💡 LightEffect Component
The LightEffect component adds dynamic behavior to engine lights.
It allows simulating flickers, pulses, alarms, and other animated lighting effects,
all fully configurable by the developer.
⚙️ Main Properties
- Effect Type: The type of effect that defines the animation pattern.
- Speed: Controls the overall speed of the light changes.
- Intensity Min: Minimum intensity value (how dim the light can get).
- Intensity Max: Maximum intensity value (the brightest point).
- Randomness: Degree of randomness or irregularity in the behavior.
- Active: Enables or disables the effect without removing it from the object.
🧩 This component can only be added to objects of type light.
🎨 Available Effect Types
🔥 1. Torch (Fire / Flame)
Simulates a torch or living flame, with soft but irregular variations that slightly change
intensity and rhythm, imitating natural fire behavior.
- Speed: Controls how fast the light changes (typical values between 0.5 and 2).
- Intensity Min / Max: Defines the brightness range (e.g., 0.5–1.2).
- Randomness: Adjusts irregularity. Higher values = more chaotic flicker.
Recommended example:
Speed = 1.2
Intensity Min = 0.6
Intensity Max = 1.1
Randomness = 0.3
🔥 Ideal for torches, bonfires, candles, or magical portals.
⚡ 2. Fluorescent (Broken tube light / Neon)
Emulates a damaged fluorescent or neon lamp, flickering irregularly with occasional blackout moments.
- Speed: Not used (the flicker is random).
- Intensity Min / Max: Adjusts brightness between “blackouts” and full light moments.
- Randomness: Controls the frequency and intensity of failures. Higher values = more flickering.
Recommended example:
Intensity Min = 0.2
Intensity Max = 1.0
Randomness = 0.7
⚡ Perfect for industrial environments, dark hallways, or abandoned laboratories.
💓 3. Pulse (Soft pulse / Light breathing)
Creates rhythmic variation in intensity, smoothly increasing and decreasing continuously,
similar to a breathing effect or a beating heart.
- Speed: Pulse speed (1 = normal, 3 = fast, 0.5 = slow).
- Intensity Min / Max: Lower and upper limits of the brightness cycle.
- Randomness: Not used.
Recommended example:
Speed = 1
Intensity Min = 0.7
Intensity Max = 1.0
💓 Ideal for energy lights, indicators, neons, or charging zones.
🚨 4. Alarm (Emergency / Warning light)
Quickly alternates between different brightness levels, simulating an emergency or siren light.
In some cases, it may include color changes between warm and cold tones.
- Speed: Determines flash frequency (higher values = faster flashing).
- Intensity Min / Max: Controls how much brightness varies in each flash.
- Randomness: Not used.
Recommended example:
Speed = 3
Intensity Min = 0.5
Intensity Max = 1.3
🚨 Ideal for sirens, emergency alarms, spaceships, or police lights.
🔧 Usage Tips
- 👉 Speed controls the rhythm of the effect. Use small values for smooth transitions.
- 👉 Intensity Min / Max define the visible brightness range. Greater difference = stronger effect.
- 👉 Randomness adds life to fire-like or neon effects.
🧠 Tip: combine static lights with animated lights for more realistic environments.
📌 Summary
- The LightEffect component adds automatic animation to lights.
- Available effects: Torch, Fluorescent, Pulse, and Alarm.
- All parameters can be modified directly from the editor panel.
- Intensity Min can go down to 0 to simulate complete blackouts.
- Randomness controls visual chaos, ideal for natural or deteriorated effects.