Testing random things around the map I'm currently working on, I managed to find a really beautiful effect I am really determined to add. Like in every outdoor map, I made a skybox and the substract my map is in a fake backdrop. In the skybox I can add the sun as a texture, but then I don't have the advantage of the sun covering things in my view any more and being so big like a real sun. I discovered that by making the sun a lightning corona, I can obtain a beautiful realistic sun effect. Attached a screenshot to display exactly how the sun covers some hills... a very beautiful view to be able to simulate.
However, I have a big problem with this; The only way I can do it is of course by adding the light with the corona somewhere in the corner of my map (not skybox as through skyboxes a light's corona doesn't render). When the player gets too close, it's easy to see when the image scrolls that the sun is just a fake light put somewhere in the nearby corner, and that ruins everything.
I thought about making the substract bigger while limiting access to the same area in then map, but ut2k4 has a problem in which geometry and everything else stops being rendered after a certain distance, hiding my light after 50000 meters / units or something like that. To test this just make a giant (but giant) cube in an empty map and substract it... what's too far from the camera displays cut away.
So what I need is an idea about how I could still have a sun made of a corona that covers what's around it like in the attached screenshot. The methods that would help me accomplish this are:
- A way to have the light itsself move together with each player's position in the rhythm of the skybox but without ever disappearing outside of my substract. This is probalby not possible unless you can map an item to the position of the camera in a way.
- A way for the corona to display like that through the skybox... most likely impossible.
- A way to fix the issue with not rendering anything after a certain distance in the 3D space (most preferred but I want it to be a map setting not UT one so it displays correctly for anyone I send it to).
- Alternatively to the above, a way for the light's corona to display over *everything* (outside of the substract from mid space and through this cut away distance too)
This is probably a difficult idea but I'd very much appreciate any way I can make it display in. It's a very nice effect and it's a shame for nothing to be doable for it when there are a bunch of ways. Don't forget however that the sun needs to stop displaying once the light (center of the corona) is covered by something else in the player's view (terrain, another mesh, anything), so the sun doesn't display through objects. So yeah, any idea is welcome.
However, I have a big problem with this; The only way I can do it is of course by adding the light with the corona somewhere in the corner of my map (not skybox as through skyboxes a light's corona doesn't render). When the player gets too close, it's easy to see when the image scrolls that the sun is just a fake light put somewhere in the nearby corner, and that ruins everything.
I thought about making the substract bigger while limiting access to the same area in then map, but ut2k4 has a problem in which geometry and everything else stops being rendered after a certain distance, hiding my light after 50000 meters / units or something like that. To test this just make a giant (but giant) cube in an empty map and substract it... what's too far from the camera displays cut away.
So what I need is an idea about how I could still have a sun made of a corona that covers what's around it like in the attached screenshot. The methods that would help me accomplish this are:
- A way to have the light itsself move together with each player's position in the rhythm of the skybox but without ever disappearing outside of my substract. This is probalby not possible unless you can map an item to the position of the camera in a way.
- A way for the corona to display like that through the skybox... most likely impossible.
- A way to fix the issue with not rendering anything after a certain distance in the 3D space (most preferred but I want it to be a map setting not UT one so it displays correctly for anyone I send it to).
- Alternatively to the above, a way for the light's corona to display over *everything* (outside of the substract from mid space and through this cut away distance too)
This is probably a difficult idea but I'd very much appreciate any way I can make it display in. It's a very nice effect and it's a shame for nothing to be doable for it when there are a bunch of ways. Don't forget however that the sun needs to stop displaying once the light (center of the corona) is covered by something else in the player's view (terrain, another mesh, anything), so the sun doesn't display through objects. So yeah, any idea is welcome.
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