UDK: Massive Skeletal Mesh lighting problem

CarlCraft

Hello!

So, I'm working on a mesh that is massive and will need to be animated. The problem I'm noticing right away is the lighting of the mesh.
How it handles lighting is not up to par. Either it's completely black (unlit) or completely lit, as if it's accepting light from a specific spot on the skeletal mesh.
What I need is to have the lighting act like it "should", with parts being close to point lights getting lit and so forth.

Here's a pic of what I'm getting:


I've tried accepting all sorts of lighting for it

Does it have to do with it's bounds? Does it need a physics asset?
Any help appreciated!

Froyok

callebo wrote: »

Does it need a physics asset?

Yep, the physics asset is used to compute the area that cast shadows from the mesh. Maybe it's even creating a self-lighting problem on your mesh.

Also you seems a bit far from your mesh, if you are close the lighting is correct ?

CarlCraft

I see. Self-lighting problem? Care to elaborate?

Even if I'm near it stays unlit.

Froyok

While a physics asset helps to cast shadows on other objects, you still see shadow/lighting on the mesh itself normally. Your mesh is totally black that's why I was asking if near it was working correctly because the shadow quality for dynamic objects (such as skeletal meshes) change based on the camera distance.

Also I guess that :
-the material on you mesh in not in unlit mode ?
-the skeletal mesh as "accept lights" enabled ?

ikblue

If the "light environment" option is checked for this object, UDK will try to use lightmass samples to make the lighting so you need to have a lightmass importance volume in your scene, maybe even a character indirect volume around your skeletal, and to have lights built.
Hope this helps