Ambent Lighting
Hi, I am new here... I was searching for quite some time for an Ambient lighting tutorial and got one relevant result, in a topic named "Hammer Mega Guide", it says:
Create a env_tonemap_controller. It will look like a black/purple checkerboard in Hammer; that's fine.
Create a logic_auto, because env_tonemap_controller has no parameters so needs to be configured with I/O. Configure the logic_auto to setup the lighting when the map starts:
SetAutoExposureMin 0.75
SetAutoExposureMax 1.5
SetBloomScale 0.3
but this has no effect on my map. Of course I compiled it with lighting and the map is without leaks. What I have now is this (see the attachment). The name of the env_tonemap_controller entity is tonemap. I don't understand the target inputs, don't know what they mean. No relevant description can be found on the valve's developer wiki either.
So, please, could someone tell me how to get ambient lighting working, so that there are no "pitch-black" places around the map?
Thanx in advance
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I am pretty sure you need to compile the map with HDR for the tonemap stuff to work. Aside from that, I believe you can set an ambient light setting in the Map Properties - but really it is kind of cheating, you should just light all of your areas naturally.
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Open the Portal map that comes with the SDK. Inside there is the tonemap controller along with a couple other entities which makes the lightting have the Portal feel. They should be right outside the elevator and you can just copy/paste them directly into your own map.
WHAT!!!!!!! Copy/pasting!
shuuunnnnnnnnnn...............
What's wrong with that? That's more or less the point of the example maps.
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Thanx for your posts
How do I compile with HDR? I have checked all the compilation steps in the Run Map dialog, is there anything I should add/change? Btw. my graphics card is an older one (GF6200) and I think it does not support the HDR thingy.
I already got the idea to look at the example map and see how it is done, but there is one problem - my Hammer crashes when trying to open the example map. It gives me no error mesage/whatsoever, it just closes without notice. But I was able to open the example map a couple of times, maybe 3 or 4 times in the future?
I really don't know what might be the cause, but as long as I can make my own map, I am a lucky person 
//Edit: somehow I managed to open the example map and I did it exactly as in there, but the whole map is pitch black anyway 
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Released here!
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WHAT!!!!!!! Copy/pasting!
shuuunnnnnnnnnn...............
Or spend 2min recreating the exact same thing in your map...no thanks, I like to be productive in my mapping.
Yeah just make sure you have the HDR compile option selected in Hammer. Then once in game make sure to do buildcubemaps with mat_hdr_enabled 0 then with mat_hdr_enabled 1.
Those entities don't really create a global lighting that you are thinking of.
shadow_control - controls the color of shadows and their distance...this gives the effect from the control room windows.
color_correction - this gives the rooms their Portal feel, giving them a blueish/brightened color
env_tonemap_controller (and with inputs for exposure/bloom scale) - this exposes stuff to make them feel brighter and enhances the bloom.
If you are have lighting problems, your best option is to create more light sources instead of a global light. Having light without any sources doesn't make sense, no? It's much better to create inset lights/wall lights/observation rooms which also give the rooms more depth and detail.
Thank you for your explanation, Remmiz, I think I will give up the ambient lighting and complete the lighting after completing the map 
//EDIT: Well, I guess I will do without ambient lighting. The map was so ugly because there were unnoticed leaks, now when it is fixed, everything looks much much better
(percentage calculation sphere self-test failed!)
108.1% done, -8.1% remaining...
Released here!
All maps for Portal (1/2) worth playing are mirrored here.
If you need any help with HDR, take a look at this page:
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Advanced_HDR
That page took me freakin months to write, but it was well worth it.