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[Asset] RetroFlicker Light Script

The RetroFlicker script is my implementation the classic lighting effects from the source code of Quake/Half-Life/Half-Life 2 in Nolimits 2. Apply the script to any light object (Using Entity0 for the color) and you have access to 11 lighting effect patterns straight from Quake 1.


Not just useful for a retro look, turning on frame interpolation from the object properties window will blend the light values between the pattern framerate (by default 15fps) up to whatever framerate NL2 is running at. A subtle but significantly smoother look which will look great in any project.

1. Flicker one
   
2. Pulse Strong
   
3. Candle one
   
4. Strobe Fast
   
5. Gentle Pulse
   
6. Flicker two
   
7. Candle two
   
8. Candle three
   
9. Strobe Slow
   
10. Fluorescent (broken)
    
11. Pulse Slow

The .nl2pkg download includes a demo environment with almost every light pattern demonstrated. Frame interpolation has been left off on all lights, to provide a truer retro look.


This workshop item contains the demo scene and the base files for RetroFlicker. To use the script in your own project, extract the RetroFlicker folder within the nl2pkg, and copy that to your own project. You do not need copy the demo folder, which contains assets for the demo scene models.


The original quake code is released under the GPL licence, and so this script is arguably subject to that license (not a lawyer). This should be fine for usage in NL2 projects, even if you're using it for professional work.

These lighting patterns predate the time when video games came with photosensitivity/epilepsy warnings. The fluorescent and strobe effects especially are quite harsh to look at.