Could someone give me a brief word on the differences between the three Model Lighting Types? How do flat, hilite and vertex differ? In performace? In appearance? Are there certain situations you'd want to use one over another?
hitsu_g Wrote:Could someone give me a brief word on the differences between the three Model Lighting Types? How do flat, hilite and vertex differ? In performace? In appearance? Are there certain situations you'd want to use one over another?
Flat is the fastest, it just calculates one single point in the middle of the model and lights the entire model with that light. It also looks the worse.
Hilite colors the entire model with the hilite color (like if something glows, like the JoeFoes when firing.)
Vertex is what you want for most models, it lights the model at every vertex and looks the best but is the slowest.
The other option that is important is diffuse lighting; look at the Scruffy screenshots. Scruffy has only two flat colors, black and light brown, but looks very good because of the diffuse lighting. The diffuse lighting uses the normals to calculate rounded/shaped parts of the model against the light. The weapons also have on diffuse lighting.
Diffuse lighting only works when vertex lighting is used, and it does add a speed cost. Most importantly, you need GOOD NORMALS in your models (check the normals in Animator, they should all be pointing away from the model and following the curves.)
[>] Brian
Brian, does JoeFoe have diffuse lighting turned on normally?
Alexander Smith Wrote:Brian, does JoeFoe have diffuse lighting turned on normally?
Sorry, I wasn't very clear -- diffuse lighting is all controlled by the user (in setup.) If you have vertex lighting turned on, you get it automatically (once you have vertex lighting on, you've already done most of the work to move to diffuse lighting.)
Things like projectiles and small objects should just use flat lighting, they aren't big enough to show good variation. Big things -- weapons, players, monsters, etc, should use vertex lighting.
[>] Brian