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Hi Everyone,

I know this is a really noobish question but I have been looking into how the lighting works with FPS Creator on the forums and after searching quite a bit I have read that the best way to do the lighting is to set the Ambiance to 0 through Setup.ini. My question is where do I find Setup.ini as I am completely bewildered to the answer of it.

I have been playing around with FPSC for quiet some time but only now starting to take a serious approach at actually making a game with it, and there are still quite a few things I am yet to learn in relation to it.

Thanks
Shep

The "setup.ini" is located in the folder "The Game Creators\FPS Creator". Either check the default location or where you installed it (default is "C:\Program Files\The Game Creators\FPS Creator" (or C:\Program Files (x86) on 64 bit system)). Just a point- if you are making changes to the file, you will need to ensure FPSC is not open otherwise your changes will not take effect.

You can also use the , and . keys in test game to change the ambiance. It's easier to do BlackFox's way though.

Never found a way to change the ambiance in setup.ini those ambient settings are for lightmapping, you can change ambiance by hand in setuplevel.fpi however

Files\languagebank\english\gamebank\mygame

:state=0:ambience=25,ambiencered=255,ambiencegreen=255,ambienceblue=255

It is in fact easier to change it in level test by using the , and . keys and pressing enter within a few seconds to save it

My post above was to point out where the "setup.ini" file was located. As Rolfy mentioned, you can either change the ambiance via the "setuplevel.fpi" (located in "languagebank\english\gamebank\FOLDER" --> if testing from editor it will be the mygame folder); or you can change with a script in the level attached to a trigger zone.

You can also go into build game under files level settings and the click edit next to globalScripts.

You will see ambiance levels there.

But the best way if you using a newer version is to use the , and . keys and press enter in test game.

Cheer s4real

Thank you very much all for your suggestions and info. I will give it all a shot and see how I get on.

Thank you
Shephard

hi
I designed the room and placed some entities
the room are dark but dynamic entity are bright...why?

can someone help me?

@Bisella :- What version of fpsc are you using ?

If you want help its always best to put up computer specs what version of fpsc you using.

Also what models you using in the game and if possible put up a test map for us to download using stock stuff.

best s4real

Specs have nothing to do with this issue. This issue has been around for a long time and has been reported/brought up back earlier in v1.17. I can provide screens showing exactly what the OP is referring to.

Test example

I have a level from our Egyptian development. A building that I can enter (in segment form). Egyptian chests line the walls (static form). I have no static or dynamic lights in this level. Full screen shaders are off (I never use them).



On the left wall you will see the following items placed on the chests- binoculars, matches, lighter, flashlight, an artifact, and explosives. With the exception of the artifact and explosives, all the others are dynamic and made into weapons. The artifact and explosives use the "appear1.fpi/disappear1.fpi" scripts and the weapons use "appear2.fpi/weapon.fpi/disappear2.fpi" scripts. All use a _D2 texture except the explosives (which use a TGA texture).



In the center wall we have food inventory items that can be picked up and used to restore health. All are dynamic, use a D2 texture, and use "appear1.fpi/disappear1.fpi" scripts.



On the right we have two canteens- the "darker" one is static, the "lighter" one is dynamic and made into a weapon. They both use D2 texture, both use "appear1.fpi/disappear1.fpi" scripts.



Now, at the start of the level I had the following in my "setuplevel.fpi"...

:state=0:ambience=50,ambiencered=255,ambiencegreen=255,ambienceblue=255

In other words, my ambience is set to a value of "50". Using the ",." default keys to raise/lower ambience, I lower to zero. Here is the left side with the matches, binoculars, lighter, flashlight showing. Notice you cannot see the artifact or the explosives.



Now we look at where the food items and canteen are. All we see is the dynamic canteen- everything else (dynamic food, static canteen) are not visible.



Conclusion

As my example has shown, I had a stock item (artifact) made dynamic and using the same scripts as others. Yet when I adjust the ambience in the test level, it can't be seen but the other dynamic items (except food) can be seen ("shiny" as the OP put it). That is the issue, and is quite a pain when attempting to script a level involving lighting changes and seeing items in a dark room.

I've also done a similar level and used items like the Anubis character from MP17 and when lowering the ambience the Anubis characters are "shiny" and everything else is not visible as you stand in a dark room.

I even tried a "stock" room to keep with the request. Bunker level medium used with the Colt 45, MP40, and an artifact.



Starting the level with ambience set to "50", I lower and voila... The weapons are still visible and the artifact cannot be seen.



I've taken the items out, I've rebuilt the level from scratch- same results. I've used in v1.17 and even ported into VM v1.18-1.20 and again- the same result. I've sifted through the engine code and although there are a couple of items that caught my eye, I still could not get it to adjust correctly.

This may be the case but we do like system specs when given reports with issues for are records.

I think this problem is related to shaders, I set myself a test level and didn't have the issue but if you could load a map using stock with the problem then I will look into it.

Best s4real

System specs are not the issue. I ran my example on the systems I mentioned. The VM systems don't even use the same video driver, so that won't help you. I've yet to be convinced on how specs play a vital part. "My level is running low FPS"- yes, specs are an issue. This issue of objects (dynamic) still visible when ambience is turned down is not a system spec issue, but it is engine related.



I *did* do a stock level- the last two screenshots I provided in my post above is all stock. However, I have sorted out the issue, and a big thanks goes to Dale (Cosmic Prophet) who took my phone call and explained exactly what the issue is.

I run with shaders off. According to Dale, this issue has in fact been a thorn for some time. Hence, shaders were developed for entities to *fix* this issue. So, heeding Dale's advice, I turned on my full screen shaders and loaded the stock map I made. This time I added my water canteen from my Egyptian level as well into the stock map. I right-click on my canteen and set the effect to the shader "effectbank\bumpent\bumpent.fx", and did the same to the stock MP40. Here we go with shaders on and ambience set to "50" at start.



I adjust my ambience to go to zero and...



...voila!!! The canteen and MP40 (with the effect applied) also no longer still show in dark room. Only the Colt 45 (no effect on it) is showing.

Documentation on shaders is... limited to say the least. There is no documentation given that I could find that explains how/why/when/what shaders to use where. I'm surprised even the Official Community Guide(s) did not list any information for new people. As I had to glean info from Dale, he too said that information was very limited and sadly neglected. I agree. How can a shader problem exist in my example if I am not even using shaders to begin with? That makes no sense to me at all. In my Egyptian example, my food is all dynamic and they don't show when the ambience goes to zero. Stock items like the artifact also do not show, and yet weapons show, some characters show.

The conclusion: as Dale pointed out, I (and others like the fellow that asked the question to begin with) will need to run shaders on and assign a shader to prevent dynamic entities from doing this. This is a vital piece of information that somehow never seemed to be "common" knowledge. Since I have never really experienced shader usage, Dale says i will be pleased with the results if I do in fact use them in our developments. I just find it strange if shaders are off, why the issue occurs. I can see it happening if shaders were on and the wrong shader is applied, but not when off.

In any event, I've solved my issue I presented to you in the previous post. Thanks Dale!!

If you did phone then I have not been in so sorry about that.

As for specs this is for our records and is nothing to do with the problem in hand and gives us an idea what people are using, thats why we always ask for system specs.

It would be nice to still have a example map with the issue.

for some odd reason I cant replicate the issues.

best s4real

I submitted screenshots, both from a level in our development and a test level. I will not submit the physical levels- one is our development and the other is only stock. If you cannot replicate it, then my submission is pointless yet my screenshots clearly show the issue.

To avoid dancing round and round, let me put it this way. The engine has an issue with dynamic/static entities. When ambience is turned down, some dynamic entities remain visible (and shiny) while some do not show (per my examples). After talking to Dale, I turned on shaders and applied a shader to the affected entities. It solved the issue. I do not see why this happens when shaders are not even on. Do you even know why that is? Do you know why one must have full shaders on and do this step just to solve this issue? That is the point- this information is valid to not just myself who has done developments for years, but new people that ask or still use classic. And it appears to affect us in v1.17 right through to v1.20. Even if you do fix it in the unofficial, it will not do me or anyone not using v1.20 for developments any good, will it? No, we are stuck with a work around that I have submitted and demonstrated the success.

Even a few others I have talked to have also stated this has always been an issue (Dale included) and the solution was to apply shader(s) when needed. It escapes me why this is to be- I get the wrong shader can cause issues, but items where no effects are applied to the entity(s) and shaders turned off baffles me. I know in time I will probably find another section of code causing this and address it.

At any rate, I won't be submitting further. The solution I posted worked for us. While I recognize at times issue(s) can't or don't get replicated, I also recognize my fix may or may not work. Just wanted to post in case others have issues and attempt to glean information from the forum.

You seem a bit agitated and when I ask for a example I mean with stock (you should know this.)


I think bond did post a shader that fixed the issue a bit ago that you add to your models.

The issue is to do with the new shader system bond added from v1.17 as it uses new ps2.0 shaders(not full screen shaders).

The new shader system also had an effect on a few things as well and does need looking at as it effected jpeg as well.



Well I can't see why it won't do you any good as you could add the fix to your mod.

Best s4real