[Herra Tohtori]

-spec_exp

This must be used with the -spec command line parameter and must be entered into the "Custom flags" field. Adjusts the size of the shiny spot on ships. Higher number mean smaller spots. Default is 16. However, 11 is recommended. This is a relative value.


-spec_point

This must be used with the -spec command line parameter and must be entered into the "Custom flags" field. Adjusts how much laser weapons contribute to specular highlights. Higher number mean greater contributions. Default is 1.0. However, 0.6 is recommended. This is a relative value.


-spec_static

This must be used with the -spec command line parameter and must be entered into the "Custom flags" field. Adjusts how much suns contribute to specular highlights. Higher numbers mean a greater contribution. Default is 1.0. However, is 0.8 recommended. This is a relative value.


-spec_tube

This must be used with the -spec command line parameter and must be entered into the "Custom flags" field. Adjusts how much Beam Weapons contribute to specular highlights. Higher numbers mean a greater contribution. Default is 1.0. However, 0.4 is recommended. This is a relative value.


-ogl_spec

OpenGL Only. Takes a numerical argument. This value changes the basic shininess of the specular light in OpenGL. A lower value reduces the overall intensity of the light making it broader and less powerful. A higher value makes it more focued and brighter. The default value is 80, and the usable range is 0 to 128 (clamped). The original default value was 60, but it was raised to behave more D3D like.

While trying to fiddle with lighting settings I've found these descriptions somewhat confusing, lacking and, at worst, somewhat inaccurate.

Based on some of my experimentation, it seems to me that:

-spec_exp has pretty much no effect at all on the lighting that I can detect. It just doesn't seem to do anything, much less what it advertised.

-ogl_spec, on the other hand, works in sort of inverted way - smaller values tend to produce a much stronger general specular effect (the reflections are bigger)

-very small values on -ogl_spec produce strange effects (abrupt black lines on the curved surfaces)

-spec_static, -spec_point and -spec_tube define the general intensity of the specular reflections much like described.

-the general diffuse lighting strength has apparently no adjustable settings at all. This would be a good tool in defining the general look of the lighting, as it appears that dark shine maps tend to darken ships quite a bit... Just a "simple" diffuse lighting multiplier switch could be highly useful (I won't say anything about the simplicity of actually coding it...)


So, it would seem that practically the best way to find good specular lighting settings for a mod is to first set -no_emissive_light and -ambient_factor XX (where XX is the number you find suitable). Ambient factor has a very strong effect on normal map visibility by the way, so you probably want to have relatively low values anywhere between zero and eighty. I've found that ambient factor of thirty tends to give pretty good results.

After setting the ambient factor, set up the -ogl_spec based on the size of the reflections you want to have. Smaller values result in big reflections and overall brighter appearance (plus some nasty stuff going on with really low values) while large values result in smaller reflections - apparently this is meant with "stronger lighting" but it's more like the light source just gets smaller and thus the reflections get smaller and overall lighting appears to be weaker... at least that's what it seems like.

Then set up the general specular intensity with the -spec_static X.X. This might actually be the most important switch because it defines the general strength of the speculars from static light sources, so you can use it to adjust the overall glossy/matte ratio of ships as a whole. Then figure out how much do you want weapons and beams to contribute to the general specular reflections. If you give them higher values than the -spec_static, then you end up with quite flashy reflections from the weapon effects. Lower, and you end up with subtler, less noticeable flashes from weapons fire and beams. How you want to set it up depends on what kind of look you want obviously. Personally, I think flashy flashes suit FreeSpace 2 but probably wouldn't work quite as well for Diaspora or Fate of the Galaxy.

Also be advised that the Ship Lab makes everything look somewhat darker than it will be in-mission, so when calibrating the shine maps and lighting, don't make things look "good" on ship lab - go to a mission and see how the shine maps and everything works together there. If something looks "good" on ship lab, it will very likely be somewhat overly shiny and bright in missions.


Also, I would really love to see the Ship Lab improved with customizeable skybox background and adjustable lighting...

[Krelus]

spec_exp DOES have an effect, although it is subtle. Besides that, it does exactly what it says on the tin.

[Aardwolf]

Semi-relevant: Why does turning off the env-map brighten the specular hilights on some ships (observed in the F3 ship lab)

[Krelus]

Semi-relevant: Why does turning off the env-map brighten the specular hilights on some ships (observed in the F3 ship lab)

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

If EnvMapping is on, the RGB channels determine the shininess while the Alpha channel determines the reflectivity (i.e., reflections of nebulae.)
If it's off, then both the RGB and Alpha channels combine to determine the shininess.

Personally, I think the reflections rarely look good on anything but cockpit windows, but that's just me.

[Sushi]

What is this ship lab I'm always hearing about?

[Jeff Vader]

F3?

[Sushi]

F3?

F3 from where?

[Dragon]

From mainhall.