Light BEAM

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 9:43 pm

I give up...
I am too stupid to make a spotlight with a light beam. It don't have to move or anything, I just need a lamp hanging from above, a light source under it, shining to the floor with a angle of about 40 deg only (that's, what I could manage) and then: A LIGHT BEAM from the lamp to the floor!
I've seen this in lots of maps but I can't find textures that work or even are animated like the beam of the equipment/searchlight_on.
What do I have to do? What texture could I try? Me and others posted this question before, but before the final answer came, these posts were forgotten?! I can't believe, that nobody of you knows how to do it, so PLEASE help me (and the others)!
BTW, is there any place, were all these checkboxes in the surface-explorer are explained??

[-[usf]-] commando · Post by **[-[usf]-] commando** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 11:17 pm

i am sure its a matter of scripting a light beam and not texture
umm so ne1 have a script 4 a spot light it would b help full thannks
umm try searhing 4 a script in here 4 a spotlight
and is there a script 4 a moveing spotlight or tutorial
or point us in the corrct way thanks 4 ur time

Post by **jv_map** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 6:42 am

I think there's a common/beam texture, not sure though. Thought there was one somewhere. Just apply that texture to a cylinder.

The checkboxes in the surface inspector are just decoration

, they don't serve any use.

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 3:59 pm

Depending on the desired effect, you can place 'spot lights' and then tweak the angles and colors, pain in the a** but works. But if you want the 'beam' to be visable with the little dust particles floating through it, I'm no help and doubt it is possible unless you're a true wiz with scripts and models.

You 'might' get the same effect by placing a series of low intensity lights along a common path though, gradually increase brightness to form a rough shape. Not too sure about that, just brainstorming. What about that 'light clip'.... hmmmmmmm.. not sure how it works but experiment with it maybe too see if it keeps light IN or OUT. You need some kind of tweak on the 'glowing' surfaces. In 'Thief's' old 'Dark Engine' I could do it for ya!

Post by **jv_map** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 4:09 pm

I'm sure it can be done. If you can't find the mohaa texture, copy the sfx/beam texture from Quake 3

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 10:07 pm

This is REALLY a pain the ***.
I found common/adjustable_volumetric. Looks as if I were on the right way.
But then, it is too bright, too opaque or the particles move too fast or are too small or anything else

Reading 'adjustable' in the name makes me think of something adjustable - don't call me stupid, please. So what is adjustable, and where or how.
Next post will probably tell me, that I will have to write a script to change the colour of the beam. Please don't - I can't hear it anymore!

Post by **jv_map** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 2:57 pm

You have to write a .shader file

Tell me when you're ready to hear how to.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 3:59 pm

we are ready please tell us Jv_GOD

Post by **jv_map** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 6:03 pm

[blush]

[/blush]

Well there are three things you got to do.

Edit the texture. The texture is in pak1.pk3 or pak2.pk3 in the common folder. Open the tga file with Photoshop or something and adjust it to your needs. Then save it under some different name, including your map name, e.g. textures/mymap/mybeam.tga
Create a shader file. Find the original shader in pak0.pk3 (scripts/common.shader). Scroll until you find the adjustable volumetric shader. Copy this section and paste into a new file. Then edit that file to use your texture (modify the 'map' stage). Also modify the shader name on top. Then save as scripts/mymap.shader.
(Re)start Radiant. In the textures menu, find the folder with your map name (e.g. textures -> mymap). Your new texture should appear in the texture window. Apply it where you want and compile your map.

Well that was in short. It could be you need to edit multiple textures for one beam. If any problem occurs, consider posting it here.

Hope this helped you it a bit, because beams are cool 8) .

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 8:08 pm

If this works, you are really jv_GOD, I'd say, change your name

Well, a shader is atleast not called a script-file

I'll will give it a try, and if there's anything coming out worth to show, I would like to get an email-adress I can send this for the community because I have no own place I can put it!?

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 10:38 pm

jv_GOD, thanks
Finally, it worked! I've made a pk3 with a small demo-room and stuff, and tried to explain the .shader as far as I understand it (not very far

)
If I get a adress I can send this piece, you will be able to find it soon here on .map

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:28 am

demo of the things I described above is downloadable here:
http://www.fileplanet.com/dl.aspx?/plan ... d/beam.zip
You will find a .pk3 including the .bsp, the .shader and the textures.

Hope this will help!?

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 12:25 pm

How the...what the...? How did you upload it to fileplanet?

.Map :: MoHAA Mapping

Light BEAM

Light BEAM

A little more explanation a little more action