1. #1
    IImayneII's Avatar Senior Member
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    Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    So I'm trying to make a weather change in my new track, with some thunder/lightning. I was looking at the single player track Swamp fever for some ideas, but I can't seem to figure out how the lightning works on that track. Does somebody have any ideas?
    It looks like they use an area condition (with sky all white) to make it brighter when the thunder strikes, but it seems I can't really get the same realistic feeling on my track. Anybody that has experience with this? I already did it in a track with just a light above the rider but like I said, it just doesn't have the right feeling for me. I'll keep playing with the settings, but some idea's to let me get there faster will be much appreciated.
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  2. #2
    Morfyboy's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    in my opinion dude, setting the lamp with the light settin gs, and the colour set correct looks the most effective way for lightning..check out my track OTHG n over, banshee only to see how i did my lightning effect(no self promotion), but it might give you a better idea for your choice.
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  3. #3
    IImayneII's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    Originally Posted by Morfyboy
    in my opinion dude, setting the lamp with the light settin gs, and the colour set correct looks the most effective way for lightning..check out my track OTHG n over, banshee only to see how i did my lightning effect(no self promotion), but it might give you a better idea for your choice.
    Just watched a replay and it looks pretty good. I'll try messing with the settings a bit. Thanks
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  4. #4
    TeriXeri's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    I'm actually working on a track with lightning at the moment as well, still doing a lot of fiddling with a random data source to properly have a light flash/sound turn on/off. (sound goes on for a few sec each thunder while light effect is only like a fraction of a second). Right now I use delay impulses tied to random data source but the "interval" seems to overwrite the actual delays sometimes so still thinking a solution.

    A huge area condition with brightness might work (using that right now) but also thinking of some extra camera effect or exposure for just a tiny sec during the flash to get the areas the right color, I need to see if I can tie that to the same triggers. I will update some basics if I get it to work.

    Edit: Tested with exposure changes and camera effect changes (Variable Data Source with Set Value Events to control numbers/camera effect type) combined with an area effector, you can get a lot of effects by mixing/matching values. I'm new to this type of customization but learning from it.

    Found this when googling, but will post my own diagram at some point when I'm happy with it. http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/632913-/62757094
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  5. #5

    Re: Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    For the flash, I normally use a point light set to uber bright and make it follow the rider with an ope then use a light on off toggle set to very low ticks. To make it realistic i set it to on,off then pause bout 0.5 seconds then on,off,on,off. Link the light effect to a random data source so it's not regimental and bobs your uncle.
    If you want a true randomness you need some mathematical logic but that's for another post if required.
    Good luck.
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  6. #6
    IImayneII's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    Originally Posted by Cruelty976
    For the flash, I normally use a point light set to uber bright and make it follow the rider with an ope then use a light on off toggle set to very low ticks. To make it realistic i set it to on,off then pause bout 0.5 seconds then on,off,on,off. Link the light effect to a random data source so it's not regimental and bobs your uncle.
    If you want a true randomness you need some mathematical logic but that's for another post if required.
    Good luck.
    Ok thanks, I already have a true randomness setup by just using different inputs (gass, leaning, brake...)to calculate a seed for the random number (at least I'm hoping this is true random, but I think it is )


    Originally Posted by TeriXeri
    I'm actually working on a track with lightning at the moment as well, still doing a lot of fiddling with a random data source to properly have a light flash/sound turn on/off. (sound goes on for a few sec each thunder while light effect is only like a fraction of a second). Right now I use delay impulses tied to random data source but the "interval" seems to overwrite the actual delays sometimes so still thinking a solution.

    A huge area condition with brightness might work (using that right now) but also thinking of some extra camera effect or exposure for just a tiny sec during the flash to get the areas the right color, I need to see if I can tie that to the same triggers. I will update some basics if I get it to work.

    Edit: Tested with exposure changes and camera effect changes (Variable Data Source with Set Value Events to control numbers/camera effect type) combined with an area effector, you can get a lot of effects by mixing/matching values. I'm new to this type of customization but learning from it.

    Found this when googling, but will post my own diagram at some point when I'm happy with it. http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/632913-/62757094
    We can share favorites so if you want we can do that too if you want to try my setup. I tried adding you to my friends list but I'm assuming you still can't go online? Did you try the solution from my thread already?


    At the moment I'm using
    - an area affector (with the sky turned white and some adjustments on other settings so it looks not to bright white like the mix with fog etc, didn't change other colors) Intensity changes from 0-100-0-100-0-100-0
    - Changing the exposure of the camera ( back and forth from 100 to 200)
    - Sound source (Thunder)

    The area affector and the exposure change at the same time (4 ticks in between, last change to normal is 8 ticks)

    I'm hesitant of using a light for this because I will already be having alot of lights (electric arcs, fire, lights) in my track. So far I'm happy with this setup, I'll keep messing with the settings a bit tough. I tried the camera effect (number 4) but it just looks to much off to use it for this.
    I don't think I'll be too much concentrating on relation between sound/lightning too much since in real life light is faster and doesn't always match the sound. If it looks and sounds good, I'm happy with that

    If you want to see the setup, let me know and I'll upload it somewhere so you can put it in your favs. I'm not using intervals btw, just delay filters with splitters.
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  7. #7
    TeriXeri's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: Lightning(Thunder) [Swamp fever]

    After yesterday learned a lot by experimenting. Mainly that when wanting "random" events it seems best to "loop" an interval trigger with a single tick into a "random" delayed trigger.

    Intervals would overwrite if directly used, but a delayed single impulse I think obeys the random number generator properly (4-12 seconds delay felt it averaged to 8 seconds as it should).

    Also adjusting camera effect/exposure with set value events gives extra options.

    Haven't needed lights so far for my desired effect.

    Thanks bassline for some extra tips.
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