Dynamic lighting

[Rick]

So are we only able to have 3 dynamic lights in an entire scene? Every time I introduce a 4th, one of my other lights stops working.

 

I'm using all models and no csg so lightmapping lights don't seem to be an option. Am I totally screwed with this or what can I do here?

[Rastar]

There were some posts on this, e.g.

 

http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/6162-le3-how-many-dynamic-lights/page__hl__dynamic+light

http://www.leadwerks.com/werkspace/topic/7194-dynamic-lights-only-3-visible/page__hl__dynamic+light

 

According to them (haven't tried it myself) you can have more than 4, but only the 4 closest to the camera will be rendered.

[Rick]

OK, yeah I wasn't counting the directional. So basically having many distant lights isn't going to work. Just tested and I see now how it works. Will have to redesign. Thanks.

[YouGroove]

For mobile i agree, 2 lights perhaps can be better in performance indeed.

 

If you target PC fast indie game not using deferred, than it's limited actually.

Im' not sure deffered to be the holy grail, indie games can run on even basic PC not Crysis configuration PC.

Even some 3D engines allow any number of lights and the engine manage to activate the nearest lights to camera.

 

Light projector will help to by pass that limitation also (heavy used in Doom3)

 

@Rick :

Could you create dynamically the lights/deactivate depending on camera distance ?

Yo could avoid that limit this way ?

[Rick]

It seems LE is already doing this for us, so no need. I had many lights in 1 area so camera distance wouldn't matter. I could have maybe done visibility check but that could have issues as well with light sources "popping" up when you look around. I just have to remember to not have so many in a small area. The deferred renderer will be ideal but that'll have to wait.

[shadmar]

Quick tip :

 

Each model or csg brush will be lit up by the four closest lights.

Small test using csg tiles as floor and an imported geosphere :

 

14 pointlights in the same scene :

 

If the floor was in one piece it would look bad (only four lights would appear, but if you slice up, there is really no limit to lights.

 

[YouGroove]

But your spheres are CSG or models ?

[shadmar]

Models.. (it says so in the third line)

[Rick]

I can't see your picture but that would make sense from what I'm seeing as the starting room is all 1 model and I noticed I could only get the 2 front torches and the fire to show up. I tried adding 2 torches at the back wall and it didnt' work. The good thing is the hallway is made up on many of the same models so I should be good to light that up some more! Thanks