beam_spotlight
beam_spotlight
is a point entity available in all Source games since Left 4 Dead. It is used to draw a spotlight. Will draw a beam when the player views it side on, and a halo when it's facing towards the player. It will also create a dynamic light wherever the end of the spotlight rests. Other than its ability to rotate, this entity is functionally identical to
point_spotlight
.




In code, it is represented by class
CBeamSpotlight
, defined in beamspotlight.cpp
.
Contents
Flags
- 1: Start On
- 2: No Dynamic Light - Do not create any actual light.
- 4: Start with Rotation On
- 8: Reverse Direction
- 16: X Axis ([Clarify] are these axes relative to the world or to the entity?)
- 32: Y Axis
Keyvalues
- Max Rotation Speed (maxspeed)
<integer>
- The maximum rotation speed of the spotlight, in degrees per second.
- Spotlight Length (SpotlightLength)
<integer>
- Length of the spotlight beam.
- Spotlight Width (SpotlightWidth)
<integer>
- Width of the spotlight beam.
- HDR color scale (HDRColorScale)
<float>
- Multiplier for sprite color by when running in HDR mode.
- Halo Sprite (HaloSprite)
<sprite>
- The material that should be used for the halo.
only.
- Beam Sprite (BeamSprite)
<sprite>
- The material that should be used for the beam.
only.
RenderFields:
- Render Mode
(rendermode)
<choices>
- Set a non-standard rendering mode on this entity.
ᅠ
ᅠ
- Render FX / Transparency (0 - 255)
(renderamt)
<integer>
- Transparency amount, requires a Render Mode other than Normal. 0 is invisible, 255 is fully visible.
- Render Color (R G B)
(rendercolor)
<color255>
- Color tint.
- Disable Receiving Shadows
(disablereceiveshadows)
<boolean>
- Prevent the entity from receiving shadows on itself.
RenderFXChoices:
- Render FX
(renderfx)
<choices>
- Preset pattern of appearance effects.
ᅠ
ᅠ
SystemLevelChoice:
- Minimum CPU Level
(mincpulevel)
<choices>
(in all games since)
- A user with a CPU level lower than this will not see this object rendered in-game. CPU levels are determined by the Effect detail setting.
- Maximum CPU Level
(maxcpulevel)
<choices>
(in all games since)
-
- 0: Default
- 1: Low
- 2: Medium
- 3: High
- Minimum GPU Level
(mingpulevel)
<choices>
(in all games since)
- A user with a GPU level lower than this will not see this object rendered in-game. GPU levels are determined by the Shader detail setting.
- Maximum GPU Level
(maxgpulevel)
<choices>
(in all games since)
-
- 0: Default
- 1: Very low
- 2: Low
- 3: Medium
- 4: High
Base:
- Classname
(classname)
<string>
- The classname defines the type of entity. Classnames can be changed using
AddOutput
, which will influence how the engine deals with the entity in certain circumstances. - Name
(targetname)
<string>
- The name that other entities refer to this entity by.
- Global Entity Name
(globalname)
<string>
- Name by which this entity is linked to another entity in a different map. When the player transitions to a new map, entities in the new map with globalnames matching entities in the previous map will have the previous map's state copied over their state.
- Parent
(parentname)
<targetname>
- Specifies a movement parent. An entity will maintain its initial offset from its parent. An attachment point can be added to the end of the name, separated by a comma. Every entity can be parented, even point entities. Entities which are parented will be forced to transition to the next map, such as from a
trigger_transition
. Some entities which aren't intended to be parented may not function correctly.phys_constraint
can be used as a workaround to parenting. - Origin (X Y Z)
(origin)
<coordinates>
- The position of this entity's center in the world. Rotating entities typically rotate around their origin.
- 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: This works on brush entities, although Hammer doesn't show the new angles.
- Flags
(spawnflags)
<integer>
- Toggles features of an entity, its specific number is determined by the combination of flags added.
- Response Contexts
(ResponseContext)
<string>
- Pre-defined response system contexts for this entity. Format is
key:value,key:value,...
. Contexts may be filtered. - Effects
(effects)
<integer>
!FGD - Combination of effect flags to use.
- Local Time
(ltime)
<float>
!FGD - The local time of the entity, independent of the global clock. Used mainly for physics calculations.
- Next Think
(nextthink)
<float>
!FGD - Amount of time before the entity thinks again.
- Hammer ID
(hammerid)
<integer>
!FGD - The entity's Hammer ID. Mainly used by plugins and debugging commands, such as
ent_keyvalue
. Can be manually assigned with the "hammerid" or "id" keyvalue. Entities spawned at run-time are not assigned any Hammer ID.
Inputs
LightOn
- Turn the spotlight on.
LightOff
- Turn the spotlight off
Start
- Start rotating.
Stop
- Stop rotating.
Reverse
- Reverse the direction of rotation.
RenderFields:
Alpha
<integer>
- Sets the entity's transparency to a number from 0 (invisible) to 255 (fully visible). Requires the entity to have its Render Mode (rendermode) set to a number other than
0
. Color
<color255>
- Sets an RGB color for the entity.
Base:
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 thanKill
. 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.
ClearParent
- Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.
AddOutput
<string>
- Evaluates a keyvalue/output on this entity.
Format:<key> <value>
Format:<output name> <targetname>:<inputname>:<parameter>:<delay>:<max times to fire, -1 means infinite>
FireUser1
toFireUser4
- Fire the
OnUser
outputs; see User Inputs and Outputs. Use
!FGD- Same as a player invoking +use; may not do anything. Can also be invoked by creating an output that does not specify an input.
This input is not included in Valve's FGDs. DispatchEffect
<string>
(removed in) !FGD
- Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin. Removed and replaced entirely by the particle system since
.
DispatchResponse
<string>
!FGD- Dispatches a response to the entity. See Response and Concept.
AddContext
<string>
- Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. Format is
<key>:<value>
. RemoveContext
<string>
- Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.
ClearContext
<string>
- Removes all contexts from this entity's list.
RunScriptFile
<script>
(in all games since)
- 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)
- 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.
Bug: In
, the code is executed in the script scope of the entity that fires the output, not the one receiving the input.
Warning: Never try to pass string parameters to a script function with this input. It will corrupt the VMF structure because of the nested quotation marks, which then must be removed manually with a text editor.
CallScriptFunction
<string>
(in all games since) !FGD
- Execute a VScript function in the scope of the receiving entity.
SetLocalOrigin
<coordinates>
(in all games since) !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) !FGD
- Set this entity's angles.
Outputs
OnLightOn
- Fires when light turns on.
OnLightOff
- Fires when light turns off.
Base:
OnUser1
toOnUser4
- These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered
FireUser1
toFireUser4
Input; see User Inputs and Outputs. OnKilled
(only in)
- This output fires when the entity is killed and removed from the game.