Lighting Modern Structures

[Deleted User] · January 2013

I'm trying to draw a modern structure with skylights and modern lighting fixtures, and need advice on the following issues: How do I

set up illumination from the skylights using global sun and an overhead mask?
combine this with internal light sources? Are there any electric light symbol catalogs I could use?
create indirect illumination sources? (Note: fluorescent tubes are not point light sources.)
draw translucent skylights on the roof? What fill style do you recommend?

Dalton "needing some light shed on this problem" Spence

mosswood17 · February 2013

Do you have any of the annuals or would you be able to get one? The Annual titled, "Lighted Dungeons" really helps a LOT with lighted effects. It is pretty versatile. I have used it for modern maps too. If possible, I would use that annual. If not, I would have to defer to someone else and/or play with it myself a little.

[Deleted User] · February 2013

I have Cartographer's Annual 19, but that mainly talks about how to light dungeons and caves, not modern structures. The structure I'm considering is a two level shopping mall with a glass ceiling over an open main hallway with a light well between the second level aisles providing daylight to both levels, with the stores on either side using internal electric lighting. The problem with using point light sources is the circular or wedge shaped area of illumination; indirect or fluorescent tube light fixtures produce illuminated areas with straight edges. Electric fixtures also produce more illumination than torches or candles, but I have no idea how much more. Finally, what I'd really like to see is a PNG symbol catalog with illuminated electric light fixtures, but even vector graphic ones would do.

Dalton "and no, I don't mean lamps that can FNORD!" Spence

mosswood17 · February 2013

Here is my first try at fluorescent lights using the lighted dungeon annual. It utilizes rectangles that I blur, then a light source of the same color (#16 for both, a ghostly white!). It doesn't actually show the light fixture but if you had a symbol for the light fixture you could just put it over the top and call it good. I have found the lighted dungeon annual to be VERY adaptive, even to modern structures. I used it to make some maps for my Call of Cthulhu game and they came out really nice. What do you think, Dalton?

mosswood17 · February 2013

Here it is in png format. I brightened it up a little.

[Deleted User] · February 2013

Very nice, although the glow rectangles could be a touch more transparent. (I assume this was designed as a multi-sheet symbol using line styles as sheet names.) Could you post a Symbol Manager listing of it?

Dalton "who still wants some electric lamp PNGs" Spence

mosswood17 · February 2013

Posted By: dalton_spenceVery nice, although the glow rectangles could be atouchmore transparent. (I assume this was designed as a multi-sheet symbol using line styles as sheet names.) Could you post aSymbol Managerlisting of it?
Dalton"who still wants some electric lamp PNGs"Spence

Whoa. You just started speaking a foreign language there. As far as what I did, I placed a white rectangle on a sheet (fluorescent lights) with a blur effect (I can look at the radius next time I boot up the laptop). I then added a light source with the same color as the rectangle. The effect gives a primary light pattern with an area of diffused light. You could probably add the transparency effect too if you wanted it a bit more subtle. Or you could increase the blur distance which would eventually blur the small rectangle into nothingness.

As far as multi sheet symbols and posting a symbol manager listing of it, I don't quite follow what you are asking. The rectangle was a normal closed path with a white solid fill. The only symbols I used were the doors.

[Deleted User] · February 2013

I always create a symbol for any frequently used item. In the end I decided not to use a multi-sheet symbol using a transparent blurred rectangle. Instead, I created a centered string of seven omni-directional light sources 6"s apart (radius 15', intensity 15) as listed below.

Symbol definition:
    Name: Overhead Fluorescent Light
    Low extents:  -1.500000,0.000000,0.000000
    High extents: 1.500000,0.000000,0.000000

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13143 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13146 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13147 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13148 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13149 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13150 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

LIGHT: color 4 (yellow) layer 264 (SYMBOL DEFINITION)
    line style 306 (LIGHTS) fill style 1 (Solid)
    line width 0.000000 tag # 13151 pen 0.000 mm 2nd color 4

I typically space these symbols 20' apart so there is some overlap but room for shadows at the edges.

Dalton "still looking for PNG common electric light fixtures" Spence

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Lighting Modern Structures

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