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FPSC Classic Scripts / Advice needed about transitions when using trigger zones to change ambient lighting.

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bruce3371
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Posted: 11th Aug 2011 19:05
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Not sure if this is the right place for this, if it's not, can a Mod put it in the right place? Thanks.

Anyway, to my question; I know how to use trigger zones in a level to change the ambient lighting 'on the fly', but what I need advise about, is the best way to place those trigger zones in a level, so that the transition between ambient light levels isn't so obvious. For example, when going from a light area to a dark area, it doesn't look like someone's just switched the light off!

I've tried placing a door between the two areas, but I still get that sudden change between lighting levels.

So, does anyone have any hints or tips about minimising the impact of the sudden change between lighting levels?

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rolfy
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Posted: 14th Aug 2011 08:48 Edited at: 14th Aug 2011 08:53
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You could try a timer to increment the ambience just dont make it too slow. If your seeing the difference from current view, use small corridors.
Or simply use lights with a large range and darker colour to fake it.

I am making the awesomest game, with the Foxes and Xplosys!! Click me here---->
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The Storyteller 01
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Posted: 14th Aug 2011 14:58
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I did the same for a level of mine and found out the transission looks close to natural when

- the player changes from bright sunlight to an interior room or vice versa.
- the player falls/jumps down a ledge or through a hole to a level below
- the player uses the stock elevator to travel at least 3 levels up or down.

It worked to some degree with the ambience change between a very bright and very dark room with an AUTOMATIC door in between, but timing is an issue, especially when the PC is running.

In case you find my grammar and spelling weird ---> native German speaker ^^
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srealist
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Posted: 15th Aug 2011 00:01
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Unless you really need programmatic control over the lights, I would suggest you accomplish this with static lights by using range and intensity. That is, if you just want one room to be a lot darker than another, set your ambient light level to be very low and then use static lights to illuminate your levels.

If you do need to use the ambient light then you just got advice from two of the better scripters on the forums.
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bruce3371
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Posted: 15th Aug 2011 00:43
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Yes, I need full control over the ambient light, as it is a sewer level and there are no light sources. The transition occurs at the entrance to the sewers.

I'll take a look at the e-timer method to get a more natural looking transition.

Thanks everyone

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BlackFox
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Posted: 15th Aug 2011 01:00
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I've used a similar method as The Storyteller 01 has outlined. We have a level in our WW2 development where the player is outdoors and enters a bunker. As the player goes downstairs, the door shuts behind them, the dynamic lights trigger at that same moment the door shuts (since the player has hit the trigger to close the door and another trigger to turn on the lights) giving the illusion you have gone from an outdoor scene to an underground scene. The trick was getting the light range at the setting we wanted for a smooth transition.

The timer (etimer) would also work providing you follow Rolfy's comments on keeping the timings short to allow a smoother transition. The other thing to look at is this: does the player have the ability to enter the sewer and return back out? Because that too will affect how you script it. In my example, the door closes and keeps the player down "below" so the rest of the level uses the set lighting and ambience.


Twitter: @NFoxMedia
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uzi idiot
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Posted: 15th Aug 2011 12:25
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here is a script that lowers the ambient light to 0.
It has a smooth transition.


Here is a script that raises the ambience to 10.


I hope these helped you.


Mental Stability is over-rated!
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bruce3371
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Posted: 15th Aug 2011 17:54
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@Blackfox, sounds like a good method

Quote: "The other thing to look at is this: does the player have the ability to enter the sewer and return back out? Because that too will affect how you script it. In my example, the door closes and keeps the player down "below" so the rest of the level uses the set lighting and ambience.
"


The player goes in to the sewer at one end, and out again at the opposite end, so I imagine I would have to write a script that increases the ambient lighting back up again at the exit.

@Uzi Idiot, thanks, I'll try those out after I've had a go at the other methods already mentioned. That way at least I'd have put some effort in myself, instead of just using someone else's script

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