Can't see rusty key

[Fidcal]

I'm having a hard time seeing a rusty key in my mission even though I know where it is so the player won't have much chance. In addition, the frob highlight is also almost indistinguishable. I thought I'd see if I could boost the frob highlight then at least if the player looks somewhere near it should glow in the dark. But I lost the trail searching for the material. I've looked in key_simple_01.ase, bc_misc.mtr, door_related.mtr, door_related.skin but can't determine the material.

[greebo]

Which key and which skin are you using exactly? key_simple_01.ase?

 

The model key_simple_01.ase is using the bc_keymetal shader (defined in keys.mtr) by default.

 

There is a rusty skin defined in door_related.skin, namely key_simple_rust, which replaces the default shader with the key_simple_rust shader.

 

The key_simple_rust shader is also in the keys.mtr material file.

[Fidcal]

That's the one I think - thanks greebo. I was looking in the door_related material file.

[Baddcog]

Sorry, I thought I had moved all key materials into door related, guess I missed one.

[Fidcal]

No they have their own dedicated materials file and they are all in there so I suppose it is intended.

 

Earlier I boosted the highlight and it definitely makes it better - though I overdid it so will have to experiment. When I've done I can commit it but I think there a few materials that need changes. For instance by comparison the frob highlights of the light wood shutter doors in Den where quite bright compared to say the dark crate skin. I think most are probably OK but a few need adjusting.

[Springheel]

Yes, this is a task that needs doing...many highlights are not bright enough, especially on fairly light-coloured objects.

[Fidcal]

OK, I've now increased the frob highlight on the rusty key from 0.15 to 0.20. I was surprised it only needed a little. I just followed a friendly AI in ambient light and with the lantern on and in both cases the frob highlights clearly yet discreetly.

[Dram]

Yes, this is a task that needs doing...many highlights are not bright enough, especially on fairly light-coloured objects.

Indeed, dark objects also have this problem - wine bottle

[Fidcal]

Yes, but haha! I've set a trap in my mission which relies on the player not noticing the bottle which will fall down! But I guess I should increase that highlight. I'll have a look later on...

[Fidcal]

I've now increased the frob highlight on the wbottle. But this may need more consideration because the label/cork are overbright but the dark glass highlight is barely visible. Most views you can see the label or cork though.

[greebo]

Maybe we need a different blend type for the frobhighlight here. Something like this:

{
	if ( parm11 > 0 )
	blend	   gl_one_minus_dst_color, gl_one
	map		 models/darkmod/props/textures/wbottle01_d
	rgb		 parm11
}
{
	if ( parm11 > 0 )
	blend	   add
	map		_white
	rgb		 0.05 * parm11
}

This should increase the brightness uniformly by adding _white*0.05 and pronounce the darker bits by blending with gl_one_minus_dst_color.

[Springheel]

Oh, while I'm thinking of it...can we confirm yet whether both "if" statements are needed for the froblight? I remember there was some disagreement about that.

[Fidcal]

Yes, that makes it highlight uniformly - though the value was too high. I put in

 

rgb 0.001 * parm11

 

and it's about right. I'd like to have seen it slightly lower just to be sure but it won't go any lower than that. Maybe use a grey instead of white? Anyway it is far better. thanks. Breaks my trap though. Have to reduce frob distance methinks.

[greebo]

Oh, while I'm thinking of it...can we confirm yet whether both "if" statements are needed for the froblight? I remember there was some disagreement about that.

It mostly depends on the texture you want to highlight. I can imagine that many materials will do with a pure blend add using a _white*0.4 texure, but some (like the winebottle above) require both, one to increase the brightness, and one for the detail/contrast.

 

Going through this and judging it is probably a (admittedly boring) job of a texture artist or ambitioned mapper, I guess.

 

I'd like to have seen it slightly lower just to be sure but it won't go any lower than that. Maybe use a grey instead of white?

You mean, lower factors than 0.001 won't make any difference anymore? If that's the case, switching to a grey texture might do the trick, but this would have to be uploaded as separate file. The _white is built-in, but a grey texture is not there, as far as I know. Not a real hinderance, just saying.

 

Playing around with the blend equations might also produce better results.

[Fidcal]

Yes, that's right. I kept lowering it and lowering it by a factor of 10 until I realized it was making no difference anymore. Then I raised it back till it did.

 

I'm experimenting with a plain grey for a fog sky. I'll do some tests later.

[Fidcal]

Have now committed a new mid grey texture and modified the wbottle highlight to use it. The frob highlight is now both uniform and more subtle.

 

It references the grey texture directly :

		map		textures/darkmod/misc/grey_mid
	rgb		 0.03 * parm11

The new misc textures folder might be useful for odd textures that don't fit standard categories.

[Springheel]

I think the sfx folder would probably be the one for something like that.

[Fidcal]

Can't see how to move this with SVN.

[greebo]

Right-click-drag the file to the destination folder and choose "SVN Move versioned files here". It's important to use the RMB. Then commit. Then remove the misc/ folder and commit that too.

 

I can move it for you as well, if you want me to.

[Fidcal]

OK - thanks. I might as well get the practice. Now done and tested OK.