Hi all,
I'm having a lot of problems with jagged edges on my lightmaps. The -super 2 and -sample 2 and -filter switches all help, but it's still not good enough.

Now looking through the worldspawn keys i've noticed "gridsize". By default I think it's 64 64 64 (x y z). When left at this, a verbose q3map2 -light brings the gridsize up as (32 32 32). Fair enough I thought - that's q3map2's default. However, it doesn't matter what I set gridsize to - it always comes up different in -light e.g. When setting the gridsize to 8 8 8, -light brings it up as (40 24 24)!? The compile takes longer (funnily enough) but there is hardly an improvement in my shadow quality. Is this a bug in q3map2, as according to worldspawn the lightmap should have 8 times the resolution (64/8=8)?

Any thoughts?

I've just looked in this thread:

http://66.90.64.18/showthread.php?s=&threadid=124437)

please don't tell me the command starts with an underscore as in:

_gridsize


If it is, can someone please tell me why they haven't written the entities.def properly? (grrrr)

Also, on a side note, can anyone tell me what has happened to the -notexscale (or something) switch or at least its altenatives?

Gridsize won't affect lightmap quality, the gridsize affects dynamic entity lighting (such as players moving around). A larger grid means there are less points with light data stored so your character won't be lighted properly according to his position.

Try -light -fast -samples 3 -patchshadows

Cheers WadeV1589

With the -samples switch, I assume the higher the number the more precise the lighting?

Does anyone know anything about the -samplesize switch. On shaderlab it says it sets the lightmap pixel to NxN size, so I assume the smaller the better? Can anyone confirm this as I have not really noticed any difference in final image quality.

I just need to get rid of the aliasing caused by my sun in my map. I'll try that -samples 3 tonight

Edit: I've just found this:

q3map_sunExt [red] [green] [blue] [intensity] [degrees] [elevation] [deviance] [samples]

The deviance should create a nice penumbra. I'll add a q3map_surfaceLight with a low value to soften everything up and then use that -samples 3 to smooth everything out.

Is there a way though to get pin sharp shadows without having to resort to this?

Wayhey! I'm now a pit-droid!

Yes, higher samples values will perform more smoothing but will increasing compile times exponentially.

If you want to use a high samples and try and cut down compile times, func_group brushes and set _lightmapscale keys on them, use 4 or 8 when you really don't need shadows, 0.25 or 0.125 when you want very clear and crisp shadows.

Remember, you use _lightmapscale on the brushes that receive the shadows, not the ones casting them.

I don't mind compile times - I usually leave a final compile to run overnight or when i'm in work.

For the func_group, _lightmapscale tip, can you do that on brushes that form the hull of the map, as in, does it still leave the brushes structural?

I didn't know you could add the _lightmapscale with func_groups. I was anticipating a LOT of shader editing:) I think that's exactly what I was after!

Cheers again - a true fountain of knowledge:)

Q3Map2 calculates func_groups just like any brush, wether they're detail or not is determined by what you make it. This isn't SOWTF2MAP, you know. :)

Originally posted by GothiX
This isn't SOWTF2MAP, you know. :)

Heh heh, cheers:) I just wanted to make sure before I started - i've got a LOT of grouping to do tonight...

Edit: Sorry i'm thick. Just looked over:
http://shaderlab.com/q3map2/manual/drafts/ent_keys.htm#lightmapscale)
again and it says basically what you've both just told me. It's just my puny brain was incapable of understanding it.

Thanks for helping!