mapping Any? Advice

[Taiho 1]

Some of my maps I feel are too similar due to me trying to make them more dramatic by darkening the screen and adding a few lights. What are other ways to make my maps interesting and different without doing this? Also any other advice you may have would also be helpful, thank you

 

 

 

 

[+ Chaosian 617]

A good question, lighting in general is something I also struggle with.

As such, I can't offer all that much help, but I might be able to share a few pointers.

• Traditionally there's more than one kind of light. With (I imagine you're using) Khas' lighting system, there is really just different flavors of point-light but that doesn't mean you can't use various shades and intensities of a light. Fill lights, spot-lights, the general stuff.
• On a related note, everyone likes to talk about color theory - and yet no one really seems to know how to tell you to use it. From what I understand, try adding contrasting colors like a trimming to the scene, or complimenting colors as under-tones.
• Also, have you investigated more into fog?  It might make a decent alternative to heavier shadows.
• Concepts of lighting transcend pretty much every game engine / film style. Don't think there aren't ways to learn out there. Sometimes I like to try and think back to games / areas that had really cool atmosphere, and try to pick it apart the colors so I can replicate it. I'm even doing this with a tile-set I'm working on right now.

At any rate, your 'style' is a very nice one. The maps look pretty high-quality, the contrast between light areas and dark areas is a cheep, and very attractive way to make areas look dynamic. But of course, your whole game can't be like that.

[Zen Blood 70]

What beautiful snapshots and tile sets. The only thing I'd say is that the shadowing in the 4th pic is rather distracting and awkward looking, but maybe it looks better in action.

[Taiho 1]

A good question, lighting in general is something I also struggle with.

As such, I can't offer all that much help, but I might be able to share a few pointers.

• Traditionally there's more than one kind of light. With (I imagine you're using) Khas' lighting system, there is really just different flavors of point-light but that doesn't mean you can't use various shades and intensities of a light. Fill lights, spot-lights, the general stuff.
• On a related note, everyone likes to talk about color theory - and yet no one really seems to know how to tell you to use it. From what I understand, try adding contrasting colors like a trimming to the scene, or complimenting colors as under-tones.
• Also, have you investigated more into fog?  It might make a decent alternative to heavier shadows.
• Concepts of lighting transcend pretty much every game engine / film style. Don't think there aren't ways to learn out there. Sometimes I like to try and think back to games / areas that had really cool atmosphere, and try to pick it apart the colors so I can replicate it. I'm even doing this with a tile-set I'm working on right now.

At any rate, your 'style' is a very nice one. The maps look pretty high-quality, the contrast between light areas and dark areas is a cheep, and very attractive way to make areas look dynamic. But of course, your whole game can't be like that.

Thank you! I'll try looking into fog and other alternatives

 

What beautiful snapshots and tile sets. The only thing I'd say is that the shadowing in the 4th pic is rather distracting and awkward looking, but maybe it looks better in action.

Thank you..and yeah i supposed it is a bit awkward, I guess i'll try to fix that XD

[+ Lanakainea 22]

have you tryed using different colors with the lights?

i also have a problem with lighing just started using it

[Kayzee 4,033]

Well you use any? if you want to check a condition on any member array like [1,2,3].any? {|n| n == 2} which should return true. ... What? You aren't asking for scripting advice?

 

Hehe, but seriously here is a tip that could help you with lights. One thing I do is, in addition to making differently colored lights, I also try and make differently shaped lights, sorta like the window lights I use in this screenshot:

 

 

Try customizing your lights to flow with your map a bit more, not just using round lights with the same falloff but shaped lights and/or lights with different levels of contrast.

 

Edit: I just noticed I siad = instead of == up there! I know it was just a stupid joke  from like two weeks ago and no one cares, but I am still so embarrassed, I just had to fix it.

Edited December 24, 2014 by KilloZapit

[Taiho 1]

Well you use any? if you want to check a condition on any member array like [1,2,3].any? {|n| n = 2} which should return true. ... What? You aren't asking for scripting advice?

 

Hehe, but seriously here is a tip that could help you with lights. One thing I do is, in addition to making differently colored lights, I also try and make differently shaped lights, sorta like the window lights I use in this screenshot:

 

mansiontest.png

 

Try customizing your lights to flow with your map a bit more, not just using round lights with the same falloff but shaped lights and/or lights with different levels of contrast.

That's a good idea thanks, but are you talking about parallax mapping? I try using that little as possible, i've had a lot of problems with it in the past aha

[Kayzee 4,033]

No, I am not talking about parallax mapping, I am just talking about using different images for light effects... then again I am not even sure if the light script you were using allows that. It should though.

[Aione 8]

I like them all, except for the one with 'Roden' in it. The shadows there look, hm...Strange to me.

[Taiho 1]

No, I am not talking about parallax mapping, I am just talking about using different images for light effects... then again I am not even sure if the light script you were using allows that. It should though.

I see what you mean, I'll try that thanks

 

I like them all, except for the one with 'Roden' in it. The shadows there look, hm...Strange to me.

Thank you, though i think i should mention the garden is underground which is why it's so dark

[Kayzee 4,033]

Good luck! *Sprinkles fairy dust on you.* There is a lot of stuff you can do to spruce up lights, making some have a higher contrast so the shadows are sharper, making some different shapes... one thing I do a lot is use a brushstroke filter on some of mine to make the light a bit randomly uneven... you may notice it on the candles on the walls in the screenshot I posted (I also colored that light effect slightly too).

Edited December 14, 2014 by KilloZapit

[Gui 61]

I do not see anything blablantly wrong into your screens either, except maybe for the third one where the windows look a bit small compared to the size of the wall: they thend to get lost into it...

 

As for lighting, well, it's always a tricky part. Something worth remembering is to avoid using black shadows but instead dark blue ones: classic artists never used black because it didn't exist until the XIXth century, and was invented by printers; they instead mixed primary colors in equal quantities to get a more or less dark brown.

 

Also, keep in mind that white lights almost don't exist in nature (sun's light is a pale yellow for example) and therefore should be avoided if possible: the human eyes are not used to them actually – then coloring them is preferable, even if very slightly...

 

You may be interested into reading my tutorial on lighting techniques in level design: although written for a very different engine, it covers in its first part the theory of lighting and the basics of light as well as some things such as the need for contrasts and the use of complementary colors, among other things. You can check out here.

[Taiho 1]

I do not see anything blablantly wrong into your screens either, except maybe for the third one where the windows look a bit small compared to the size of the wall: they thend to get lost into it...

 

As for lighting, well, it's always a tricky part. Something worth remembering is to avoid using black shadows but instead dark blue ones: classic artists never used black because it didn't exist until the XIXth century, and was invented by printers; they instead mixed primary colors in equal quantities to get a more or less dark brown.

 

Also, keep in mind that white lights almost don't exist in nature (sun's light is a pale yellow for example) and therefore should be avoided if possible: the human eyes are not used to them actually – then coloring them is preferable, even if very slightly...

 

You may be interested into reading my tutorial on lighting techniques in level design: although written for a very different engine, it covers in its first part the theory of lighting and the basics of light as well as some things such as the need for contrasts and the use of complementary colors, among other things. You can check out here.

 

Good luck! *Sprinkles fairy dust on you.* There is a lot of stuff you can do to spruce up lights, making some have a higher contrast so the shadows are sharper, making some different shapes... one thing I do a lot is use a brushstroke filter on some of mine to make the light a bit randomly uneven... you may notice it on the candles on the walls in the screenshot I posted (I also colored that light effect slightly too).

Thank you both! I shall work on it