Spot light shines through geometry

[Christian Bahr]

It works! I did think about this yesterday and thank you for reminding me about it But! If you just flip normals of the whole object, then the light will not affect only the face which is turned towards the light, but all other faces will be lit. This is the configuration in which the light does not get to the third object:

View attachment 69497View attachment 69498

Great, I am very happy that you have come a step further

 

[ZdenniZ]

Great, I am very happy that you have come a step further

Too early to get happy 😄. The method works ok with uniform faces, but not with structures like this:

There are multiple area lights beneath the structure and no matter what faces I flip, it looks like it keeps refracting inside of the wood and come to its narrow sides. The sides directly facing the light (flipped) are fine, but the side faces still get lit. Nuts getting I am

 

[rhumbaflappy]

I am a novice with Blender. But would it be possible to create an invisible object with flipped normals to act as a 'light container'?

 

[Pyscen]

That is a possibility. Not sure, but was Solidifying the walls help at all?

 

[chongwen20110901]

I have the same issue, see how the light is leaking out in this picture.

Besides, I have another issue, where my textures appear to be dark in the night.

 

[ZdenniZ]

I am a novice with Blender. But would it be possible to create an invisible object with flipped normals to act as a 'light container'?

Nope, not going to work. Flipped normals just prevent displaying light effect on the face turned directly to the light. They don't block it. If you put another object on the way of the light with "normal normals" after the object with a flipped face it will still be lit.

That is a possibility. Not sure, but was Solidifying the walls help at all?

Nope, all the way. Shines right through.

 

[ZdenniZ]

Besides, I have another issue, where my textures appear to be dark in the night.

Your emission is probably set to black, set it to white.

 

[chongwen20110901]

Your emission is probably set to black, set it to white.

Thank you so much! It works after setting emission to white. It's strange how all my other texture sets works fine with emission set to black.

 

[GaryGB]

One might wonder if this is a function of the Blender- and Rendering engine- ...numeric versions being used ex: Cycles versus Eevee ?


I have not yet begun to study Blender, but I was curious as to whether this issue had already been dealt with by non-MSFS users ?

https://www.google.com/search?clien...hUKEwiFja7byfzuAhWWVc0KHToVAhYQ4dUDCAw&uact=5


NOTE: AFAIK, links to currently available documentation for Blender Cycles versus Eevee Light settings ...may be found here:

Rendering - Blender 4.1 Manual

docs.blender.org

Links to currently available documentation for Light settings common to BOTH Blender Cycles and Eevee ...may be found here:

Light Objects - Blender 4.1 Manual

docs.blender.org

IIUC, since the OP cites use of a "Spot" light, one must distinguish its attributes and behavior from a "Lamp" light.

https://download.blender.org/documentation/htmlI/ch12s02.html


Reportedly, if one uses a "Halo" with a Spot light, it may shine through solids like an improperly configured 'Lamp' light:

https://forums.cgsociety.org/t/spot-light-goes-through-object/829523/5


Also, I notice in some examples attached above in this thread, that the light scatters through the object and illuminates ex: the grass; perhaps this might be attenuated by use of a thin Contact Shadow, as in most FS 3D models we use single thin (sur-)Face manifold solids ?

https://blender.stackexchange.com/q...light-goes-through-the-egdes-of-a-simple-cube


Apparently, Spot light "Clip Start" value should be below the distance to the shadow casters or they won't cast a shadow; however, because of how shadow mapping works, Spot light "Clip Start" values must not be zero.


And, IIUC, Spot light "Exponent" value may also need to be increased as an inherent restriction of 'ESM' to configure 'Contact Shadows':

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&ei=50EzYNbtEI2QtAa4wpgI&q=Blender+ESM+"Exponent"+value&oq=Blender+ESM+"Exponent"+value&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAM6CwguELADEJECEJMCOggILhCwAxCRAjoLCAAQsQMQgwEQsAM6DgguELEDEMcBEKMCELADOgsILhDHARCjAhCwAzoLCC4QsQMQgwEQsAM6BwgAELADEEM6CAgAELEDEIMBOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoECAAQQzoCCC46CAguELEDEIMBOgUIIRCgAToGCAAQBxAeOggIABAIEAcQHjoFCAAQhgNQuRRY4WRg231oAXAAeACAAcQBiAGSC5IBBDExLjOYAQCgAQGgAQKqAQdnd3Mtd2l6yAEKwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwiW_eyC4vzuAhUNCM0KHTghBgEQ4dUDCA0&uact=5


GaryGB

 

[ZdenniZ]

GaryGB

Well, I can tell you that msfs tools exported gltf couldn't care less about the shadows or other light properties. Here is everything that it contains re. the light:

        {
            "extensions" : {
                "ASOBO_macro_light" : {
                    "color" : [
                        1.0,
                        0.8808786,
                        0.312363118
                    ],
                    "intensity" : 0.0,
                    "cone_angle" : 360.0,
                    "has_simmetry" : false,
                    "flash_frequency" : 0.0,
                    "flash_duration" : 0.0,
                    "flash_phase" : 0.0,
                    "rotation_speed" : 0.0,
                    "day_night_cycle" : true
                }
            },
            "name" : "Point",
            "rotation" : [
                0.7071067690849304,
                0,
                0,
                0.7071068286895752
            ],
            "translation" : [
                -4.604541778564453,
                1.8773503303527832,
                2.7651937007904053
            ]
        },

The same goes for Asobo's example in the SDK's SimpleScenery sample. They just did this on purpose for performance reasons, as I am scared even thinking what would happen if every light source in the sim produced shadows. After some testing the flipped face/double sided material thing, I can confirm it is really less than ideal. The reason being that now the sunlight shines through the whole object because of the double-sidedness of the material. It's just what it is for now.

Btw Evee correctly handles the light:

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Yep. It means emissive textures are the only recourse to imitate nighttime light reflection from surfaces.

 

[ZdenniZ]

Yep. It means emissive textures are the only recourse to imitate nighttime light reflection from surfaces.

Sad but true.

 

[Mikea.at]

Blender an the rendering engine has nothing to do with how the models get exported.
You can imagin it like this, there are 2 "workflows"
You build your scenes and models and then.
1. some specific setting are used to generate a gltf file ready for msfs
2. the blender2msfs plugin is generating a node setup just that you see in blender what maybe will be in msfs.
there are settings witch effect both 1. and 2. but if you use other methods blender specific and not exporter relevant this will only effect the viewport but not the generated gltf file.

the difference between a blender spot light and the point light is for example just the cone radius. the point light gets 360 by default.
the lights allways use the asobo_macro_light (at the moment the only one available, as far as i know)

so the light is working as it is designed. sad that the lighting section in the sdk doc is still a todo

If you place a light just for the reason to light up your model there is also the solution to bake the light in blender to a texture and use that as the emissive texture. then the model is looks realisic lit without lights in the scene

 

[chongwen20110901]

If you place a light just for the reason to light up your model there is also the solution to bake the light in blender to a texture and use that as the emissive texture. then the model is looks realisic lit without lights in the scene

Can you maybe explain this in detail? If I'm trying to light up the whole interior of a terminal, is this method possible? Thanks in advance.

 

[TheFlightSimGuy]

Thanks for this thread. I have the same issue so I've been following it with interest. It's not the Blender lights that are the problem as you can add one of the Asobo lights into your building and it suffers the same issue.

My current work around is to have multiple interior lights at the lowest power possible angled in such a way that the bleed externally is contained directly below my building (which is raised) on concrete stilts. I then add airport miscellania (such as baggage etc) and other external lights to illuminate the same area in such a way that the bleed through from the internal lights is drowned out by the external lights.

I've been told that the issue is down to the fact that only the sun casts shadows in the sim for performance reason. How much truth there is in that I know not, but sounds reasonable.

 

[Mikea.at]

@chongwen20110901
Light baking is the keyword. This one describes it pretty good.

the baked light texture will the be your emissive texture.

 

[chongwen20110901]

@chongwen20110901
Light baking is the keyword. This one describes it pretty good.

the baked light texture will the be your emissive texture.

Thank you! I will test to see if light baking produces a desirable result in the sim.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi I
I am making a lighthouse. In blender I have added an animated spot light. On the land side I have opaque glass as in the screenshot but the spotlight
shines though it and lights up the cliff face behind it in MSFS. Is there a way of stopping the light shining through the opaque glass. (red in pic)
Thanks
Stinger

View attachment 69166

Hi Stinger:

A separate thread regarding prior efforts and 3D modeling methods to make a lighthouse (as an analogue of a airport beacon) in FSX ...is here:

Airport Rotating 3D Beacons

There may be a number of differing applications for MSFS SDK compatible lighting configurations in static or animated 3D models. :) Personally, I consider controlling display / occultation of 3D lights for light houses / airport beacons a top priority, since MSFS (using purportedly 'state of...

www.fsdeveloper.com

As I was looking into this topic further today, I also found a thread which shows a 'worked example' created via Blender for use in MSFS:

MSFS - 3-D Lights in MSFS

Hi. I would like to ask if there is a possibility to add the internal runway lights of the MFS to his own 3-D model. What are meant are the lights that are green on one side and red on the other, etc. The internal MFS lights should actually have a GUID ?! Or asked a little differently. Can you...

www.fsdeveloper.com

You may be especially interested in viewing this YouTube video by "Flying Theston":

[020] Creating Animated Scenery​

PS: Some additional info which might be considered when a light source passes through objects versus being subject to "occultation":

Why is my Eevee light shining through my mesh and how do I fix it?

Introduction: I am making a house in Blender 2.93.5, and so far it has over 1,500 objects and about 130 lights in all. It has multiple rooms, each with a separate set of lights each, and one large ...

blender.stackexchange.com

How can i block light?

Thanks, that helps, but still somethings not completely right. Say i put the light inside a cube. Light still manages to shine through. Also, what if i want to get more of a beam effect? You can’t widen the base of the spotlight, or can you? The housing was intended to directionalize the light more.

blenderartists.org

How do I properly set up a spotlight cone?

I'm having a problem while rendering a searchlight-style spot lamp (i.e. I want to see the "light cone" in the final render ("Halo" option is checked), a.k.a. volumetric light). It appears that the

blender.stackexchange.com

Occulting Light - International Dictionary of Marine Aids to Navigation

www.iala-aism.org

Lighthouse Glossary of Terms | US Lighthouse Society

uslhs.org

Light characteristic - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

NOTE: The latter linked web page immediately above uses animated *.GIF images of light types and not code usable for MSFS.


I hope this info helps 'shed some light' on the original subject as you posted it in the OP, and is not 'opaque' to comprehension by others here.

GaryGB

 

[stinger2k2]

Hi Stinger:

A separate thread regarding prior efforts and 3D modeling methods to make a lighthouse (as an analogue of a airport beacon) in FSX ...is here:

Airport Rotating 3D Beacons

There may be a number of differing applications for MSFS SDK compatible lighting configurations in static or animated 3D models. :) Personally, I consider controlling display / occultation of 3D lights for light houses / airport beacons a top priority, since MSFS (using purportedly 'state of...

www.fsdeveloper.com

As I was looking into this topic further today, I also found a thread which shows a 'worked example' created via Blender for use in MSFS:

MSFS - 3-D Lights in MSFS

Hi. I would like to ask if there is a possibility to add the internal runway lights of the MFS to his own 3-D model. What are meant are the lights that are green on one side and red on the other, etc. The internal MFS lights should actually have a GUID ?! Or asked a little differently. Can you...

www.fsdeveloper.com

You may be especially interested in viewing this YouTube video by "Flying Theston":

[020] Creating Animated Scenery​

PS: Some additional info which might be considered when a light source passes through objects versus being subject to "occultataion":

How do I properly set up a spotlight cone?

I'm having a problem while rendering a searchlight-style spot lamp (i.e. I want to see the "light cone" in the final render ("Halo" option is checked), a.k.a. volumetric light). It appears that the

blender.stackexchange.com

Occulting Light - International Dictionary of Marine Aids to Navigation

www.iala-aism.org

Lighthouse Glossary of Terms | US Lighthouse Society

uslhs.org

Light characteristic - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

NOTE: The latter linked web page immediately above uses animated *.GIF images of light types and not code usable for MSFS.


I hope this info helps 'shed some light' on the original subject as you posted it in the OP, and is not 'opaque' to comprehension by others here.

GaryGB

Thanks Gary. I had used FT's video as a basis for my lighthouse and everything was fine except the problem that I posted.
FT's lighthouse shone for the whole 360 degrees so for him it didn't matter. I gave up in the end but i will check out the links you gave.

Cheers
Keith

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[rhumbaflappy]

For a lighthouse without a 360 degree sweep, you might need to make a keyframe animation that sweeps only as far as you need and attach a spotlight to it.