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The Inside Star Citizen episode Night and Day - Spring 2020 was published on 7. March 2020 on the CIG YouTube channel.

Topics and timestamps[]

Topic Timestamp
Lighting - Day/Nighttime
1:05
Sprint report
5:58

Video[]

Inside_Star_Citizen-_Night_and_Day_-_Spring_2020
basic

Transcript[]

The transcript was created automatically and needs to be proofread. Words may have been transcribed incorrectly.

1 00:00:02,639 --> 00:00:06,160 what is lighting

2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:08,000 it's more than just placing many lights

3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,960 around to brighten up a scene

4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,480 we also want to make objects and

5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,960 characters look good

6 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:16,320 um for example this scene right here

7 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,840 it's it's clearly too dark the

8 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,400 background is too dark

9 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,520 you can't see me very well so for an

10 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,760 interview situation

11 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,640 this uh this won't do so how would i fix

12 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,880 this

13 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,320 um first of all turn on this light this

14 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,199 adds a little bit of warmth a little bit

15 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,359 of character on

16 00:00:29,199 --> 00:00:32,800 me specifically the background's still

17 00:00:31,359 --> 00:00:33,760 too dark but we can take care of that

18 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,440 later

19 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,120 uh i think the next step is i would add

20 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,440 some fill lights

21 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,160 so now i'm a little bit better lit um

22 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,079 i've got this

23 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:43,680 uh this mag light here i could probably

24 00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:45,440 turn that on you know this is

25 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,719 it's too much light now for me it's it's

26 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,120 blowing out things

27 00:00:46,719 --> 00:00:50,879 and now for the background i think uh i

28 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,719 think we can harness the power of uh

29 00:00:50,879 --> 00:00:54,879 natural lighting for this one

30 00:00:52,719 --> 00:00:56,000 and there we go that's much better so

31 00:00:54,879 --> 00:00:59,680 lighting

32 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:02,000 pretty cool

33 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,399 awesome awesome awesome all right stop

34 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,399 recording

35 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:12,240 the role of lighting artistically is to

36 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,960 create a very interesting atmosphere

37 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,119 that the player

38 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:17,520 maybe hasn't seen before and makes them

39 00:01:15,119 --> 00:01:20,560 excited to explore this specific space

40 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:21,119 and the other primary focus is to assist

41 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,799 the player

42 00:01:21,119 --> 00:01:25,840 in being able to navigate a certain

43 00:01:22,799 --> 00:01:27,759 space so that's calling out

44 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,119 certain places that the player can go or

45 00:01:27,759 --> 00:01:29,920 points of interest that the player can

46 00:01:29,119 --> 00:01:31,520 interact with

47 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,119 so one of the biggest problems we have

48 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,520 lighting in this game specifically

49 00:01:33,119 --> 00:01:36,880 is that the the planets are rotating

50 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,880 around their axis

51 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,000 which means that we have a fully dynamic

52 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,399 time of day and

53 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,479 all of our locations can be placed in

54 00:01:42,399 --> 00:01:46,720 any kind of orientation or location on

55 00:01:44,479 --> 00:01:48,720 any planet which means that we have no

56 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,560 control over where the sun is

57 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,079 what the path and the travel path of the

58 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,479 sun is

59 00:01:52,079 --> 00:01:55,840 and we have to work around where the sun

60 00:01:54,479 --> 00:01:56,479 is and and make it look as good as

61 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:00,240 possible

62 00:01:56,479 --> 00:02:01,680 at all times of day as much as we can

63 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,920 so in the past two concessions that

64 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,799 we've had to make for our environment

65 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,719 lighting

66 00:02:04,799 --> 00:02:09,039 is that for the ambient lighting

67 00:02:06,719 --> 00:02:10,879 specifically we've had to pre-bake

68 00:02:09,039 --> 00:02:12,720 our environment probes which are

69 00:02:10,879 --> 00:02:13,360 basically entities that take a sampling

70 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:14,800 of the

71 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,400 ambient lighting around it and then

72 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,800 reproject that lighting

73 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,480 into the environment because these are

74 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,879 static we've had to choose

75 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,599 what time of day we want to bake them at

76 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:25,840 which could be

77 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:28,000 daytime nighttime or dusk anywhere in

78 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,400 between but they've stayed static the

79 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,599 whole

80 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:32,560 time of day cycle the other concession

81 00:02:31,599 --> 00:02:34,720 that we've had to make

82 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,000 is that the lights are always on 24

83 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,400 hours a day

84 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,440 which means that even if the sun is high

85 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,280 noon then

86 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,720 street lights are still on supporting

87 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,879 lights are still on

88 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,920 this has impacts on the performance

89 00:02:44,879 --> 00:02:47,200 obviously and

90 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:49,200 doesn't look so good it makes

91 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:51,120 environments feel quite static

92 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,680 but that said the lighting team has been

93 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:56,319 working on two big improvements to our

94 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,120 tech which help us tackle these issues

95 00:02:56,319 --> 00:02:59,200 so the first

96 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,800 new feature that we worked on was what

97 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,440 we call runtime probes

98 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,000 this basically is a an extra flag for

99 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,080 the environment

100 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,239 probe entity that you can enable and

101 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:10,640 this tells the entity to periodically

102 00:03:08,239 --> 00:03:11,519 update itself and and recapture the

103 00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:13,920 ambient lighting

104 00:03:11,519 --> 00:03:15,599 based on several things uh primarily the

105 00:03:13,920 --> 00:03:17,440 the movement of the sun so every few

106 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:18,000 degrees that the sun moves in the sky

107 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,840 the probe

108 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,280 will try and recapture that ambient

109 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,200 lighting and reproject it into the

110 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,120 environment

111 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:27,120 the benefit for the players in this case

112 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,680 is that you can sit in an environment

113 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,599 and watch the the time of day pass and

114 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,400 the ambient lighting should update

115 00:03:31,599 --> 00:03:34,080 accordingly

116 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,760 which will help these environments feel

117 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,599 a lot more dynamic and a lot more

118 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,200 immersive

119 00:03:37,599 --> 00:03:41,040 so the second major feature that we've

120 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:43,680 been working on is what i call

121 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:44,560 day night light groups this basically

122 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,159 takes the

123 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,000 existing light groups feature that we've

124 00:03:46,159 --> 00:03:49,360 had running previously in ships for

125 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,920 things like damage states

126 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,879 and emergency states this allows us to

127 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,599 use those same

128 00:03:52,879 --> 00:03:57,519 controls but on a time of day basis so

129 00:03:55,599 --> 00:03:58,959 we can choose a specific state for the

130 00:03:57,519 --> 00:04:01,840 light group to use during the day

131 00:03:58,959 --> 00:04:01,840 and for the night time

132 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,200 what this means for the lighting team is

133 00:04:03,519 --> 00:04:07,040 that we can add a whole new layer of

134 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:10,000 complexity to environments

135 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,360 such as turning on overall city lights

136 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,640 when it becomes night time

137 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,480 and turning them off during the day

138 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:17,360 which saves performance because you

139 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,360 can't see them anyway

140 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:21,600 it allows us to turn on and off street

141 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,000 lights based on the time of day which

142 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:26,560 feels very realistic

143 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,280 and it allows us to in the case of new

144 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,759 babbage

145 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:30,880 we can create an entirely new mood and

146 00:04:29,759 --> 00:04:33,199 atmosphere

147 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,759 in a specific location when it's night

148 00:04:33,199 --> 00:04:38,240 time compared to when it's daytime

149 00:04:35,759 --> 00:04:39,600 the ambient lighting also changes over

150 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:43,120 the course of the day thanks to the

151 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,639 the runtime probes so personally i'm

152 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,080 really excited about these features

153 00:04:44,639 --> 00:04:48,720 because they allow me to

154 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:50,720 to really create variety within a single

155 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,479 environment so we have the same geometry

156 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,320 but we can make it feel like very

157 00:04:52,479 --> 00:04:57,360 different locations very simply

158 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:58,960 and also dynamically so as for when

159 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,440 uh these features will be rolled out

160 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,080 we're looking to in the next patch and

161 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,000 beyond

162 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,320 convert our existing legacy landing

163 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,919 zones like loreville and area 18 and

164 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:10,400 other planetary locations

165 00:05:07,919 --> 00:05:12,000 to use runtime probes and day night

166 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,560 light groups

167 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,320 we're also looking to expand this into

168 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,240 other planetary locations like

169 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,520 our surface outposts underground

170 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,479 facilities and

171 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:24,240 other locations and you can actually

172 00:05:22,479 --> 00:05:27,360 already see these

173 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:29,039 features live now in patch 3.9 in new

174 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:31,039 babbage which was our first kind of test

175 00:05:29,039 --> 00:05:32,479 bed for this

176 00:05:31,039 --> 00:05:34,560 if you go to wally's bar you'll notice

177 00:05:32,479 --> 00:05:38,000 that there's a very distinct nighttime

178 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:39,759 mood compared to the daytime

179 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,120 so yeah we're we're really excited about

180 00:05:39,759 --> 00:05:42,320 these features and what they will bring

181 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,840 to star citizen

182 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,520 uh we hope that you guys enjoy it as

183 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:47,440 much as the lighting team has enjoyed

184 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,560 uh breathing new life into legacy

185 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:52,400 locations and

186 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:54,160 new locations as well

187 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,800 from lighting the universe to filling it

188 00:05:54,160 --> 00:06:00,240 with characters locations and spacecraft

189 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,280 here's the sprint report starting things

190 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,960 off with characters

191 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:05,919 we've got a quick look at additional

192 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:07,039 concepts for yoga outfits for the npc's

193 00:06:05,919 --> 00:06:09,600 of new babbage

194 00:06:07,039 --> 00:06:11,759 where personal health and well-being is

195 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,840 an important aspect in maintaining the

196 00:06:11,759 --> 00:06:14,639 optimum productivity for any valued

197 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,440 employee

198 00:06:14,639 --> 00:06:18,639 and at microtech every employee is

199 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:22,080 valued

200 00:06:18,639 --> 00:06:24,000 take that workers of lauraville also a

201 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,120 new babbage is work on a mission giver

202 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,199 named eddie parr

203 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,639 now eddie is the bartender at wally's

204 00:06:27,199 --> 00:06:30,000 and since there's a slew of

205 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:30,880 entertainment coming in and out of

206 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,720 microtech

207 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,639 it's believed he's been running a side

208 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,919 racket with his old friend michael shaw

209 00:06:34,639 --> 00:06:37,759 to smuggle

210 00:06:35,919 --> 00:06:39,280 we'll call it contraband in for the

211 00:06:37,759 --> 00:06:41,680 locals hey

212 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:43,680 people gotta cut loose and yoga ain't

213 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,840 for everyone

214 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:47,919 but before we see eddie parr and yoga

215 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:49,599 outfits the environment art team is

216 00:06:47,919 --> 00:06:51,120 putting the finishing touches on their

217 00:06:49,599 --> 00:06:53,120 high-tech hangar set

218 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,479 that will eventually populate the space

219 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,560 port at new babbage

220 00:06:54,479 --> 00:06:58,400 like the hangars already in place in

221 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,319 lauraville and area 18

222 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,759 these will come in a variety of shapes

223 00:07:00,319 --> 00:07:03,919 and sizes to accommodate

224 00:07:01,759 --> 00:07:05,120 most ships in the persistent universe

225 00:07:03,919 --> 00:07:07,199 just

226 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,599 just wait for the doors to be completely

227 00:07:07,199 --> 00:07:12,160 open before you try to pass through

228 00:07:09,599 --> 00:07:14,319 don't don't be like disco the cargo

229 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,520 module interiors we first saw concepts

230 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:17,360 for two weeks ago

231 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,720 have moved into white box phase as they

232 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,240 look to expand the gameplay

233 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,960 opportunities for cargo haulers

234 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,440 everywhere

235 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,080 with new contracts new opportunities and

236 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,080 eventually

237 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,360 tie-in functionality with the upcoming

238 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,440 player trading app

239 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,360 which when used together will facilitate

240 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:34,720 the transfer of commodities and such

241 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:36,880 between players in tech updates

242 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,720 on friday viewers of star citizen live

243 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,400 got an in-depth look at the gas

244 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,160 tech being developed for both star

245 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,599 citizen and squadron 42

246 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,440 and what we showed on friday's show

247 00:07:43,599 --> 00:07:47,440 could be done in about an hour

248 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,280 but what you're seeing here are tests

249 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:51,520 that are much farther along

250 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,520 the idea here is to explore where we can

251 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,879 add texture to the spacescapes of the

252 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,120 persistent universe

253 00:07:54,879 --> 00:07:58,000 with this test specifically for those

254 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,840 wayward space

255 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,039 stations found between the planets of

256 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,360 the stanton system

257 00:08:01,039 --> 00:08:05,599 now this is look dev in its purest form

258 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,199 as artists explore what's possible

259 00:08:05,599 --> 00:08:08,960 as opposed to building something

260 00:08:07,199 --> 00:08:11,280 specifically that you'll find around

261 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,960 one station or another now once the

262 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,199 capabilities have been identified and

263 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:17,840 the process is developed and streamlined

264 00:08:15,199 --> 00:08:19,840 this work will form the basis for gases

265 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,919 found throughout the persistent universe

266 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,919 including in asteroid fields around

267 00:08:21,919 --> 00:08:26,639 space stations near jump points

268 00:08:23,919 --> 00:08:28,639 and beyond finally from outer space down

269 00:08:26,639 --> 00:08:30,400 to the surface of our planets and moons

270 00:08:28,639 --> 00:08:33,120 as the planet tech team continues to

271 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:35,279 enhance and build upon planetech v4

272 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,519 sometimes it's required to go back and

273 00:08:35,279 --> 00:08:39,279 update older content to match the still

274 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:40,880 advancing state of our tech

275 00:08:39,279 --> 00:08:42,320 in the case of these new height maps

276 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,959 which we touched on a little last

277 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,959 quarter

278 00:08:42,959 --> 00:08:46,720 the main objective here is to make

279 00:08:44,959 --> 00:08:48,800 better use of the available texture

280 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,839 resolution for every piece of elevation

281 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,600 and climate data

282 00:08:49,839 --> 00:08:52,959 in both the persistent universe and

283 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,880 squadron 42.

284 00:08:52,959 --> 00:08:56,160 the benefits of which will be better

285 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,640 object distribution

286 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,000 nicer ground material breakup natural

287 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,240 color transitions

288 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,040 more accurate far distance reads and

289 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,040 more

290 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:07,040 another benefit of this enhanced detail

291 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:09,200 pass is that our artist can now work

292 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:11,120 with data that is much more accurate

293 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,959 which will in turn be more predictable

294 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,040 and ultimately makes for a much

295 00:09:12,959 --> 00:09:16,800 easier and more efficient time painting

296 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:19,040 the planets which will just

297 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:21,120 speed up the overall process even more

298 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,279 than it already has

299 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,640 so what we learned about this week well

300 00:09:23,279 --> 00:09:25,600 we learned that it can often be the

301 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,959 little things like

302 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,040 turning the lights off when the sun

303 00:09:26,959 --> 00:09:30,560 comes up or enabling ambient light to

304 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,160 fill a room as we'd expect

305 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:34,399 that can lead to the greater sense of

306 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,080 immersion that there's even more coming

307 00:09:34,399 --> 00:09:38,560 to new babbage in alpha 3.1

308 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:40,480 and beyond the gas clouds can add a bit

309 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:41,360 of texturing to make space scaping more

310 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,440 interesting

311 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,560 and that even with planetec v4 as good

312 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,080 as it already is

313 00:09:44,560 --> 00:09:48,080 there could still be ways to make the

314 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,959 process faster and look better than ever

315 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,720 before

316 00:09:48,959 --> 00:10:05,839 for inside star citizen i'm jared

317 00:09:50,720 --> 00:10:05,839 huckaby we'll see you next week

318 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:14,640 you

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