Need Spotlights for Statues and other Displays

SilverBride · February 2022

It would be great if we had spotlights that could be placed at the foot of statues to illuminate them, or a large tapestry, or anything we have on display. It is very difficult to give these items the proper amount of light they deserve with our current options. Please consider this.

Marcusorion1 · February 2022

Totally agree, currently struggling with this lighting problem on various " art" pieces : statues, paintings ( glare ) and tapestries.

Lighting physics needs a good look at - on many light sources the light is shining the wrong directions, out the bottom of sealed bases and/or failing to light properly in the logical cast window. This is above and beyond the known "bug".

SilverBride · February 2022

I have placed a lot of statues around Doomchar but there is no good way to light them. They would look so dramatic with good lighting.

Northwold · February 2022

For super large statues you can use something like a culanda stone on a flagpole (or whatever else you want to mount it on). But I wouldn't recommend it anywhere near the ground because culanda stones shed an enormous amount of light and can't be switched off. I've lit the monuments in Thieves Oasis this way but, well, those statues are taller than many houses all by themselves.

I haven't tried the less intense enchanted lights that are similar, but they might work for smaller things as a temporary compromise until ZOS make some spotlights. The problem is that many lights in ESO cast light that passes through objects so you may end up lighting everything behind the light as well as everything in front.

SilverBride · February 2022

I've sunk light sources into smaller statues and other display items with varying results. But that makes the object have a faint glow rather than being illuminated by a light source pointing at it.

Real life statues and other such pieces of art usually have small spotlights on the ground pointing up to the object. This would actually illuminate the item and enhance its features.

Northwold · February 2022

SilverBride wrote: »

I've sunk light sources into smaller statues and other display items with varying results. But that makes the object have a faint glow rather than being illuminated by a light source pointing at it.

Real life statues and other such pieces of art usually have small spotlights on the ground pointing up to the object. This would actually illuminate the item and enhance its features.

Absent a proper spotlight, one other thing I tried was embedding the dres lantern (not the portable one) in walls, on their sides at an angle with only the top circles showing out of the wall (hard to describe in words -- think of a cat's eye on a road). Physically, it LOOKS like a spotlight then (as in it looks like a light fitting designed to be a spot light). But whether it functions as one is very much going to depend on where it's placed. Might be worth a try embedded in the floor with a bit peeking out, but the light spread might be too horizontal rather than vetical to work.

https://eso.mmo-fashion.com/dres-lantern-stationary/

SilverBride · February 2022

I'll give that a try.

katanagirl1 · February 2022

The Clockwork Illuminator, Solitary Capsule is my favorite for generally increasing the lighting level in a room. I either sink it into the floor or push it up into the ceiling.

I have to play around a bit and either orient it up/down or sideways to get the look I want. It might cause some shadowing for a statue, but that might not be a bad thing depending on what look you are trying to achieve.

spartaxoxo · February 2022

katanagirl1 wrote: »

The Clockwork Illuminator, Solitary Capsule is my favorite for generally increasing the lighting level in a room. I either sink it into the floor or push it up into the ceiling.

I have to play around a bit and either orient it up/down or sideways to get the look I want. It might cause some shadowing for a statue, but that might not be a bad thing depending on what look you are trying to achieve.

I second this, this gives some of the most natural lighting in the game imo

SilverBride · February 2022

katanagirl1 wrote: »

The Clockwork Illuminator, Solitary Capsule is my favorite for generally increasing the lighting level in a room. I either sink it into the floor or push it up into the ceiling.

I have to play around a bit and either orient it up/down or sideways to get the look I want. It might cause some shadowing for a statue, but that might not be a bad thing depending on what look you are trying to achieve.

I do want some shadowing. I don't want to just make the statue glow from within as though it was the light source. I want the light to illuminate the statue from the front by casting light toward it. This makes small shadows on the face and other details that makes them stand out. It would also create a shadow behind the statue which adds to its realism.

umagon · February 2022

I used the Ayleid Lightwell and turned it upside down and pushed into the ceiling to create a spotlight like effect in the art room of my house. It’s not perfect but it might work for temporary solution.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2022

Ah yes, spotlights. Very Elder Scrolls.

Northwold · February 2022

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Ah yes, spotlights. Very Elder Scrolls.

He said, as he flicked off the clockwork illuminator capsule, rested his book on a Dwarven spider, and curled up for the night.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2022

Northwold wrote: »

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Ah yes, spotlights. Very Elder Scrolls.

He said, as he flicked off the clockwork illuminator capsule, rested his book on a Dwarven spider, and curled up for the night.

Then just use clockwork stuff. There are some that are even spotlight-ish.

Northwold · February 2022

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Northwold wrote: »

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Ah yes, spotlights. Very Elder Scrolls.

He said, as he flicked off the clockwork illuminator capsule, rested his book on a Dwarven spider, and curled up for the night.

Then just use clockwork stuff. There are some that are even spotlight-ish.

No nothing in the furnishings actually casts a purely one-directional light at present, unless I've missed something.

SilverBride · February 2022

I've not found anything that does, either.

Amottica · February 2022

See if you can get some culanda stones from someone. They were once sold in the luxury vendor.

Place one inside the statue and the statue will glow.

katanagirl1 · February 2022

SilverBride wrote: »

katanagirl1 wrote: »

The Clockwork Illuminator, Solitary Capsule is my favorite for generally increasing the lighting level in a room. I either sink it into the floor or push it up into the ceiling.

I have to play around a bit and either orient it up/down or sideways to get the look I want. It might cause some shadowing for a statue, but that might not be a bad thing depending on what look you are trying to achieve.

I do want some shadowing. I don't want to just make the statue glow from within as though it was the light source. I want the light to illuminate the statue from the front by casting light toward it. This makes small shadows on the face and other details that makes them stand out. It would also create a shadow behind the statue which adds to its realism.

I think if you were to place the Clockwork capsule slightly in front of the statue and sink it completely into the ground that it would cast most of the light upward but maybe if the top were angled slightly toward the statue the shadowing might be similar to what you want.

Tomorrow is kinda busy for me but I’m going to make a note to test this out and get a snapshot if I can.

SilverBride · February 2022

I appreciate all the great ideas. I'm going to try some of those tomorrow.

Nemezijus · February 2022

The Decorative Skyshard is quite close to being a spotlight, though it casts blue light.

StabbityDoom · February 2022

At least for paintings, this is the way (Thanks @glassid)

Northwold · February 2022

Is that the clockwork desk lamp thing?

StabbityDoom · February 2022

Northwold wrote: »

Is that the clockwork desk lamp thing?

yep

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2022

SilverBride wrote: »

It would also create a shadow behind the statue which adds to its realism.

I feel like pointing out that it won't. The lightning in houses is, well, bad. Lightsources we place don't create shadows.

SilverBride · February 2022

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

It would also create a shadow behind the statue which adds to its realism.

I feel like pointing out that it won't. The lightning in houses is, well, bad. Lightsources we place don't create shadows.

The statues outside my castle get direct sunlight certain times of the day. When this happens they do cast shadows behind them. I was hoping that a light source pointing at them would do the same.

I'm going to try some of these ideas today and I'll take some screenshots.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2022

SilverBride wrote: »

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

It would also create a shadow behind the statue which adds to its realism.

I feel like pointing out that it won't. The lightning in houses is, well, bad. Lightsources we place don't create shadows.

The statues outside my castle get direct sunlight certain times of the day. When this happens they do cast shadows behind them. I was hoping that a light source pointing at them would do the same.

I'm going to try some of these ideas today and I'll take some screenshots.

Only sunlight causes shadows in houses, and maybe other built in lightsources. But no placed light does.

SilverBride · February 2022

That's a good reason why we need it.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2022

Doesn't mean we need spotlights really. Means we need to get some proper lightning with actual shadows. Having lights glow through walls etc can be quite annoying when that's not what you want.

We are getting more lights with different variations of the lights they give, though. Like the Solitude Lantern, Table have a very aimed light. But smaller lightsources could be nice too for various effects.

katanagirl1 · February 2022

Using the Clockwork desklamp does work out especially well for paintings. Thanks for showing that example @StabbityDoom . I did not even think of using that item.

Here is a statue outside at my Potentates with the Clockwork capsule just slightly in front and sunk into the ground until none of the top is visible anymore:

I noted that tilting it towards the statue did not make any difference in the light emitted. Unfortunately it is not very bright on the statue but a lot of light reflects off the short walls around it.

I also have some dramatic lighting with the same furnishing indoors, it seems brighter because of the reflected light (I think).

So yes, my wording wasn't precise, the light doesn't create shadows but some parts of the object receiving the light will be in shadow.

EDIT:

I want to say to ZOS how happy I am to be able to visit my houses on PS NA and have all the lighting work properly, even the enchanted lighting. Thank you so much! Please don't forget all the housing people on PC and get them the fix soon too.

StabbityDoom · February 2022

sometimes i get sneaky and let them hold their own lights.

SilverBride · February 2022

I ended up using the Clockwork Illuminator, Compact as a spotlight. It works very well for illuminating statues when sunk in the ground in front of them. They also look good if left sticking out of the ground part way, too.