Staticentity Dot3-Fixed to the nearest light in world space

[Veleran]

Dot3 bumpmapped actors now seem like they use a dynamic lightning,counting one light-
the light that is nearest to the camera.

The dot3 actor's light direction and bumps change direction from on light angle to the other as the camera rotates.

This works well for pawns that run around.
On static architetural objects like pillars,bridges,etc,the change of lighting direction is much more obvious,and i wanted to ask if we could have an entry in the staticentityproxy for using static light only.

So,the static entity dot3 lightning to be fixed to the nearest static light in world space,and not counting any light the camera is getting close.

I know this way the static dot3 model wont be affected by explosions,muzzlefashes,flames and other dynamic lights,but if the dot3 static model is a tall pillar,it is better not to flicker.

[paradoxnj]

I would say use the nearest 2 lights.

[Veleran]

I agree that you should have an entry (propably in the envsettup) and choose 2 lights for all dot3 mapped actors,that is another feature request.

2 lights would still be dynamic which does nt always fit to Staticentities.
It would still switch lightning sides.
As you turn the camera it would get into the radius of a 3rd or 4th light and the lighted side would change.

Many architectural SEP's are much bigger than the player-like pillars,wall supports in corridors,ovelisks,
skull shaped cave mouths,some are curved arches etc,and they flicker when a flame is near their root bone or when a fireball passes near by.
This tires the eye-i d say.

I know,many would say that i should use what i already have,which is staticmeshes for smooth architect.
I would do this,if i did nt use dot3 on them.
Dot3 is cool,because the normal map can make a 1500 poly model look like a 250.000 polys model.


I,and many else use no collision sep's,and place inside the invisible BSP solid brushes smaller than the actor for optimized portal count,
and for casting shadows-the shadows are very important.

[paradoxnj]

You don't really want to go more than 2 because each light is a rendering pass (unless you are using shader model 3). Any more than 2 will degrade performance to a noticeable level.

[Veleran]

2 lights for all dot3,and for the SEP's,to count the 2 nearest in world space-not the two lights that are closest to camera and the StaticEntityProxy.
Fixed in world space between the Sep and the lights,
now its more dynamic,counting
the light nearest to the model and the camera.
When the camera is away from the model,then it uses the nearest in space i guess.

So,for the moment plain diffuse materials work better on pillars and other large achitect.
Without the dot3,the models look fake but pretty,if you use ambientlightfromfloor = true.

I will still use the normal bump smoothing on other low poly static models.

[Veleran]

You could add the ambientlightfromfloor too,the configurable number of lights,perhaps make the default dot3 fillcolor optional-it makes the pawns visible in the darkness),falloff for the lightning,and coloured lightning.