Dev Focus: Lighting Updates

October 8, 2024

The new Grimshores map was introduced during last month's playtests, bringing a more dynamic and varied combat landscape to the game. Updates and optimisations to the region continue, and this week we're taking a look at some of the lighting experiments the dev team has carried out to bring out the game's depth and contrasts.

Note: Videos and screenshots are from early pre-alpha builds and should be considered work-in-progress.

A Matter of Balance

In an action-heavy game such as Edge of Chaos, lighting is all about balance. On one hand, dramatic and dynamic lighting help the game world look its best. On the other, being able to see enemies, allies, and objectives clearly is critical, and too much contrast or moodiness can lead to frustration. At the same time, lighting that works in one situation may not work in another, meaning testing across a wide range of scenarios is critical.

This video shows testing of new contrasts between highlights and shadows. This is a balancing act to avoid the shadows becoming too dark. The goal is to maintain a gloomy and gritty mood, while ensuring important landmarks in the distance remain clearly visible.

Check out the screenshots below for more examples of lighting balance in action.

An example of the countryside of Grimshores, featuring abandoned farmsteads in a rural landscape. The autumn-tinged trees provide color and keep the scene from falling into greyness or monotone.

This image shows Ironfell Camp, and beyond it in the fog, Duskhold Prison. The lighting and weather have been adjusted to convey a fairly gloomy atmosphere, while still letting players see important landmarks in the distance.

A military camp with the town of Ravenhelm visible in the distance. Overall the lighting here is a good example of bringing increased contrast and depth compared to the game world, with the foreground flowers providing splashes of color.

Ravens circle menacingly over the gritty-looking town of Ravenhelm. Despite its menace, the shadows do not completely dominate and a contrast of light and dark remains.

Stay tuned for more development updates coming soon - and to experience the world of Edge of Chaos for yourself, sign up for the HyperScale Alpha Playtest Programme here.