Starship lights

posted on October 27th, 2008, 4:52 pm

You know the light on a Starships Hull just infront of the bridge that shines over the Name & Registry so it can be seen in the dark? Would you say they look best if the light is added into the texture file, only added to the lightmaps or put in both?

posted on October 27th, 2008, 5:10 pm

Interesting question, never thought about it. 

Could you add some pictures as an example please?
I can't really imagine what the difference even should / could look like... 

posted on October 27th, 2008, 5:16 pm

This light:


They also tend to have a few others dotted around the hull depending on the Class.

posted on October 27th, 2008, 5:28 pm

Uhm... well, I knew which light you were talking about. But I guess I couldn't tell the difference between a lightmap-light and a texture-light. That's why I asked for an example of each

posted on October 27th, 2008, 5:33 pm

Ah, those ones. The texture is what you get when the TGA file is opened and the lightmap is the alpha channel, you know the thing that makes a ship glow (Black & white or greyscale).

posted on October 27th, 2008, 5:41 pm

Okay... thanks. 
So I still have to guess. And I guess... the lightmap would look better. 

posted on October 27th, 2008, 8:52 pm

Texture lights are kinda tacky, imo.

posted on October 27th, 2008, 10:32 pm

good choice of picture, but next time please not from anyones vhs recorder;

posted on October 28th, 2008, 6:49 am

I don't suppose you could show us screenshots showing how a texture light would look comapred to a lightmap light, could you?

posted on October 28th, 2008, 9:12 am

well the name lights are aleays on so makes sence for them to be on the texture

posted on October 28th, 2008, 12:16 pm

I don't suppose you could show us screenshots showing how a texture light would look comapred to a lightmap light, could you?

The textures themselves, or ingame?

posted on October 28th, 2008, 2:30 pm

Ingame, of course! Show us what each (just texture, just lightmap and both) would look like ingame, do I really have to spell it out for you?

Oh and here's a tip, don't label which is which... Simply get people to vote A, B or C and that will tell you what they really think about each one, as they'll have to leave their preconcieved notions at the door (because they won't be told which is which)

[Tyler]

posted on October 28th, 2008, 3:39 pm

Last edited by Tyler on October 28th, 2008, 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A

B

C

posted on October 28th, 2008, 3:54 pm

I really like number C, but it seems kind of dark...since it's dark, tho, I kind of like A...lol
sorry if that doesn't help very much.

posted on October 28th, 2008, 8:20 pm

hmmm... quality of the pics not the best (sorry  ), but I have to say "A" ... I think. Definitely not C though.