Placing Lights – Age of Empires Support

Overview

A Light is an object that can be placed in a scene that illuminates the surrounding area .

The example below, you can see a light within a rock outcropping, illuminating the surrounding rock face.

Title Light

Note that only the Point light type is functional in the Age of Empires IV editor.

All other lighting options are currently disabled and will have no effect if placed on your map.

Light Type 1

To place a light object on your map, go to the Object Browser, find the Light tool, Left-Click it and drag it onto your map.

The Light will be placed onto the map, and the Properties panel will switch show information on your new light.

Light menu

If you do not immediately see your light appear, this likely means one of three things:

Your Light Type is not set to Point.
Your light is currently under the ground and you must move it using the Transformation tools.
Your light Intensity is not set high enough to be visible in the current environment.

Also note that lights work best when they can reflect off a nearby object.

Light Type

When you place a light in a scene, you will have a number of options available in the Properties Panel that define how the light behaves.

These options and their functions are detailed below.

Light Properties

Comment: Allows you to add a comment / light. This comment is only visible within the editor.
Display Name: A custom name you can add to this light for display in the Scenario Tree.
Exclude From Game: If checked, the light will not include appear in-game.
Locked: If checked, the light cannot be edited.
Visible: If checked, the light will be shown in the editor.

Cast Shadows: Causes the light to cast shadows. This feature is currently disabled.
Colour: The colour of the light, which can be set with the integrated colour control panel.
Intensity: The intensity of the light. Default value is 8 which represents a standard fire or torch. Below is more faint while above is more intense. A value of 11 or higher is so intense it can begin to obscure details.
Light Type: The type of light. Make sure the type is set to Point. No other light types are currently supported.

Attenuation End: The radius of the light fall-off point. Imagine a light is a sphere within a sphere. End is the larger outer sphere.
Attenuation Start: The radius of the smaller inner sphere of the light. Imagine a light is a sphere within a sphere. Start is the smaller inner sphere.

Exclude From Scenario References: If true checked, will not include in any scenario references that reference this scenario.

Orientation: is the rotation of the light object. For Point Lights, it's largely irrelevant.
Position: Position of the light in the scene.