hi all. i just started mapping with radiant, so I'm still pretty unsure on how to do a lot of things. For now, i really just have one question. How do I make my map darker? when i compile it, it just ends up being very, very bright, and the textures look ugly. How can i darken it?

When you compile it are you selecting low quality. the different ways you can compile are the quality you compile in(the ones on the top are low quality, the ones on the bottom are high). when you compile in low quality it lights the whole map really brightly.

Are you sure you chose a compile that included the LIGHT stage?

There are three compile stages: BSP and VIS are necessary for gameplay, but LIGHT just makes stuff look amazingly cool - by applying lighting to the map. Some of the default GtkRadiant compile options don't include the LIGHT process, because it's the most time-intensive of them. If you don't run it, the map comes out "fullbright:" every surface is lit 100%.

And don't set a default brightness for your map either, unless you REALLY REALLY want to.