Gradients

[mr luc]

I understand or think I understand what gradients can do. But I am not sure! Could someone please explain what they do and how to use them? I read a couple of posts that mention the wonderful things they can do, but none that spell it out. I might have missed it . . .

[Bwian]

You set up the entity similar to a Haze, Fog, or Gravity marker. You allow it to be used as one of the available 'gradient's for your worldbase entity, though instead of enabling it for a sector, you select some polygons, go to the 'shadow' tab of the Tools Info window, and enable the gradient there. Modify the height value and colors of your gradient marker, and move and rotate into the right position to make it work.

Play around and have fun ;).

[LSD]

a note: many get confused, when gradients dont seem to work. notice that the Dark Light setting is checked by default usually, and you have to turn this off if you want to light an area with your gradient as opposed to darkening it.

[mr luc]

Doh! I wish I had seen that response LSD. I just spent 2 hours figuring it out myself in the editor. :( o well

[Smithboy]

Sorry, I was going to say that, but I was busy.

[GaryP]

So what does it do?  Is it for lighting?

[Bwian]

If you've used any good graphics program, it's similar to setting up two colors for a flood fill gradient. One color blends into the other.

The gradient marker can do a bit more though. I'm pretty sure you can set the type of shading (ie, shade, blend, add, subtract, etc) for your gradient. The polygons you choose to use the gradient with will be the only ones affected by it, etc. You specify a height (the distance that it takes to blend the colors) and also, as mentioned before, whether it's a darks light or not.

So far I'm only using them for the inside/outside transitions, though some other uses are for 'cast' light rays on transparent polygons (for windows) and on walls with a dark color at the top and clear bottom (if you want a straight line instead of the curvy appearance gained with point/ambient lights).

[mr luc]

How would I use gradients for that window thing you mention? I am not sure if you're saying it can do what I *think* you're saying. :)

[Bwian]

I mean as a small cone or trapezoidal cube (is there a true word for one of those?) that simulates light shining down from a skylight or something similar. You'd split the sector of air or make a new entity with transparent polygons, and use a gradient to show it going from a color to transparent nothingness. Of course, this is also pretty easy to do with a texture that has a gradient on it already, and not have to mess with the gradient markers at all.

[mr luc]

Aha, it is different from what I thought. Yeah, I use textures for that right now.

But -- an interesting idea I've been playing with -- have you ever tried using volumetric fog for beams of light? It looks very, VERY good. :)

[Bwian]

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure I will sometime. Sounds very nice. :)

[pompey]

volumetric fog?

[Jwh]

I think the idea with using fog is to punch out a sector where you'll have the lighting, then put a fog marker inside and set everything up so that where the lighting comes through your vision is slightly obscured. Gotta try it myself. I suppose you could use BOTH gradients and fog?

[mr luc]

Yeah, you can, although the fog can turn out to be a LOT nicer looking.

With volumetric fog, you can easily rotate the marker and have it be more dense right near the window, and a lot less dense as it gets farther away. That practically eliminates the need for using the gradient method.

Right now, the biggest problem I'm coming up against is finding the perfect settings so that the fog isn't too thick and is still visible. I haven't played around with it much recently; been working on other stuff instead.

[pompey]

sounds good! Ill have to try it out.