WiseHDR: HDR - (High Dynamic Range)

This tutorial was originally created by wisemx. It was originally posted on SDKnuts.net.

(Porter's note: About half of the original tutorial by wisemx was left out of this port because it was basically an exact copy of the HDR Lighting Basics page.)

Day of Defeat: Source Example

Let’s examine the Source SDK HDR example map from Day of Defeat: Source step by step. Even if you don't have DOD:S this file is part of the updated Source SDK, you can open it in Hammer with the CS:S parameters. The map is common\sourcesdk_content\dod\mapsrc\sdk_example_hdr.vmf.

light_environment:

• Pitch Yaw Roll: 0 165 0
• Pitch: -40
• Brightness: 250 241 192 600
• Ambient: 209 227 237 200
• BrightnessHDR: 250 241 192 500
• AmbientHDR: 209 227 237 200

Skybox Texture Name: sdk_sky_example_hdr

env_tonemap_controller:

• Name: tonemap

This entity is give a name so it can be called via inputs. There are 9 inputs in the example env_tonemap_controller. Three of the inputs set the initial HDR exposures when the map starts via a logic_auto. The remaining 6 Inputs are 2 groups of 3 Inputs from triggers.

logic_auto:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetAutoExposureMax	2	0.00	No
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetAutoExposureMin	.8	0.00	No
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetBloomScale	1.2	0.00	No

The trigger_multiple entites are not needed but are used to illustrate how you can control the HDR exposure during the game.

Walking into the sample building will trigger these:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetAutoExposureMax	5	0.00	No
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetAutoExposureMin	3	0.00	No
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetBloomScale	2	0.00	No

Walking out of the sample building will trigger these:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetAutoExposureMax	2	0.00	No
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetAutoExposureMin	.8	0.00	No
	OnMapSpawn	tonemap	SetBloomScale	1	0.00	No

Notice the height of the env_cubemap inside the sample building. This will often be important when you build cubemaps with the buildcubemaps console command in relation to the height of windows for example.

Lastly, notice the dev reflectivity materials are used. These are great tools for both testing and achieving lighting effects. You can for example use the material dev/reflectivity_30 on a func_illusionary for a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel effect, even without HDR enabled.

Final Notes

Open the DOD:S sample map sdk_dod_flash. (In the same folder as the HDR sample.) Notice the 15 info_lighting entities used in this map. These are used to change the lighting origin of a prop_static. To use these simply place an info_lighting in the spot where you want to change the lighting origin for a prop_static. Then in that prop_static set the name of the info_lighting in the Lighting Origin property. Also notice there are only 3 inputs in the env_tonemap_controller for this map. The Exposure Max, Min and Bloom Scale are all set once when the map spawns.