=================================================================================== Lightning, By Jason Otto 6/10/06 =================================================================================== Introduction: Lightning can be a cool effect in game, but it hasn't been used a lot in the Thief world. Creating a lightning effect is actually pretty easy =================================================================================== Needed materials: A collection of thunder sound effects is needed scour the internet for good sounding one. The Clocktower used sounds from this site. http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/soundfx/Weather.shtml =================================================================================== Setting up the Blue Room: Create a blue room in the blue room are the following: 1. A button called LightButton that starts conversation at the mission start 2. A conversation marker called LightConv that contains the conversation 3. A switch called NorthLights for lights on the north side of my clocktower 4. A switch called EastLights for lights on the east side of my clocktower 5. A switch called SouthLights for lights on the south side of my clocktower 6. A switch called WestLights for lights on the west side of my clocktower 7. An AI called Thor that runs the show 8. Eight buttons that trigger SoundTraps for sounds, named Sound1 to Sound 8 The switches for lights are setup as follows: Jointstate AnimS: On, Reverse =================================================================================== Controlling the Effect: The effect is controlled by an AI running a conversation, althought the lightning is then running on a regular schedule its hard to notice by casual observation. Some missions have used AI walking in a room triggering bounds triggers and other systems, its all very complicated. First create an AI in a blue room. I named this AI Thor. Thor has two links, he is linked to Lightbutton in that room via an AIWatchObj link and he is linked to LightConv (~AIConversationActor). The link to the button is setup like this: trigger radius: 16 trigger height: 16 link kill option: after completion response: step 1 wait 2000 response: step 2 frob LightButton =================================================================================== The Conversation: The conversation runs the effect, its very simple, though very long. Step 0 Action 0: Frob NorthLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound1 Action 3: Wait 3000 Action 4: Frob NorthLights Action 5: Wait 2000 Step 1 Action 0: Frob WestLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound2 Action 3: Wait 500 Action 4: Frob WestLights Action 5: Wait 4000 Step 2 Action 0: Frob EastLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound3 Action 3: Wait 1500 Action 4: Frob EastLights Action 5: Wait 8000 Step 3 Action 0: Frob SouthLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound4 Action 3: Wait 4000 Action 4: Frob SouthLights Action 5: Wait 6000 Step 4 Action 0: Frob WestLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound5 Action 3: Wait 1500 Action 4: Frob WestLights Action 5: Wait 6000 Step 5 Action 0: Frob NorthLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound6 Action 3: Wait 3000 Action 4: Frob NorthLights Action 5: Wait 9000 Step 6 Action 0: Frob SouthLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound7 Action 3: Wait 4500 Action 4: Frob SouthLights Action 5: Wait 1000 Step 7 Action 0: Frob EastLights Action 1: Wait 500 Action 2: Frob Sound8 Action 3: Wait 2500 Action 4: Frob EastLights Action 5: Wait 5000 Step 8 Action 0: Frob LightButton =================================================================================== The Lights and Sounds: The switch control lights in four zones, set up the lights outside windows. Use an AnimLightPoint for this. Set it up as follows: Mode: Random But Coherent milliseconds to brighten: 10 milliseconds to dim: 25 max brightness: 400 min brightness: 50 radius: 48 quadlit: true link each light in each zone to the switch for that zone, so the north zone lights to the NorthLights switch. Within each zone there are two sound buttons: NorthLights: Sound1 and Sound6 EastLights: Sound3 and Sound8 SouthLights: Sound4 and Sound7 WestLights: Sound2 and Sound5 This allows two different sounds to be played on each side. Link a sound button to as many SoundTraps on the appropriate side of the building as are needed. Each of those Soundtraps are linked to a voice schema. Because the Karras voice overs from Sabotage at Soulforge are all single waves I used those. Sound1 SoundDescription Kar1602B (-4229) Wave file Kar1602B.wav Sound2 SoundDescription Kar1602D (-4231) Wave file Kar1602D.wav Sound3 SoundDescription Kar1602H (-4235) Wave file Kar1602H.wav Sound4 SoundDescription Kar1602F (-4233) Wave file Kar1602F.wav Sound5 SoundDescription Kar1602E (-4232) Wave file Kar1602E.wav Sound6 SoundDescription Kar1602C (-4230) Wave file Kar1602C.wav Sound7 SoundDescription Kar1602G (-4234) Wave file Kar1602G.wav Sound8 SoundDescription Kar1602I (-4236) Wave file Kar1602I.wav =================================================================================== The Effect: When the mission starts Thor will press the LightButton due to the AiWatchObj link. This will start a conversation, on each step he will turn on a lightning effect and wait, then trigger the sound effect and wait, then turn off the lightning effect. He then moves to the next lightning effect. The brightness and flash rate of the lights produce a good simulation of lightning and the sound in the middle completes the effect. =================================================================================== Application: A mission with lightning outside, this system may not work well over a large cityscape. When done right its very impressive and adds a lot to the atmosphere of a mission. =================================================================================== Other Issues: In the clocktower there was a glass clockface that lit up as well. This gave the illusion that the lightning was shining through the blue glass of the clock face. This face is an object light triggered by the same system as the other lights. It would be possible for an all indoor mission to replace the AnimLightPoints with object windows that do the same effect.