Glowing windows in the dark

[Legacy_TheOneBlackRider]

               I need a hint or so to get me going on this:

I'd like to have a window texture glow, when the area is set to nighttime. Just like the houses in the TNO/Castle Ext. Rual tileset do.

I did some searching, but maybe I just used the wrong key words. I checked a TNO-model but the riddle did not unfold for me.

I bet, there is a tutorial out there...

Thanks.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zwerkules]

               You simply set the self-illumination of the window pane to something brighter than black. Just select the window mesh, go to the modify tab and select the Aurora Trimesh modifier if it isn't already selected. You'll find a black 'box' there named Self Illum. Color. Click on it and select the colour the windows should have at night. You can make them glow green if you like, but it's best to use some kind of white, light yellow or orange.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TheOneBlackRider]

               Works like a charm!
Thanks, Zwerk!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <handing out degrees...>

There *is* a pretty nice tutorial by Bannor Bloodfist over on the Learning Curve.

It's a bit more involved in that it uses the available day, day2night, night and night2day anims on the tiles to animate the change. Those anims are triggered by the day settings in the module and locked to the day/night cycle, regardless of frame length, which makes them pretty handy, actually :-)

<...he stole from a pretty cool place>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TheOneBlackRider]

               That is something, I've been looking for! Just didnt manage to locate it with my search criteria, it seems. Nice! Now I have 2 options.
Thanks, people.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_3RavensMore]

               Thanks Rolo (and Bannor).  That's something I've wanted to do for awhile.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Frith5]

               Is there a way to make silhouettes appear behind windows using those animations? As in, people walking back and forth, or sitting in a chair reading, etc, at certain times of day/night?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <winding up...>

Actually, yes. But it would take some effort.
Make your day2night and night anims long enough and create some silhouette shapes attached to the 'a' node.
Just to give you an idea, Cestus' skyball placeable, that does one full revolution per game-day (48 mins) requires 86400 frames(30fps*60sec/min*48mins). The good news was it only required 4 *keys*, which is the bulky component.

Depending how much work you want to put into it, you could animate a whole peep-show with the lights being put out afterwards and the windows dark. Or perhaps some eerie purple glow in a wizard's tower... but only after midnight when he feeds the gremlins....

<...his cuckoo clock>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               Anyone of you noticed quite a lag if you have to many day2night transitions visible when it´s event takes place? cuz i do;)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zwerkules]

               There can be as many day2night transitions as there are tiles in an area without causing much lag. What causes the lag are the extra lights. If you have night/day animations using selfillum there is no problem, but with Bioware style animations which have extra lights you can only have a few night/day animations before you get lag.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_s e n]

               you get lag also if you use self illumination dynamically to change the degree of illumination or the shade of the colour
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Fester Pot]

               Just to add to the great discussion - I'd love to see some window light variety - you can also use the window placeable.

Placeables - Standard - Miscellaneous - Window

By turning its activation on or off, you can get the window to glow.

FP!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <keeping his...>

...and a not so obvious point: texture you silhouette black, of course, but give it 100% *white* self-illumination!

This will prevent the engine from shading the black or trying to give it highlights.

<...peepers peeled>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               such cool ideas like more sauce for the goose.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               yeah i thought about the self illumination animation is causing the lag for me too sen;) My hardware is really outdated so thats why some of you may not notice it;)