I noticed that in some of the darker areas of my map the walls have purple/red/black regions on them.

When I put a light next to them the red disappears, but I want dark spots in my maps.
Do you know what could cause this?

Toaster

Toaster

toaster wrote:
I want the light to act normal. There should be some light, fading into the dark.

Then I think a block_light brush would be ideal for you. Place a flat block in the [shaft/pit] and it should make the light fade out nicely. It's not an instant blackness or something... Try it.

Paradoxic R3mix wrote:
I also think a full compile could fix it. Maybe?

Possibly, this.

Then select the 'Full compile -both -final (slow!)' Configuration and then press 'Go'

Rob.

toaster wrote:
What is a full compile? I usualy click the run map button and I compile with everything set to normal.

A full compile is done like Robdon said.

A normal compile just calculates the lights.
A full compile does:
* LDR AND HDR lighting.
* Increases the quality of light_environment and indirect lighting by spending more time firing rays.
* Generate per-vertex prop_static lighting; always enabled for light_spot entities. Disables info_lighting entities on props WITHOUT normal maps.
* Perform shadow tests of prop_statics at polygon precision. Default is to use collision meshes.

So it's a lot more calculations, and it often takes a lot longer but your map will look a lot better lit!

toaster

toaster wrote:
I did a full compile. You're right. The lightning issues are fixed and the map looks better.

toaster

I recommend doing fast or normal compiles when you're testing the map and full only for the final compile and/or the times you want to test lighting.

Apart from doing a full compile to test the final lighting, I'd suggest as Bayleaf to place 1-2 light entities right around that corner, AND to give it a name, then go to those prop_statics (squarebeams) properties menu > lighting origin > [that light entity name here], because even though you put more lighting in that corner, some props don't often receive enough lighting from environment and appear with a black look at some parts (like their bottom part as shown in your picture).