Completely dark image ?

Started by jfmoyen, January 02, 2007, 07:08:53 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

jfmoyen

Hi,

I'm trying to make an eclipe -- as in the attached .tgd. However, the image is completely dark, as you can see from the preview. If I move the planet2 to the right (heading >= 4.45), I indeed start to get some light; if the planet is more to the left (as in the attached file), the scene is black, even though some of the "sun" is visible.

Not sure if this is a bug, a feature, or an user error... My interpretation would be that the light source is actually punctual, even if the disk has a certain size; when the "point" is masked, no light arrives to the ground. Indeed, I managed to "trick" TG by adding a second spotlight, 2 degrees left of the "real" sun, with no visible disk... But there should be some light from the enviro light, which apparently is not visible!

JF

3DGuy

#1
First of all, your camera is below the terrain. So move it up a bit. You can see what your height is when you move the camera, below the 3d preview it says 'Vheight'. That's the distance of your camera to the planet surface. If it's a negative number, it's below the surface.
Secondly, the size of the disc doesn't work accurately yet. There's only a small spot that actually gives light. Since the center of your sun is well behind the second planet it's completely dark. The 3D preview doesn't accurately show this.

See my thread about the eclipse here:http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=183.0

ps. if you change the heading of the sun to -1.4 you'll see some light in your atmosphere

jfmoyen

Quote from: 3DGuy on January 02, 2007, 11:26:05 AM
First of all, your camera is below the terrain. So move it up a bit.

Oops, that's embarrassing...  :o and it explains a lot !

But, I would have expected a completely dark landscape, if I'm below the ground: where comes I still do see something (at all) ? Or does it simply means that when the cam is below the ground, the results are more or less random?


QuoteSecondly, the size of the disc doesn't work accurately yet. There's only a small spot that actually gives light.

Yes, that's what I figured out. I tried to add a second spotlight on the edge of the "sun disc", and it works reasonnably well.

Is this regarded as a feature which is here to stay, or as a bug (or a limitation, at least) that will be eventually fixed?

Thanks,

JF

3DGuy

I think it's an issue :D They just added base functionality for the sun so you have light. And base for the disc but didn't connect the 2 yet. So it's neither a bug or a feature. One of the staffmembers mentioned it will be addressed in the future.