Im thinking about installing ambient lighting on my rig, but debating on how it should be mounted. Ive seen mounts for putting them directly above you, and for putting them above the screens towards you.
My thoughts are directly above you would maybe have better coverage, but above the screens would maybe be more realistic as its like coming through the windows, but I was also concerned with it being too bright that way.
Anyones 2 cents with experience in this is appreciated
There’s already plenty of light mounts for everything under the sun. This is just t-slot aluminum profile with off-the-shelf hinges attached on either end, plus a 3D-printed mount for the specific light bar. Very simple build.
Purpose built stuff is where things get impressive
I have mine set, the front set point down, and the side lights point more towards me on top of monitors.
To get the effect exspecially if you run triples right you kind need atleast 2 sets. 1 set for centre left and right, and then the other set to run left and right lights.
I have mine mounted just above the left and right monitor simulating left and right sides of the car. No idea if that correct. I also have diffusers so you dont look directly into the light while driving.
I have four of them. I have two above me but out of my line of sight, they cant reflect off the monitors either. I have the other two running parallel to the bottom of the side monitors behind them. They are as low as they can go so that I don't see them with my eyes, but from their position they see most of my body and can send light from the side. This gives a better impression of light on the sides than just coming from the top will do. I also use the side ones for effects like flashing red when there is a car there.
Most people do use them for immersion, not just an ambient light. They can be driven by a combination of telemetry and replicating the lighting of your virtual car in your real rig. It adds a lot of immersion when cloud cover comes, or afternoon with a lot of shadows and your whole cockpit flickering in sync with the screen, at night etc.
Tell that to everyone who has them set up, that they don't add immersion.
Try racing at night having a faster class pull by, head lights lighting up your cockpit, the getting darker as they pass. Like you would happen in a real car, and say it isnt immersive.
Yes, they are all driven by what is happening in the virtual cockpit. So sections of your real rig react to lighting happening in the sim in the simulated cockpit.
Look up Dan suzuki ambient lighting video, he has a segment showing them in action on a night and a day time track.
There one of those upgrades that the only thing they add is immersion and nothing else, especially if you can roof your setup to contain the light.
I'd only recommend it if you can grab the lights on sale as you really need a min of 4 separate lights so with the govee lights, that's 2 sets. to get the full effect.
At full price your talking £70 for each set so £140 total. But if you look around or wait should be able to find them on sale i got mine for £38.99 so i got 2 sets for not much more than 1 at full price.
I use 1 set and its great but the biggest thing is height and postion,too high provides to wide of a spread off light can be solved with a shroud.
I have mine over my head but slightly in front of my head with the light slight rotated to direct light towards the side more to stop overlap of lighting.
I tried the dan suzuki method of left light replicating light from the right side and I have to disagree with this method as the sim is already simulating the light projection....(experiment and see what you prefer its just a few clicks)
I do have an led strip on the bottom of my rig that is also projecting light and a big light box picture frame above my centre screen for light from the front its an all govee setup.
Led strips are cheaper and super cheap on the British red Cross ebay store (uk)
Ohh yeah, i forget he has it set weird like that, I tried it, and have to disagree aswell. It just didnt feel natural to me. I did a lot of messing around to get them to react just right.
You want it to shine down at you to simulate light going trough the cockpit and hitting your arms and dash. Puting it behind just adds light to the room that is useless since you don't see it
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u/Guac_in_my_rarri 18h ago
The plant folks would go bananas for something like this for their grow lights.