This article's documentation is for anything that uses the Source engine. Click here for more information.

light_spot

From Valve Developer Community
Jump to: navigation, search
Light spot.gif

light_spot is a point entity available in all Source Source games. It is a cone-shaped, invisible light source. Can be turned on and off through inputs, though switchable lights may cause lightmap errors. This is a static spotlight that can be pointed at another entity.

Note.pngNote:When using this entity it is often necessary to turn the brightness value up significantly for the effects of the light to be visible. Values of 3000-4000 are sometimes necessary for light sources like streetlights.
Warning.pngWarning:Naming a static light radically changes its behavior. See Naming Lights for details.

Keyvalues

Entity to point at (target) <targetname>
The name of an entity in the map that the spotlight will point at. This will override the spotlight's angles.
Inner (bright) angle (_inner_cone) <integer>
The angles of the inner spotlight beam.
Note.pngNote:Value larger than 90 is interpreted as 90.
Outer (fading) angle (_cone) <integer>
The angles of the outer spotlight beam.
Note.pngNote:Value larger than 90 is interpreted as 90.
Focus (_exponent) <integer>
Changes the distance between the umbra and penumbra cone. (higher values make the edge of the light more blurred.
Tip.pngTip:When increasing the Focus value to for example 5 you can use the spotlight as a directional fill light.
Maximum distance (_distance) <integer>
This is the distance that light is allowed to cast, in inches. Non-functional in Source 2013 Source 2013 and later, use 50 and 0 percent falloff instead.
Pitch (pitch) <integer>
Used instead of Pitch Yaw Roll's value for reasons unknown.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:Pitch has unexpected behavior if the light_spot is inside of a rotated instance. This is solved by collapsing the instance, or by using the "Entity to point at" keyvalue.

Light:
Brightness (_light) <color255 + int>
The RGB color and brightness of the light. Colors must be between 0 and 255; brightness can be anything.
Note.pngNote:Negative brightness will suck out the amount of lighting that the equivalent positive brightness will cast. Use sparingly; set falloff to linear instead of quadratic to make it more like an ordinary shadow and less like a black hole.
BrightnessHDR (_lightHDR) <color255 + int>
Brightness override used in HDR mode. Default is -1 -1 -1 1, which means no change.
Warning.pngWarning:The fourth digit must be positive. Otherwise all light will be sucked out of your map!
BrightnessScaleHDR (_lightHDRscale) <float>
A simple intensity multiplier used when compiling HDR lighting.
Appearance (style) <choices>
Various Custom Appearance presets.
Warning.pngWarning:Using this parameter near displacements reduces performance!
Light Appearances
Literal Value Description Sequence Preview
0 Normal m Sequence 0.gif
10 Fluorescent flicker mmamammmmammamamaaamammma Sequence 10.gif
2 Slow, strong pulse abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba Sequence 2.gif
11 Slow pulse, noblack abcdefghijklmnopqrrqponmlkjihgfedcba Sequence 11.gif
5 Gentle pulse jklmnopqrstuvwxyzyxwvutsrqponmlkj Sequence 5.gif
1 Flicker A mmnmmommommnonmmonqnmmo Sequence 1.gif
6 Flicker B nmonqnmomnmomomno Sequence 6.gif
3 Candle A mmmmmaaaaammmmmaaaaaabcdefgabcdefg Sequence 3.gif
7 Candle B mmmaaaabcdefgmmmmaaaammmaamm Sequence 7.gif
8 Candle C mmmaaammmaaammmabcdefaaaammmmabcdefmmmaaaa Sequence 8.gif
4 Fast strobe mamamamamama Sequence 4.gif
9 Slow strobe aaaaaaaazzzzzzzz Sequence 9.gif
12 !FGD Underwater light mutation mmnnmmnnnmmnn Sequence 12.gif
Custom Appearance (pattern) <string>
A string of characters, like a sequence of piano keys, that define a pattern of brightness. a is dark and z is full intensity. Applies only to lights with a targetname.
Constant (_constant_attn) <float>
Linear (_linear_attn) <float>
Quadratic (_quadratic_attn) <float>
These three values determine how the intensity of the emitted light falls off over distance. See Constant-Linear-Quadratic Falloff.
50 percent falloff distance (_fifty_percent_distance)) <string>
0 percent falloff distance (_zero_percent_distance) <string>
Distances at which brightness should have fallen to 50% and (1/256)% respectively. Overrides Linear/Constant/Quadratic parameters if non-zero.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:Using this setting will sometimes not work, which may or may not be related to using the light inside of an instance. Collapsing the instance and messing with the light's falloff values seems to help.
Hard falloff (_hardfalloff) <boolean>
Causes lights to fall to exactly zero beyond the 0% distance. May cause unrealistic lighting if not used carefully.
Cast entity shadows (_castentityshadow) <boolean> (in all games since Left 4 Dead) (also in Garry's Mod)
Allows the light to modify the direction of nearby render-to-texture shadows so that they always point away from its origin. See also shadow_control.
Note.pngNote:This keyvalue may not be available in some FGDs.
Shadow cast offset (_shadoworiginoffset) <vector> (in all games since Left 4 Dead)
A world-space offset that gets applied to the light origin when casting entity shadows. Useful for dealing with funny-looking shadows from very low lights: Just offset up the z axis. Default 0 0 0.
Note.pngNote:This keyvalue may not be available in some FGDs.

Base:
Name (targetname) <string>
The name that other entities use to refer to this entity.
Parent (parentname) <targetname>
Maintain the same initial offset to this entity. An attachment point can also be used if separated by a comma at the end. (parentname [targetname],[attachment])
Tip.pngTip:Entities transition to the next map with their parents
Tip.pngTip:phys_constraint can be used as a workaround if parenting fails.
Origin (X Y Z) (origin) <coordinates>
The position of this entity's center in the world. Rotating entities typically rotate around their origin.
Note.pngNote:Hammer does not move the entities accordingly only in the editor.
Pitch Yaw Roll (X Y Z) (angles) <angle>
This entity's orientation in the world. Pitch is rotation around the Y axis, yaw is the rotation around the Z axis, roll is the rotation around the X axis.
Note.pngNote:This works on brush entities, although Hammer doesn't show the new angles.
Classname (classname) <string> !FGD
Determines the characteristics of the entity before it spawns.
Tip.pngTip:Changing this on runtime still has use, like making matching an entry in S_PreserveEnts will persist the entity on new rounds!
Flags (spawnflags) <integer> !FGD
Toggles exclusive features of an entity, its specific number is determined by the combination of flags added.
Effects (effects) <integer> !FGD
Combination of effect flags to use.
Entity Scripts (vscripts) <scriptlist> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Space delimited list of VScript files (without file extension) that are executed after all entities have spawned. The scripts are all executed in the same script scope, later ones overwriting any identical variables and functions. Scripts executed on the worldspawn entity will be placed in root scope.
Think function (thinkfunction) <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Name of the function within this entity's script that'll be called automatically every 100 milliseconds, or a user-defined interval if the function returns a number. Avoid expensive operations in this function, as it may cause performance problems.
Lag Compensation (LagCompensate) <boolean> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) !FGD
Set to Yes to lag compensate this entity. Should be used very sparingly!
Is Automatic-Aim Target (is_autoaim_target) <boolean> (in all games since Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) !FGD
If set to 1, this entity will slow down aiming movement for consoles and joystick controllers when the entity is under the crosshairs.

Flags

  •  [1] : Initially dark
       Spawns with the light turned off, so a light switch or similar can turn it on.

Inputs

TurnOn
Turn the light on.
TurnOff
The the light off.
Toggle
Toggle the light's current state.
SetPattern <string>
Set a custom pattern of light brightness for this light. If the Light is off, then this input appears to turn it on.
FadeToPattern <string>
Fades from first value in old pattern, to first value in the new given pattern. If the Light is off, then this input appears to turn it on.

Base:
AddContext <string>
Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. See Context.
AddOutput <string>
Assigns a new keyvalue/output on this entity. For keyvalues, some rely on extra necessary code to be ran and won't work if its simply just changed through this input. There is a strict format that must be followed:
// Format of changing KeyValues: "AddOutput [key] [value]"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,targetname new_name"

// Format of adding an Output: "AddOutput {targetname}:{inputname}:{parameter}:{delay}:{max times to fire, -1 means infinite}"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:SetParent:!activator:0.0:-1"
// Arguments can be left blank, but the empty blank should still be contained.
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:ClearParent::0.0:-1"
ClearContext
Removes all contexts from this entity's list.
ClearParent
Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.
FireUser1 to FireUser4
Fires the respectiveOnUseroutputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.
Kill
Removes this entity and any entities parented to it from the world.
KillHierarchy
Functions the same as Kill, although this entity and any entities parented to it are killed on the same frame, being marginally faster thanKillinput.
RemoveContext <string>
Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.
SetParent <string>
Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).
SetParentAttachment <string>
Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.
SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset <string>
As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.
Use  !FGD
Same as a player invoking +use; no effect in most cases.
DispatchResponse <string> !FGD
Dispatches a response to the entity. See Response and Concept.
DispatchEffect <string> (removed since Left 4 Dead) !FGD
Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin; See also List of Client Effects. Replaced by the particle system since Left 4 Dead.
RunScriptFile <script> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Execute a VScript file from disk, without file extension. The script contents are merged with the script scope of the receiving entity.
RunScriptCode <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Execute a string of VScript source code in the scope of the entity receiving the input. String quotation may be needed when fired via console.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:In Hammer, using string arguments will corrupt the VMF file's structure, making the file unviewable for the next Hammer session.
Note.pngFix:Remove the string argument manually with a text editor.
Note.pngNote:Team Fortress 2 Backtick characters ` are replaced with quotation marks at runtime, allowing quotation marks to be used when normally not possible.
CallScriptFunction <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2) !FGD
Calls a VScript function defined in the scope of the receiving entity.
TerminateScriptScope  (only in Team Fortress 2) !FGD
Destroys the script scope of the receving entity.
SetLocalOrigin <coordinates> (in all games since Alien Swarm) !FGD
Send this entity to a spot in the map. If the entity is parented to something, it will be offset from the parent by this amount.
SetLocalAngles <angles> (in all games since Alien Swarm) !FGD
Set this entity's angles.

Outputs

Base:

OnUser1 to OnUser4
These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered FireUser1 to FireUser4 Input; see User Inputs and Outputs.
OnKilled  (only in Left 4 Dead)
This output fires when the entity is killed and removed from the game.

See also