Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2-28. Adding lights to your scene
The light types differ radically in their performance implications. But one general rule to follow when
lighting is less is more . That is, don't add more lights than are truly necessary. Cut back on excess
and get the best results possible from the fewest number of lights. For CMOD, both the Directional
Light and Area Light can be excluded as viable options. Directional Lights can be excluded because
they're designed primarily for outdoor environments, which are illuminated by either the sun or
moon. Directional Lights simulate bright light sources at a distant location, casting infinite rays of
light in a single direction. And Area Lights can be excluded generally because we must illuminate
both static and dynamic objects, and they pertain only to lightmapped objects. This leaves us with
a realistic choice between two light types to use (we can use a mixture, too); specifically the Point
Light and the Spotlight . In terms of performance, points are “better” than spots. That is, Spotlights
are typically more expensive than Point Lights. For CMOD then, I will use only Point Lights for the
scene (see Figure 2-29 to see my configuration of Point Lights).
 
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