Light Cones

[buffy500]

I may have mentioned this before, but is there anyone who has figured out how to stop MSTS randomly lighting up bits of the train when using a light cone (ie for main night headlights) ?

I've tried as many variations on the lighting spec as I can think of, including taking MSTS Default as an example and I can't make it work without throwing light all over random faces of the train ruining the effect.

The current setting, (which fails badly) is

Code: Select all

  Light (
   comment( Sphere of light )
   Type ( 1 )
   Conditions (
    Headlight ( 3 )
    Unit ( 2 )
    TimeOfDay ( 2 )
    )
   Cycle  ( 0 )
   FadeIn ( 0.5 )
   FadeOut ( 0.5 )
   States ( 1
    State (
     Duration ( 0.0 )
 LightColour ( ffffffff )
 Position ( 0 1.55 11.60 )
 Transition ( 0 )
 Radius ( 40.0 )
 Angle ( 15.0 )

[jbilton]

Hi Dave

You could try increasing the distance of the cone from the loco

Position ( 0 1.55 31.60 )

You may have to alter the angle as well.

Cheers
Jon

[buffy500]

Jon

It started off well, but as you move the camera it reappears. I guess its a MSTS issue or maybe something broken by MSTSBin

I've never really understood what the angle changes, so its hard to play with it if you don't know what it does.

[jbilton]

Hi Dave
Well I've always thought the angle was in degrees from the horizontal ....I think I read that somewhere.

However according to

http://forums.trainsim.com/vbts/archive ... 19201.html

Its the shape of the cone ?..... 180 being a half circle.

I've had some success in the past by raising the height of the cone and then steepening the angle.


Position ( 0 21.55 101.60 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 40.0 )
Angle ( 35.0 )

Cheers
Jon

[rlmathers]

Hi Dave, try the following:

Light (
comment( Sphere of light )
Type ( 1 )
Conditions (
Headlight ( 3 )
Unit ( 2 )
)
Cycle ( 0 )
FadeIn ( 0.5 )
FadeOut ( 0.5 )
States ( 1
State (
Duration ( 0.0 )
LightColour ( ffffffaa )
Position ( 0.0 0.0 0.0 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 100.0 )
Angle ( 10.0 )
)
)
)

Light (
comment( Headlight Bright Front )
Type ( 0 )
Conditions (
Headlight ( 3 )
Unit ( 2 )
)
FadeIn ( 0.5 )
FadeOut ( 0.5 )
Cycle ( 0 )
States ( 1
State (
Duration ( 0.0 )
LightColour ( ffffffaa )
Position ( x y z )
Azimuth ( 0.0 0.0 0.0 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 0.4 )
)
)
)

Headlight position x y z to suit the model.
If this fails to correct the light, I am afraid it is down to the model being created with lit surfaces.

I've never really understood what the angle changes, so its hard to play with it if you don't know what it does.

Angle(n) (Cone lights only) the radius of the cone, in degrees.

Kindest regards
Ray

[jimmyladd]

I've always used this and found the the forwards light has to be in the loco itself otherwise it lights up the outside of it.
Light (
comment( Sphere of light - forward )
Type ( 1 )
Conditions (
Headlight ( 3 )
Unit ( 0 )
TimeOfDay ( 2 )
)
Cycle ( 0 )
FadeIn ( 0.25 )
FadeOut ( 0.5 )
States ( 1
State (
Duration ( 0.0 )
LightColour ( ffffffff )
Position ( 0 3.5 8 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 80.0 )
Angle ( 15.0 )
)
)
)
Light (
comment( Sphere of light - reverse )
Type ( 1 )
Conditions (
Headlight ( 2 )
Unit ( 0 )
TimeOfDay ( 2 )
)
Cycle ( 0 )
FadeIn ( 0.25 )
FadeOut ( 0.5 )
States ( 1
State (
Duration ( 0.0 )
LightColour ( ffffffff )
Position ( 0 3.5 -100 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 80.0 )
Angle ( 15.0 )
)
)
)

[rlmathers]

Only one cone type (1) is required.
The `Lights` glow type (0) can then be defined and the direction being controlled by Azimuth(min centre max)
This specifies the heading (rotation about the Y-axis) of glow lights.
Azimuth ( 0.0 0.0 0.0 ) forward
Azimuth ( 180.0 180.0 180.0 ) reverse

[buffy500]

Putting the light 'in' the model has, to a minor degree made a difference.

The light no longer shows up on the outside of the lead car, but it does show up on all the others depending on camera angle.

Model with no headlight on.


Same model, same location, slightly different camera position with a light cone being used.


Forward and rearward facing faces get lit depending where the camera is positioned.
As you can see from the 1st screen shot, there are no external bright surfaces, with 10 years building models, I have that covered

[douglee]

Hi Dave,
First as most know I do not build models, so know next to nothing about this, nevertheless.

The second vehicle's front is illuminated. Could this be reflection of the Headlight off of the vehicle in front.
I do not even know if reflection is part of the parameters.

This is probably no help but I have, by looking at things differently, unintentionally found solutions in the past.

Good luck
Doug

[buffy500]

Hi Dave,
First as most know I do not build models, so know next to nothing about this, nevertheless.

The second vehicle's front is illuminated. Could this be reflection of the Headlight off of the vehicle in front.
I do not even know if reflection is part of the parameters.

This is probably no help but I have, by looking at things differently, unintentionally found solutions in the past.

Good luck
Doug

It certainly looks as if its reflecting from the surface, but it also reflects off the rear facing surfaces, nothing else in MSTS shows any 'reflection' so I have to think its not intentional, and given that its reflecting from an area where the light is something like 300m away so its not a good look.

[douglee]

Hi Dave,
As I said. I know nussing!

Sorry I could not be of any help.

Good luck
Doug

[rlmathers]

Forward and rearward facing faces get lit depending where the camera is positioned.
As you can see from the 1st screen shot, there are no external bright surfaces, with 10 years building models, I have that covered

Are the interiors lit, model texture/s, I ask because if there is any leeching to the exterior these will be lit from the sphere of light source.

[rlmathers]

Thanks to Doug, I had a rethink, tried different routes with same consist.
No `reflections`, so this apparition seems to be route dependent, the sphere of light is lighting other textures, track or objects along the route which in turn `relect` on the model as it passes.
The only solution to this is to have precise\limited lighting definitions for the model/s.
ie. reduced radii and angle.

[douglee]

Hi All,
I read these tech forums in the hope that I'll learn something (Hasn't worked yet ) but it looks as if I was almost right. Don't worry I'll not let it go to my head.

Good luck
Doug

[buffy500]

In the end, this appears to work ok(ish)

Code: Select all

 Position ( -1 0 20 )
 Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 20.0 )
Angle ( 5.0 )