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+---- Thread: [LVL ED] Billboards (/thread-17397.html)
Billboards - tratolak - 08-01-2012
So im pretty good doing at scripting
,but now i want some further map decorating. I was thinking about the window decoration (light rays). Could someone post some begginer tips or links for billboards?
RE: Billboards - Mackiiboy - 08-01-2012
A good tip would be to open up a map from the game and check how they did it :]
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(08-01-2012, 11:01 AM)tratolak Wrote: So im pretty good doing at scripting
RE: Billboards - FlawlessHappiness - 08-01-2012
A lot of people has asked about it
Use the search button, and see the answers they got
RE: Billboards - Adny - 08-01-2012
The general idea for billboards is to create them in a way where the player will never see the "flat" end. Billboards (generally) are 2 dimensional; think of it as a piece of paper, the very edge of the paper would be considered the flat end. The flat ends do not look good in game, considering an edgeless/shapeless thing like light isn't even supposed to have them in the first place.
First off, there are 3 types of billboards: Point, Axis, and Fixed-Axis.
Point: This allows the billboard to rotate so it constantly faces the player, no matter what. This is generally awful to use for windows because it will always cut into the window frame or adjacent walls (which looks really bad in game). You will almost exclusively use the point type for "halos" which are spherical billboards. The main use for these I see are putting them at the top of ceiling lights (more specifically, structures that move vertically higher past the surrounding ceiling, like dungeon>corridor_arched_hole) to create a visually appealing "glow" effect.
Axis: This allows the billboard to rotate on the y (vertical) axis; this means (if the billboard's arrow is pointing up or down) the play will always see it. On the top and bottom of this billboard, there will always be a flat end. This is good for light rays that come out of the ceiling, and some (small) windows. The only problem with this, is that if the player walks through or directly above/below it, the axis billboard can be seen flipping 180 degrees very quickly; not visually appealing imo.
Fixed-Axis: This is the main type of billboard you will be using for constructing light rays. This is (like I said earlier) most comparable to a piece of paper. Because of that, you will have to learn to angle it so the player doesn't see the flat sides, which is admittably difficult at times.
Placement: The major thing I take into consideration when it comes to billboard placement is which direction the player will be viewing it from. Assuming the player is traveling in a linear path, you can arrange your billboards so almost no flat end is visible from one side, but the other side can be a bit "edgier" and less visually appealing.
The process is pretty simple, it just requires a fair amount of time and constant in-game checking. I start by placing billboards around the border of your light source (making sure not to cut into the wall) and then begin placing billboards in the center in a truly random order with varying angles. There's really no textbook way to do this, unlike many other aspects of the level editor. Just make sure They are an appropriate length (depending on the source of the light) and that they are colored appropriately.
Many people say to use "ConnectLightName" but I personally feel that if the billboard matches the color of an adjacent light, it looks too opaque and artificial; if you observe light rays in real life, they're very faint. Make sure the Alpha is always at 1 (there's no in-between here, if it's at 1, it's visible, if it's at 0, it's not). I use color values under 0.2f. To determine what values to use, I'll take the values of an adjacent light (for blue, something like 0.3, 0.4, & 0.7) and click the minus arrow until the lowest value (3 in this case)is at 0, and I do this for every color value. That would land me with something like 0, 0.1, 0.4, which you can then tinker with until you're satisfied with it in the level editor.
I hope that helped! Like I said, there's really no specific way to do it, it really depends on where they're being placed in the environment and how the player will perceive them.