Colored sector lighting.

[Defect]

Hey guys, after looking around on several sites, there seems to be several different ways of creating colored light within a sector and of course all descriptons are confusing.

Can anyone give me a basic answer as to a method that works for GZ?

I'm using DoomBuilder and i assume it will consist of creating a dummy sector with an action tag to the desired sector and give it a color value?

Thanks.

(edit) BTW, perhaps you could impliment a better system for creating colored lighting into GZ? You could retain the current methods for backwards compatibility but why not try a method like HL? Simply entering the RGB value then the brightness would make it a sinch. 255 255 255 160.
I know doombuilder does not allow you to add so much information to the light value box, but this wouldnt be hard to fix.

[Graf Zahl]

There are 2 methods to create colored light:

1. Use Sector_SetColor(tag, r, g, b, desaturation) inside a script
2. Use Static_Init with a texture name representing the color you need

The limitations come directly from Doom's map format which doesn't have any means to specify sector color.

[Defect]

I downloaded the Doombuilder config for GZ and switching over to it totally stuffed my map. I'm lucky i had a backup. Now none of my things appear in the level when testing, it does recognise the player start though. Strange.

Anyway i worked out how to use the colored light features. It was completely different to using dummy sectors, and of course noone explains this stuff. I will explain it for anyone else wanting to know.

Select a line within the sector you wish to have colored light within, choose effect 212 and give both sector and line the same tage. Add RGB values. Done.

If you have a 3D floor in the sector, you must also tag the line with the 212 effect to the dummy sector.

The 212 effect is still not good enough as the color does not appear untill you actually step into the sector. The 190 effect is also limited, you cant add the color code to the top texture window if the line has a texture there.. anyone like to comment on this?

[Graf Zahl]

You have to use the 212 (Sector_SetColor) type inside a script, not inside the map.
If you want to use 190 (Static_Init) you are advised to use dummy sectors off the map for it.

These methods are inherited directly from ZDoom and I don't see any need to change them.

[Defect]

Okay, but even when using dummy sectors for 190, it did not change the color of the sector it was tagged to.

I've never used an outside script either, i think the whole idea of using files outside of the level is just too messy. I'd much rather be able to handle everything within the level.

I know everyone tries to make thier ports compatible with maps that are made for other ports, but i dont see why a standard is not set throughout the community for all ports. Eventually you are going to run out of effects and actions.

I come from a big quake editing background and i feel that Doom editing is being made harder then it needs to be, so please dont take it as a stab at GZDoom or anything.

Another question:
Is there any way to produce the gradient light effects in GZDoom? They were used heavily throughout Doom64 and the Absolution project used them also.

Thanks.

[Graf Zahl]

Regarding the script activation method that wasn't my idea. It's the way ZDoom is doing things which means I can't simply change that type. For inside the map the Static_Init type is there. The problems you experience come from a bug in the color parser I just discovered. It will be fixed in the next version,

I agree with you that Doom editing can be a little messy but that comes from the limitations of the map format. There's simply no place for all these new additions and agreeing upon a unified interface is not easy. Some ports still don't support the Hexen map format which creates a huge problem because this splits the developers in the middle.

Regarding the glowing flats effect. yes, that effect is supported. Just add a GLOWDEFS lump which lists all the flats that are supposed to be glowing. Please note that this doesn't work properly with slopes yet! Plus I'd like to improve it so you can explicitly set the color per flat as opposed to using the normalized average.

Code: Select all

Flats
{
	LAVA1 
	LAVA2 
	LAVA3 
	LAVA4 
	NUKAGE1 
	NUKAGE2 
	NUKAGE3
	BLOOD1 
	BLOOD2 
	BLOOD3
}

[Defect]

Thanks for the explanations, is it possible you could explain a little more about what it is that is limiting about the map format?

Your GZ project is definitly the best port i've used so far, and i'm using it for all my testing and of course the learning process.

Your in a good position to start setting some standards that others will follow, if people are too lazy to get with it and move into the future with Doom editing then they should be left behind.

Progress and inovation cant wait for the lazy.

[Graf Zahl]

Thanks for the explanations, is it possible you could explain a little more about what it is that is limiting about the map format?

There are no fields in the data structures to specify all the data you'd like to so some other means have to be used like these color transfer linedefs. The same methods are necessary to specify flat rotation and scaling.

Your in a good position to start setting some standards that others will follow, if people are too lazy to get with it and move into the future with Doom editing then they should be left behind.

Without editor support all is useless and that unfortunately means that a new map format which could eliminate many problems is very hard to get established. As for the rest, I'd rather discuss stuff like this with other port authors before inventing something new. That attitude led to the total chaos we are having at the moment in which every port is doing many things in its own way.