This guide teaches you how to make a light in Unreal Engine using different light types, settings, and placement techniques. You’ll learn to enhance scenes with realistic lighting, optimize performance, and troubleshoot common issues.
Key Takeaways
- Understand light types: Learn the differences between static, stationary, and movable lights and when to use each.
- Place lights effectively: Use proper positioning and angles to create depth, mood, and realism in your scenes.
- Adjust light properties: Customize intensity, color, temperature, and shadows to match your scene’s atmosphere.
- Optimize performance: Choose the right light mobility and settings to balance visual quality and frame rate.
- Use light functions and IES profiles: Add realism with texture-based lighting and real-world photometric data.
- Troubleshoot common issues: Fix problems like missing shadows, overexposure, or performance drops.
- Combine with post-processing: Enhance lighting effects using exposure, bloom, and color grading.
Introduction: Why Lighting Matters in Unreal Engine
Lighting is one of the most powerful tools in Unreal Engine. It shapes how players perceive your game world, sets the mood, and guides attention. Whether you’re building a dark horror dungeon or a sunny open-world landscape, knowing how to make a light in Unreal Engine is essential.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything from placing your first light to fine-tuning advanced settings. We’ll cover the three main light types, explain key properties, and show you how to optimize for performance. By the end, you’ll be able to create professional-looking scenes that look great and run smoothly.
Unreal Engine offers powerful real-time lighting tools, including ray tracing and dynamic global illumination. But even if you’re using baked lighting, understanding the basics will help you get the most out of your scenes. Let’s dive in and start lighting up your world.
Understanding Light Types in Unreal Engine
Before you place a light, it’s important to understand the three main types of lights in Unreal Engine: Static, Stationary, and Movable. Each has unique behaviors and performance impacts.
Visual guide about How to Make a Light in Unreal Engine
Image source: awesometuts.com
Static Lights
Static lights are baked into lightmaps during the build process. They don’t change during gameplay and are the most performance-friendly. Use them for environments that don’t need dynamic lighting, like a static indoor level or a pre-rendered scene.
Because they’re baked, static lights can produce high-quality soft shadows and realistic lighting. However, they can’t move or change intensity in real time. If you need a flickering candle or a moving spotlight, static lights won’t work.
Stationary Lights
Stationary lights are a middle ground. They can have dynamic shadows and change color or intensity during gameplay, but their position is fixed. This makes them ideal for lights that need to flicker or pulse, like a neon sign or a torch.
Stationary lights use a combination of baked and dynamic lighting. Part of their lighting is precomputed, while shadows and some effects are calculated in real time. This gives you flexibility without a huge performance cost.
Movable Lights
Movable lights are fully dynamic. They can move, change intensity, color, and direction in real time. Use them for moving vehicles, character-held flashlights, or any light that needs to animate.
The trade-off is performance. Movable lights are the most demanding because they calculate lighting and shadows every frame. Use them sparingly, especially on lower-end hardware.
How to Place a Light in Unreal Engine
Now that you know the types, let’s learn how to place a light. The process is simple, but placement makes a big difference in how your scene looks.
Step 1: Open Your Level
Launch Unreal Engine and open your project. Navigate to the level where you want to add lighting. If you’re starting fresh, create a new level with some basic geometry—like a room or outdoor terrain—so you can see the lighting effects.
Step 2: Access the Place Actors Panel
In the top-left corner of the editor, click the Place Actors tab (it looks like a cube with a plus sign). This opens a panel with all the objects you can add to your level.
Step 3: Search for Lights
In the search bar at the top of the Place Actors panel, type “light.” You’ll see several options: Point Light, Spot Light, Directional Light, and Rect Light. Each serves a different purpose.
- Point Light: Emits light in all directions from a single point. Great for lamps, bulbs, or ceiling lights.
- Spot Light: Projects light in a cone shape. Ideal for flashlights, stage lights, or headlights.
- Directional Light: Simulates sunlight or moonlight. It shines evenly across the entire level from one direction.
- Rect Light: Emits light from a rectangular surface. Perfect for fluorescent panels or TV screens.
Step 4: Drag and Drop the Light
Click and drag your chosen light into the viewport. Release it where you want the light to be. You can move it later using the transform tools (W for move, E for rotate, R for scale).
Step 5: Position the Light
Use the move tool (W) to position the light. For a ceiling lamp, place it near the ceiling. For a flashlight, attach it to a character or prop. Use the grid snap (hold Ctrl while moving) for precise placement.
Step 6: Rotate if Needed
Some lights, like spotlights, need rotation. Use the rotate tool (E) to aim the light. For example, tilt a spotlight down to illuminate a floor or wall.
Adjusting Light Properties
Once your light is placed, it’s time to customize it. Every light has a set of properties you can tweak to match your scene.
Intensity and Color
In the Details panel (usually on the right), find the Light section. Here, you’ll see Intensity and Light Color.
Intensity controls how bright the light is. Measured in lumens for point and spot lights, or lux for directional lights. Start with a value like 1000 for a room light and adjust based on your scene.
Light Color changes the hue. Click the color box to open the color picker. Use warm tones (yellow/orange) for cozy interiors and cool tones (blue/white) for sci-fi or nighttime scenes.
Temperature (Kelvin)
Instead of picking a color manually, you can use Temperature (in Kelvin). This mimics real-world light sources. For example:
- 2700K – Warm white (incandescent bulb)
- 4000K – Neutral white (office lighting)
- 6500K – Cool white (daylight)
Enable Use Temperature in the Details panel and set your desired value. This is a quick way to get realistic lighting.
Shadow Settings
Shadows add depth and realism. In the Light section, find Cast Shadows and make sure it’s enabled.
For stationary and movable lights, you can adjust Shadow Bias and Shadow Slope Bias to reduce artifacts like shadow acne (dark spots on surfaces). Start with default values and tweak if needed.
Attenuation and Falloff
Light doesn’t shine forever—it fades with distance. This is called attenuation.
For point and spot lights, set the Attenuation Radius. This defines how far the light reaches. A value of 500 means the light affects objects within 500 units.
You can also adjust the Light Falloff Exponent to control how quickly the light fades. A higher value makes the light drop off faster, creating a more focused beam.
Using Light Mobility Settings
After placing your light, set its Mobility type. This determines how it interacts with the scene and affects performance.
Changing Mobility
In the Details panel, find the Mobility dropdown under the Light section. Choose from:
- Static: Baked lighting. Best for performance.
- Stationary: Mixed lighting. Good balance.
- Movable: Fully dynamic. Use sparingly.
For example, set a ceiling light to Static if it never moves. Set a flashlight to Movable so it can follow a character.
When to Use Each Type
Here’s a quick guide:
- Use Static for permanent lights in static environments (e.g., street lamps, indoor fixtures).
- Use Stationary for lights that change but don’t move (e.g., flickering neon, pulsing alarms).
- Use Movable for lights that move or animate (e.g., car headlights, player flashlight).
Choosing the right mobility type helps optimize performance and visual quality.
Advanced Lighting Techniques
Once you’re comfortable with basic lights, try these advanced techniques to elevate your scenes.
Light Functions
Light functions let you project textures onto surfaces using light. For example, you can make a window cast a stained-glass pattern or simulate a flickering flame.
To use a light function:
- Create a texture (e.g., a grayscale image of a flame).
- In the light’s Details panel, find Light Function.
- Assign your texture to the Light Function Material slot.
- Adjust the Light Function Scale and Light Function Level to control size and intensity.
This is great for adding detail without extra geometry.
IES Profiles
IES (Illumination Engineering Society) profiles simulate real-world light fixtures. They define how light spreads, creating realistic patterns like those from streetlights or spotlights.
To use an IES profile:
- Download an IES file (free ones are available online).
- In the light’s Details panel, find IES Texture.
- Assign the IES file.
- Enable Use IES Texture.
This adds professional realism, especially for architectural or product visualization.
Light Channels
Light channels let you control which objects are affected by a light. This is useful for isolating lights to specific areas or objects.
For example, you can make a flashlight only illuminate the player’s hands and not the environment.
To use light channels:
- In the light’s Details panel, find Light Channels.
- Enable the channels you want (e.g., Channel 1).
- On the objects you want to light, go to their Lighting settings and enable the same channel.
This gives you fine control over lighting interactions.
Optimizing Lighting for Performance
Great lighting shouldn’t come at the cost of performance. Here’s how to keep your game running smoothly.
Use Static Lights When Possible
Static lights are baked and have no runtime cost. Use them for environments that don’t need dynamic changes. Bake your lighting regularly (Build > Build Lighting) to see updates.
Limit Movable Lights
Movable lights are expensive. Use them only when necessary. For example, one movable flashlight is fine, but don’t add ten moving lights in a small room.
Adjust Shadow Quality
High-quality shadows look great but cost performance. In the light’s Details panel, reduce Shadow Resolution or disable shadows for distant lights.
You can also use Cascaded Shadow Maps (CSM) for directional lights to optimize shadow rendering over large areas.
Use Light Culling
Unreal Engine automatically culls lights that don’t affect the camera view. But you can help by setting合理的 Attenuation Radius values. Don’t make lights shine farther than needed.
Monitor Performance
Use the Stat Unit command (press ~ and type “stat unit”) to check frame time. If lighting is causing lag, review your light types and settings.
Troubleshooting Common Lighting Issues
Even experienced developers run into lighting problems. Here’s how to fix the most common ones.
No Shadows Appearing
If your light isn’t casting shadows:
- Check that Cast Shadows is enabled in the light’s Details panel.
- Ensure the objects have Cast Shadow enabled in their settings.
- For static lights, rebuild lighting (Build > Build Lighting).
Overexposed or Washed-Out Scene
If everything looks too bright:
- Lower the light’s Intensity.
- Adjust the Exposure in post-processing (see next section).
- Use Light Falloff to reduce brightness at distance.
Shadow Acne or Artifacts
Dark spots or stripes on surfaces? Try:
- Increasing Shadow Bias slightly.
- Adjusting Shadow Slope Bias.
- Ensuring surfaces have proper UVs for lightmaps.
Performance Drops
If your game lags:
- Switch some lights to Static or Stationary.
- Reduce the number of movable lights.
- Lower shadow resolution or disable shadows on minor lights.
Combining Lighting with Post-Processing
Lighting works best when paired with post-processing effects. These enhance the final look of your scene.
Exposure Settings
In the Post Process Volume, adjust Exposure to control overall brightness. Use Auto Exposure for dynamic scenes or set a fixed value for consistency.
Bloom Effect
Bloom makes bright lights glow, adding realism. Enable it in the Post Process Volume and adjust Bloom Intensity and Bloom Threshold.
Color Grading
Use color grading to set the mood. Warm tones for sunset scenes, cool tones for night. Adjust Temperature and Tint in the Post Process Volume.
Light Shafts
For directional lights, enable Light Shafts to create god rays. This adds drama to sunlight through windows or fog.
Conclusion: Mastering Lighting in Unreal Engine
Learning how to make a light in Unreal Engine is a foundational skill for any game developer or artist. From placing your first point light to using IES profiles and light functions, lighting transforms flat scenes into immersive worlds.
Remember to choose the right light type for your needs, optimize for performance, and combine lighting with post-processing for the best results. Experiment with intensity, color, and shadows to find the perfect look for your project.
With practice, you’ll develop an eye for lighting that enhances storytelling and gameplay. So go ahead—light up your levels and bring your vision to life.