Lighting in this game is terrible

[Squishy Butt]

OK so first of all most lighting in the game is pretty decent in certain section, more so than others, but half the time I'm wandering in pitch black that I can't even see what's in front of me, and the flashlight is so ♥♥♥♥ poor awful at lighting up dark areas too, it's so dim, too dim in fact.

Flashlight

The flashlight needs to be reworked because there are several issues wrong with it, and it doesn't matter what settings you change from console, it's just awful.

• Firstly why does the flashlight create overcasting shadows on objects in front of what you're shining the light on? When you get too up close to objects or walls it creates and overcasting shadow over that object you can't even see it when the flashlight is shining on it.

• Moving closer to objects or walls pushes the flashlight to move downwards, instead of straight ahead of where you're looking.

• Flashlight is too dim and needs to be brightened up more to better suit the darker areas of the game that are damn near impossible to see.

I have played around with the

mat_hdr

commands in console, but they either made no little difference or just outright breaks the game's lighting to look extremely weird.

mat_fullbright

especially just made lighting look worse if I change its lighting level to somewhere around a value of 2.

Maps

Some maps around Black Mesa are just increadibly dark and hard to see anything. Office Complex is one example here where it can be really dark and you can't see anything even with flashlight ON. Some of the later levels like Xen can be increadibly hard to see where and what you're doing because the flashlight is too dim to even light up dark areas.

[marcel]

Are you sure you dont have the overdark bug?

[Squishy Butt]

Originally posted by WashingMachineHunter:

Are you sure you dont have the overdark bug?

I've already looked over that, but nothing changes with the commands provided that people have suggested using. It just makes no difference at all when used.

[Migz - DH]

You mentioned Office Complex. Does the beginning area with the radio look like this with the flashlight off and on?
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2020308385
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2020377327

[WAYFARER]

Change your graphic card

[Kickfister]

Originally posted by ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤:

OK so first of all most lighting in the game is pretty decent in certain section, more so than others, but half the time I'm wandering in pitch black that I can't even see what's in front of me, and the flashlight is so ♥♥♥♥ poor awful at lighting up dark areas too, it's so dim, too dim in fact.

Flashlight

The flashlight needs to be reworked because there are several issues wrong with it, and it doesn't matter what settings you change from console, it's just awful.

• Firstly why does the flashlight create overcasting shadows on objects in front of what you're shining the light on? When you get too up close to objects or walls it creates and overcasting shadow over that object you can't even see it when the flashlight is shining on it.

• Moving closer to objects or walls pushes the flashlight to move downwards, instead of straight ahead of where you're looking.

• Flashlight is too dim and needs to be brightened up more to better suit the darker areas of the game that are damn near impossible to see.

I have played around with the

mat_hdr

commands in console, but they either made no little difference or just outright breaks the game's lighting to look extremely weird.

mat_fullbright

especially just made lighting look worse if I change its lighting level to somewhere around a value of 2.

Maps

Some maps around Black Mesa are just increadibly dark and hard to see anything. Office Complex is one example here where it can be really dark and you can't see anything even with flashlight ON. Some of the later levels like Xen can be increadibly hard to see where and what you're doing because the flashlight is too dim to even light up dark areas.

The game is definitely designed to be dark, but it's never hard to play. I can see not liking this type of direction, but you're making it sound like a critical failing of the game so I gotta ask: Is your monitor poorly calibrated? Can you see all the squares on this test image? http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/black.php

[~$$~ BlackCatTheGreat]

flashlight gets pushed downward most likely becuase the flashlight is at chest level or so on the suit, also explains the lag behind the light has when you turn quickly. The game is meant to be pretty dark. being a failing and falling apart underground facility. Not sure about your Overcasting Shadows problem, ya the flashlight creates shadows from objects since ya, it's a light. Flashlight is plenty bright as well, Instead of just complaining, some screenshots or a video would be nice.

[Hyperbog]

The lighting in this game is pretty fantastic. Can't say I have the same issues. They did a hell of a job making this game look as amazing as it looks. Especially considering the Source Engine, and DX9. It's damn impressive.

[Squishy Butt]

Originally posted by ~$$~ BlackCatTheGreat ♣♣:

flashlight gets pushed downward most likely becuase the flashlight is at chest level or so on the suit, also explains the lag behind the light has when you turn quickly. The game is meant to be pretty dark. being a failing and falling apart underground facility. Not sure about your Overcasting Shadows problem, ya the flashlight creates shadows from objects since ya, it's a light. Flashlight is plenty bright as well, Instead of just complaining, some screenshots or a video would be nice.

I'm not talking about shadows behind the objects, I'm talking about shadows in front of the object overcasting where it shouldn't. you go up close to an NPC with the torch on with only a few feet away and they become hidden in an overcast of shadows.

[Machine Gunn Eddie]

Vent shadows(triangle weird shadows) i remember that but idk it's a shadow error or game error

[Vassago Rain]

Tinker with the flashlight settings in skill.cfg. Be aware that you're stepping into very unstable and complicated territory.

[~$$~ BlackCatTheGreat]

Only shadows on NPC i see getting cast is proper ones that would get cast with the flashlight being chest level or so. Try Repairing the cache or whatever in the properties menu of the game since i can't see any of your problems.

[macaco no carro de golf]

I literally can´t play the game. Flashlight doesn't work, other lights won't help. Brightness is 100% but I can't see anything; unplayable

[FireFly]

Originally posted by Logic-:

I literally can´t play the game. Flashlight doesn't work, other lights won't help. Brightness is 100% but I can't see anything; unplayable

Sounds like you are on fullbright.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/620712999974203382/

Edit: unless you mean you can't see anything, in which case have you followed these instructions?

https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/1696045708659375849/?ctp=14#c1631916406864722757

[enm369]

Originally posted by FireFly:

Originally posted by Logic-:

I literally can´t play the game. Flashlight doesn't work, other lights won't help. Brightness is 100% but I can't see anything; unplayable

Sounds like you are on fullbright.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/620712999974203382/

Edit: unless you mean you can't see anything, in which case have you followed these instructions?

https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/1696045708659375849/?ctp=14#c1631916406864722757

Alright, I've been having a similar issue and I tried the latter fix. It helped, but I still have a brightness problem. However, because of this fix, I now see exactly what my problem is. Each time I die or enter a new area (a.k.a. every time the game has to (re)load an area), the lighting is perfect, but within a second or two, it starts dimming fast until it's almost too dark to play at all. Turning my laptops brightness up doesn't fix it at all

[xdave200164x]

ADD IN CHEAT CONSOLE mat_fullbright 1