Black Textures/Light Graphical Bug

[Koltira]

Lately i've encountered a strange bug that i don't remember seeing before which happens about later in the game (mostly random), basically all of the terrain and doodad textures go completely black and there is no light (like in the screenshot).

Does anyone have a clue what might be causing this?

Screenshot:
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[Kaijyuu]

Too many light sources. There's a finite number of available light sources (from torches and the like) and it's possible for the main ambient lighting to be overwritten, causing that.

 

[Koltira]

Interesting, could you tell me roughly the amount of light sources? (like is it tens, hundreds or maybe thousands?),
because in the map theres very little (about 15 doodads at best that emit light)

 

[Dr Super Good]

Interesting, could you tell me roughly the amount of light sources?

8 per rendered patch. This limit is hard coded into the fixed function graphics API WC3 uses.

If there are more than 8 lights, WC3 uses a victim algorithm to select which 8 of the however many lights get used. However this algorithm is not always accurate at selecting which lights are the most effective on a batch, as such it might discard using the environment light in favour of placed lights.

 

[Koltira]

thanks alot! ill remove some lights and see if the problem still occurs

 

[Koltira]

8 per rendered patch. This limit is hard coded into the fixed function graphics API WC3 uses.

If there are more than 8 lights, WC3 uses a victim algorithm to select which 8 of the however many lights get used. However this algorithm is not always accurate at selecting which lights are the most effective on a batch, as such it might discard using the environment light in favour of placed lights.

Too many light sources. There's a finite number of available light sources (from torches and the like) and it's possible for the main ambient lighting to be overwritten, causing that.

I removed 90% of the light sources, which were caused by 1 building model, but the problem still persists, ive seen many maps with way more light sources and never seen this problem before.
May there be something else causing this? Like for example having too many units in the map or a corrupted model?

 

[Dr Super Good]

May there be something else causing this?

One could out right turn off the environment light with triggers. One could also be leaking models with lights, eg in the form of items or special effects.

or a corrupted model?

Never known of such a case but seeing how a corrupted model technically falls outside of what WC3 is designed I cannot rule that out as being a cause.

 

[Koltira]

Thanks for the replies! I'll try my best searching through the triggers that have Special Effects in them and see what I can do about it