The Importance of Lighting in Tracks. | Forums

[Blastergamer]

Can this topic get stickied? It's very helpful for track making!

[Surrur]

Usually you see that people havent thought a bit of visulization if they are using default skies.

With good reference you can actually make pretty cool skies.

[empecee]

to be fair if the track . line ,decor and background is good i hardly notice .. if its there its there . if not im not bothered . some tracks suit it some dont . and some noob builders like myself struggle with lighting and effex . and just get to a point and stop out of frustration .and some people like smeg seem to have it in there blood . i think it depends on the circumstance . in your video i just see 4 versions of the same track .all seem fine to me . i would love to have smegs eye . but i dont. so you get the best i can do . witch sometimes isnt a bad thing . just different ..there thats my opinion .

[Morfyboy]

light can make a massive difference.. everyone that builds should really get used to the lighting in the editor...its a massive programme.. theres loads you can do with light believe me... you can create all kinds of illusions...i personally go out of my way to create shadows,etc by putting objects in the sky...this is one thing i try to spend time on....
for me, lighting is always last..now that i have everything down on paper as to what and how im doing things, i leave the light to the end..i can then give the track its 'look' n 'feel' once my objects, obstacles etc,etc, are down...
kudos to FLYER80 for volunteering to use an example...but it was still a top track mate...

great topic..

[D2Dahaka]

Once I adjusted to the depth good lighting gives to the overall image, there's no going back. Tracks with the lighting killed look very flat no matter how detailed they are IMHO. Once upon a time i never paid attention and couldn't tell the difference, but now they stick out like a sore thumb. I've seen the light so to speak.

All IMHO BTW

[empecee]

flyer 80s track was mint .. he used light in the white edging on the ramps . and point lights when needed .i dont think shadows on that track would have worked. would have looked messy ..it reminded me of tron . it was well lit as i could see where i was going , and he wanted that futuristic style .

[Morfyboy]

let us for a minute think about the editor..it has a whole massive section just for the lighting alone..it probably took some guy/guys a long time to do and cost 10 of thousands of pounds to do..with this alone, i dont think we should dismiss the lighting very easily...
there is so much to gain by spending time using this feature...light in evo for me, now im understanding and learning always, is a big factor in building great 5* tracks to be proud of.. i dont think im near that level yet, but i will be one day..

[Blastergamer]

I ask again:
Can this topic get stickied?

[empecee]

me to morfy . my new track is nearly finished . and its ram packed full of shadows and light . but to be honest im really not sure what im doing . im just experimenting and its trial and error .i hate lighting tracks because i dont know what im doing .i really think there are people like i said b4 like smeg who have a natural talent for this stuff and there are people like me who just like making lines and dread having to light it afterwards .

[Morfyboy]

well, i had an idea for that..i know it was a bit of a cop out, but i re-released a few tracks for the gecko n banshee, just so i could experiment with more effects...they actually turned out alot better than i anticipated...

building tracks is certainly time consuming, and im 40 in a few weeks...i havnt got alot more years in me when it comes to gaming, and also have a family...i just want to crack the building lark..my only problem is,theres something different every day that i get taught...i think we all have strengths though mate..you can only get better is what i stick to, and if i learn something for the better off each track, then that'll do for me..., i wouldnt have it any other way.....