The past few developer blog entries discussed key elements of Game Development. Today, we continue our journey by introducing another important topic: Lighting.
Lighting isn't simply what we can see. It also significantly impacts gameplay by directly affecting elements ranging from User Experience to World Building. This article will demonstrate the steps taken when performing an environmental lighting pass. To illustrate the subject, we'll use one of the worlds seen on LEMNIS GATE's reveal trailer.
0- Darkness: Before we even start, this is how a level looks without light sources.
1- Skylight: When performing lighting passes, we use a “Start big, then go smaller” approach. We begin with skylights. These provide a source of ambient lighting that will prevent the level from having completely dark areas when combined with the next steps.
2- Primary Directional: The first (of two) directional lights we add to every LEMNIS GATE world represents its main source of light (usually a sun or moon in the sky) and defines the map’s overall colour and temperature. It is also the only light source that will cast shadows.
3- Secondary Directional: The second directional light is placed in the scene opposite to the primary directional one. It attenuates the primary’s shadows and colours and has the benefit of increasing the level’s readability.
4-Local/Detail Lights: Additional lights are added to specific areas of the level (buildings, catwalks, etc.) to make them cohesively blend with the rest of the level. These lights are crucial for indicating gameplay paths, emphasizing certain areas, or making objectives more readable. Where possible, we try our best to ensure natural or technological sources justify these light sources.
5-Fog: Although it is not a light source, fog does interact with lights in the scene and can drastically change the overall readability within a level. In LEMNIS GATE, fog is generally added on the outskirts of the map. This is done to keep the player’s vision clear of any obstruction while providing visual assistance to separate characters from the level's background elements.
6- Post FX: Finally, we wrap things up with post-effect colour-grading. This artificial process allows us to tweak existing values of colours, shadows and highlights to achieve a certain visual aesthetic not otherwise possible.
Given that LEMNIS GATE is a fast-paced, multiplayer experience, the overuse of dynamic lights and shadows can quickly compromise the game's performance. This is why our process must focus on smooth gameplay and readability. When these elements and constraints are combined with the artist's vision, we find ourselves striking a balance between performance and creativity; a combination that promises a gaming experience to remember!
Want to learn more about our upcoming mind-bending experience? Follow LEMNIS GATE’s official accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to stay in the loop!
* All images presented in this article represent a work in progress.