custom light prop using custom colors that will only show up during night? If so that would be fantastic! Please let me know how to do it.

[Atys' 42]

You are bright

  Edited September 25, 2015 by Atys'  

[Attercap 123]

I used only one windows to texture some of my buildings. Does it means that all the windows will be lit or unlit, with the same intensity ?

[Darf 1,439]

 

I used only one windows to texture some of my buildings. Does it means that all the windows will be lit or unlit, with the same intensity ?

Pretty much. You need atleast 4 different textures for windows to get some difference.

  Edited September 25, 2015 by Darf  

[Attercap 123]

Pretty much. You need atleast 4 different textures for windows to get some difference.

Oh GOD why... all my buildings will looks really odd !!! Is there a way to improve this ? I dont want, and wont texture again all the buildings I did. What do you mean by "for different textures" : for different " light areas " ? Do you have a illumination map of one of your buildings ?

[Darf 1,439]

Sure, but I'm afraid it's not what'd you want to see. I would suggest you only light up the shopping windows of your windows, don't you use a seperate texture for those?

 

Here's the result of lighting up those, looks quite realistic.

  Edited September 25, 2015 by Darf  

[Attercap 123]

Thanks Darf. The shopping windows... at night ? In winter maybe...

 Am I the only one wich use only one or two windows for small buildings ? ... I'm quite sure I saw a few diffuse map wich will have the same "problem". I create my models, I dont want to use facades-photos to texture my buildings

I will try to find space on my diffuse map and duplicate existing windows. It's a really bad news.

 

  Edited September 25, 2015 by Attercap  

[boformer 3,169]

Looks like we are stuck with the default light props.

Here are my findings:

You can create completely custom light effects with mod tools, but it is NOT possible to save a prop with applied effects. CO did not implement that (It would have been 10 lines of code for them!!!).

Here are the 2 mod tools scripts which I created for it: https://gist.github.com/boformer/1ede360cc0531eff5f07

The only way to get the light props into the game: Create a mod that saves the light effect information in a separate (xml) file, then remove the effect for successful saving. When a player loads the game, read the file and create/apply the custom light effects again. Drawback: The player has to install the mod, or the assets will appear without custom lights.

There are many things which can be modified: Light type (point, spot, ...), Color, Intensity, Range, Spot Angle, Spot Leaking, Blink type, position and direction in prop... You can even put multiple light effects into one prop (like a row of lights, a fountain illuminated from 4 sides).

 

  Edited September 25, 2015 by boformer  

[boformer 3,169]

Go ahead and suggest it. I'm not really interested in it

[merc187 46]

Looks like we are stuck with the default light props.

Here are my findings:

You can create completely custom light effects with mod tools, but it is NOT possible to save a prop with applied effects. CO did not implement that (It would have been 10 lines of code for them!!!).

Here are the 2 mod tools scripts which I created for it: https://gist.github.com/boformer/1ede360cc0531eff5f07

The only way to get the light props into the game: Create a mod that saves the light effect information in a separate (xml) file, then remove the effect for successful saving. When a player loads the game, read the file and create/apply the custom light effects again. Drawback: The player has to install the mod, or the assets will appear without custom lights.

There are many things which can be modified: Light type (point, spot, ...), Color, Intensity, Range, Spot Angle, Spot Leaking, Blink type, position and direction in prop... You can even put multiple light effects into one prop (like a row of lights, a fountain illuminated from 4 sides).

 

That's some hogwash.  Looks like that's why my question didn't get answered during the AMA a few days ago even though a few dev's so it and said they'd check.  Thanks for looking into this Boformer, it's really cool dudes like you help the rest out by looking into stuff you're not even interested in doing yourself.    Thanks!

[Shroomblaze 320]

Just posted the information that Boformer posted over at the Official Forums and Reddit Modders. Please people, Show your Support and comment on Official Forums!! Im gonna post on the main reddit in the morning when it can get more traction.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/10-lines-of-code-to-be-able-to-save-custom-light-props-please.883723/

Modders Reddit Page

https://www.reddit.com/r/CitiesSkylinesModding/comments/3mfk4m/show_your_support_for_custom_light_props_already/

  Edited September 26, 2015 by Shroomblaze  

[AmiPolizeiFunk 446]

Hi there, I'm trying to do a nice illumination map to get some variety on my skyscraper at night, and I'm running into some issues. I've read your guide, @GCVos and it was extremely helpful, so thank you for that.

 

The system seems buggy. The more I look at CO buildings, the more I see them behaving in ways that I don't think they should. Often times, a CO building that looks like it is mapped for nice night illumination patterns will be either FULL ON or FULL OFF. I can understand how FULL OFF could look nice sometimes and add some variety to the overall look of the game, but FULL ON just looks terrible in almost all situations and seems like a bug. I'm not just talking about FULL ON for illumination map areas that have random seeds, but FULL ON for everything between 128-255, including the 192 value, which to my understanding, should always be off.

 

edit: nvm all that, I was confused. I still hold to the opinion that the buildings look bad when all of their lights are on, which seems to happen quite often.

 

 

[Darf 1,439]

3 hours ago, AmiPolizeiFunk said:

Hi there, I'm trying to do a nice illumination map to get some variety on my skyscraper at night, and I'm running into some issues. I've read your guide, @GCVos and it was extremely helpful, so thank you for that.

 

The system seems buggy. The more I look at CO buildings, the more I see them behaving in ways that I don't think they should. Often times, a CO building that looks like it is mapped for nice night illumination patterns will be either FULL ON or FULL OFF. I can understand how FULL OFF could look nice sometimes and add some variety to the overall look of the game, but FULL ON just looks terrible in almost all situations and seems like a bug. I'm not just talking about FULL ON for illumination map areas that have random seeds, but FULL ON for everything between 128-255, including the 192 value, which to my understanding, should always be off.

 

Have others noticed this? Or do I maybe have some mod conflicts or local bugs happening?

 

 

Lot's of buildings are not modelled with an illumination map in mind. The ones that are, are usually pretty badly done. Some even have illumination stuff where no illumination should have been. The system is not buggy, there's just bad illum maps on standard building. A good map looks something like this:

[AmiPolizeiFunk 446]

@DarfWhy do your windows look beveled in that example illumination map? What does that do?

 

So from my understanding, RGB 0-120 = lights always on all day long. And 128-255 = random on at night. Is that right?

 

Is there a value that you can use to make a light always & only come on at night?