# Lights<no value>
This page outlines the steps required to create **scenery** lights for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 using 3DS Max or Blender. These lights will then be visible when placed in the simulation using [The Scenery Editor](../../devmode/editors/scenery-editor/the-scenery-editor/).

{{< callout context="note" title="NOTE" icon="outline/bulb" >}}

Lights should be present on **all** LODs for the scenery element, otherwise users will see the lights "pop" into existence as the LODs change.

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In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 there are three kinds of lights, and each one has a specific use-case in the simulation. These lights are:

 

-   ##### Street Lights

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/light_street.png"
    alt="A Street Light Example In The Simulation" >}}

    The street light is a conical shaped light type that has multiple setup options permitting it to be synced with the day/night cycle of the simulation world, as well as have flashing/strobe effects and other parameters unique to this light type. These lights are also known as "fast lights" as they are highly optimised in the simulation and it's expected to be able to have multiple of them in any scene.

 

-   ##### Advanced Lights

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/light_advanced.png"
    alt="An Advanced Light Example In The Simulation" >}}

    The advanced light type can be a point, a sphere, or a disk, giving you more lighting possibilities when using this type. This type of light is more computationally expensive than the street light type and is also not linked to the day/night cycle of the simulation. As such it is recommended for use in SimObjects for things like beacon lights or headlights, or punctually for specific scenery effects.

 

 

-   ##### Sky Portal

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/light_portal.png"
    alt="A Sky Portal Example In The Simulation" >}}

    The sky portal light is a very special light source that is *only used on aircraft*. It is designed to simulate the effect of the suns rays through the windows of the aircraft giving enhanced light/shadows on the objects within. A full description of how to create and use this light is given on the following page:

    -   [Sky Portals](../modeling/aircraft/airframe/exterior-lights/#sky-portal)

 

 

### Creating Lights

Once you have created your model in 3Ds Max or Blender and are ready to start adding lights you should do the following:

**Blender** **3Ds Max**

In Blender you need to ensure you are in **Object Mode**, then go to the **Add** (1) menu and select the **Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Lights** (2) option:

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/lights_blender_1.png"
    alt="Finding The MSFS 2024 Lights In Blender" >}}

 

This will open a further sub-menu where you can select one of the lights described in the section above to the scene:

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/lights_blender_2.png"
    alt="Picking The Light Type" >}}

In 3DS Max you must first go to the **Create** tab (1), then click on the **Lights** icon (2), and finally select **MSFS2024** (3) from the dropdown list:

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/lights_max_1.png"
    alt="Finding The MSFS 2024 Lights In 3DS Max" >}}

 

Next you need to select the type of light - either a *street* light, an *advanced* light, or a *sky portal* - and add it to the scene, then finally give it a name and select an identifying color for the mesh:

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/lights_max_2.png"
    alt="Picking And Naming A Light Type" >}}

 

The differences between the various lights are explained below.

 

The light can then be positioned in the scene wherever it is needed, and you can modify the parameters related to it as required (explained below):

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/light_in_scene.png"
    alt="A FlightSimLight Object Placed In 3Ds Max" >}}

 

 

### Modifying The Light

Once you have placed the light in the scene, you are free to modify it. This is done using the various parameters available in modelling software for the object:

**Blender** **3Ds Max**

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/lights_blender_3.png"
    alt="The Light Parameters In Blender" >}}

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/lights_max_3.png"
    alt="The Light Parameters In 3DS Max" >}}

 

The parameters available will change depending on the light *type*, however both *street* and *advanced* lights have the following parameters in common:

 

-   ##### Kelvin (3DS Max) / Use Kelvin (Blender)

    When this option is used, the light colour will be defined by it's *temperature*, in degrees kelvin. The approximate values and colours are shown in the following table:  

{{< image-center
    src="images/3_Models_And_Textures/Plugins/Lights/light_temperature.png"
    alt="Light Sources And Their Associated Temperature" >}}

 

-   ##### RGB

    This is used to set the light colour when *not* using the **Kelvin** option.

 

-   ##### Intensity

    This sets the intensity of the light, in {{< glossterm >}}candela{{< /glossterm >}}.

 

-   ##### Lens Flare

    When Lens Flare is checked, a flare effect will be added to the light.

 

-   ##### Flare Only

    Checking this will disable the light *except* for the flare effect (this option will not be available if *Lens Flare* is not checked and the light is of the type *street light*).

 

 

#### Street Light

The street light is a conical shaped light type that has multiple setup options permitting it to be synced with the day/night cycle of the simulation world, as well as set up flashing/strobe effects:

 

-   ##### Night Only (3DS Max) / Day Night Cycle (Blender)

    When this option is checked, the light will be *on* at night and *off* during the day. When not checked (or when *always on* is checked in 3DS Max) the light will be on all the time, regardless of the time of day.

 

-   ##### Cone Angle

    The spread angle of the light, from 0° to 360°. If you wish to simulate an *omnidirectional* light, then set the Cone Angle to 360°.

 

-   ##### Symmetrical Cone (3DS Max) / Has Symmetry (Blender)

    When this is checked, the light cone will be mirrored, so you have two cones facing opposite directions.

 

-   ##### Frequency

    This is the number of times that the light will "flash" in a second. Setting this to 0 means the light does not flash.

 

-   ##### Duration

    The duration of one flash in seconds.

 

-   ##### Phase

    The flash phase is the offset in seconds to the flash frequency. For example, if the frequency is set to 6 and the phase to 0, then there will be one flash every ten seconds and the flashing will start at zero seconds of the model being spawned (6 flash / 1 minute = one flash every 10 seconds). If the frequency is set to six and the phase is set to three, then there will be one flash every ten seconds but it won't start until three seconds after the model has spawned. This parameter is useful to synchronize or desynchronize several lights inside the same SPC or make the light flash at different intervals and give different effects.

 

-   ##### Rotation Speed (RPM)

    The number of revolutions per minute for the light. This value is only relevant when the light angle is under 360°.

 

-   ##### Rotation Phase

    The rotation phase is the offset in seconds to the rotation speed.

 

-   ##### Random Phase

    When this is checked, if multiple instances of the object with the lights is spawned in the simulation, the phase values will be randomised such that there is no synchronisation between the instances (for example, you don't want three police cars with lights that are all flashing with the same timing).

 

 

#### Advanced Light

 

The advanced light can be either a *point*, a *sphere* or a *disk*, and has the following options:

 

-   ##### Source Radius

    This sets the radius of the source light, in meters (sphere and disk *only*).

 

-   ##### Outer Cone Angle

    This sets the outer cone angle. The outer cone is where the light will be "feathered" from the maximum intensity of the inner cone angle, to the minimum intensity of the outer cone angle. This angle is also used to limit the directionality of the light (for example, setting this to 360 will give you an omni-directional light).

 

-   ##### Inner Cone Angle

    This sets the inner cone angle. The inner cone is where the light is at maximum intensity around the facing direction.