This tutorial will teach you how to implement lightning effects allowing you to make a working map with an electrical storm. ਀䤀琀 眀椀氀氀 昀氀愀猀栀 氀椀最栀琀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀 猀欀礀戀漀砀Ⰰ 漀渀 琀栀攀 最爀漀甀渀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀礀 愀爀攀愀Ⰰ 琀爀椀最最攀爀 琀栀甀渀搀攀爀 琀栀愀琀 爀漀氀氀猀 琀漀 琀栀攀 搀椀猀琀愀渀挀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 戀爀椀渀最 搀漀眀渀 愀 搀攀愀搀氀礀 戀漀氀琀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀਀㰀瀀㸀䤀琀 椀猀 愀猀猀甀洀攀猀 礀漀甀 栀愀瘀攀 猀漀洀攀 猀漀洀攀 戀愀猀椀挀 欀渀漀眀氀攀搀最攀 漀渀 栀漀眀 琀漀 甀猀攀 琀栀攀 攀搀椀琀漀爀⸀ 
਀㰀戀爀㸀

Simple lightning is easy. There is a special subclass of light, DistantLightning. It is a flicking light that only comes on periodically. If ਀琀栀愀琀✀猀 愀氀氀 礀漀甀 渀攀攀搀Ⰰ 樀甀猀琀 甀猀攀 琀栀愀琀⸀ 夀漀甀 挀愀渀 瀀甀琀 琀栀攀洀 椀渀 礀漀甀爀 洀愀瀀 愀渀搀⼀漀爀 猀欀礀戀漀砀⸀ 䤀 眀椀氀氀 挀愀氀氀 琀栀椀猀 ✀栀攀愀琀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最✀ 戀攀挀愀甀猀攀 琀栀愀琀✀猀 眀栀愀琀 眀攀 挀愀氀氀攀搀  lightning that was so far off, you couldn't see any bolts, nor hear any thunder.

The DistanceLightning does not allow for syncronization of other things. We would like to have lightning in the clouds or our skybox, and maybe ਀猀漀洀攀 猀琀爀攀愀欀猀 漀昀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最 琀栀攀爀攀 琀漀漀⸀ 䄀渀搀 眀攀 眀愀渀琀 琀漀 猀礀渀挀 琀栀甀渀搀攀爀 琀漀 椀琀⸀ 䄀渀搀 眀栀椀氀攀 眀攀✀爀攀 愀琀 椀琀Ⰰ 栀漀眀 愀戀漀甀琀 愀 戀漀氀琀 漀昀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最 琀栀愀琀 猀琀爀椀欀攀猀 琀栀攀 最爀漀甀渀搀Ⰰ  for fun, over some desireable pickup?

To get started, we first need to build the equivalent of a DistanceLightning. We need a random timed event. Et Viola there is a StochasticTrigger. ਀夀漀甀 挀愀渀 猀攀琀 洀椀渀 愀渀搀 洀愀砀 琀椀洀攀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀 瀀爀漀戀愀戀椀氀椀琀礀 眀椀琀栀椀渀 琀栀愀琀 爀愀渀最攀 琀栀愀琀 愀渀 攀瘀攀渀琀 眀椀氀氀 昀椀爀攀⸀ 倀攀爀昀攀挀琀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀圀攀 渀攀攀搀 琀漀 昀氀愀猀栀 猀漀洀攀 氀椀最栀琀猀 漀昀昀 琀栀愀琀 琀爀椀最最攀爀⸀ 吀爀椀最最攀爀䰀椀最栀琀℀⸀ 䈀甀琀 栀攀爀攀✀猀 眀栀愀琀 猀甀挀欀猀㨀 吀爀椀最最攀爀䰀椀最栀琀猀 挀愀渀 琀甀爀渀 漀渀Ⰰ 琀甀爀渀 漀昀昀Ⰰ 琀漀最最氀攀 漀渀⼀漀昀昀Ⰰ 漀爀 琀甀爀渀  on for a time then shut themselves off (so far, sounds good), but the StochasticTrigger's events just fire. If you set the trigger to 'Control' or ਀✀倀漀甀渀搀✀ 琀栀攀 氀椀最栀琀猀 猀琀愀礀 漀渀⸀ 圀攀 挀漀甀氀搀 琀漀最最氀攀 琀栀攀洀 漀渀 愀渀搀 漀昀昀Ⰰ 椀昀 漀渀氀礀 眀攀 栀愀搀 猀漀洀攀 眀愀礀 漀昀 昀椀爀椀渀最 琀眀漀 攀瘀攀渀琀猀 爀攀氀椀愀戀氀礀 愀昀琀攀爀 攀愀挀栀 漀琀栀攀爀⸀ 䠀洀洀⸀  Dispatcher!? Yes. Add a Dispatcher, it is triggered by the StochasticTrigger. This sets the Dispatcher dispatching. Have the first two events ਀昀椀爀攀 礀漀甀爀 吀爀椀最最攀爀䰀椀最栀琀猀⸀ 吀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 攀瘀攀渀琀 眀椀氀氀 琀甀爀渀 琀栀攀洀 漀渀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 猀攀挀漀渀搀 眀椀氀氀 琀甀爀渀 琀栀攀洀 漀昀昀⸀ 䤀 琀爀椀攀搀 琀漀 搀漀 琀栀椀猀 眀椀琀栀漀甀琀 愀 䐀椀猀瀀愀琀挀栀攀爀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 椀琀 樀甀猀琀  didn't seem to work. Lights never turned off, and I musta tried every combination of Control, Pound, Toggle, etc.. If you can figure it out, let ਀洀攀 欀渀漀眀⸀ 䐀椀猀瀀愀琀挀栀攀爀猀 挀漀洀攀 椀渀 栀愀渀搀礀 氀愀琀攀爀Ⰰ 猀漀 椀琀✀猀 渀漀琀 愀氀氀 戀愀搀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀吀栀攀 吀爀椀最最攀爀䰀椀最栀琀猀 眀椀氀氀 渀漀眀 琀甀爀渀 漀渀 愀渀搀 漀昀昀 愀琀 爀愀渀搀漀洀⸀ 夀漀甀 挀愀渀 栀愀瘀攀 栀漀眀攀瘀攀爀 洀愀渀礀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀礀 挀愀渀 戀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 猀欀礀戀漀砀 漀爀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀礀 愀爀攀愀Ⰰ 愀猀 氀漀渀最  as all their Event Tags are the same as the two events fired by the dispatcher. Not very realistic looking, until you set the LightingEffect to Flicker. ਀夀漀甀 最漀琀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最℀ 䄀渀搀Ⰰ 礀漀甀 栀愀瘀攀 攀瘀攀渀琀猀 礀漀甀 挀愀渀 爀攀氀礀 漀渀 琀漀 昀椀爀攀 漀琀栀攀爀 猀琀甀昀昀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀戀㸀伀渀 䐀漀渀渀攀爀Ⰰ 伀渀 䈀氀椀琀稀攀渀㰀⼀戀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀匀漀Ⰰ 渀漀眀 礀漀甀 栀愀瘀攀 攀瘀攀渀琀猀 礀漀甀 挀愀渀 甀猀攀Ⰰ 氀攀琀✀猀 愀搀搀 猀漀洀攀 琀栀甀渀搀攀爀 猀漀甀渀搀猀⸀ 吀栀攀 䄀洀戀伀甀琀猀椀搀攀 瀀愀挀欀愀最攀 栀愀猀 猀漀洀攀 渀椀挀攀 漀渀攀猀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 唀渀爀攀愀氀氀 搀漀攀猀 琀漀漀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 瀀爀漀戀愀戀氀礀  other packages. Depending on what you are doing, you may want a loud crack, big boom, or muted rolling thunder. Don't forget to check the explosions ਀猀漀甀渀搀猀 琀漀 猀攀攀 椀昀 琀栀愀琀✀猀 眀栀愀琀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀吀漀 最攀琀 琀栀攀 猀漀甀渀搀 琀漀 瀀氀愀礀Ⰰ 愀搀搀 愀 吀爀椀最最攀爀⼀匀瀀攀挀椀愀氀䔀瘀攀渀琀⸀ 匀攀琀 椀琀✀猀 猀漀甀渀搀 ⠀渀漀琀 琀栀攀 䄀洀戀椀攀渀琀匀漀甀渀搀⤀ 琀漀 戀攀 琀栀攀 猀漀甀渀搀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀⸀ 匀攀琀 椀琀✀猀 昀椀爀攀 琀愀最Ⰰ 戀甀琀 琀栀椀猀  will depend on what you want to do. If the lightning is close, set it to the same event the StochasticTrigger sent to initiate the lightning. If it's਀ 昀愀爀Ⰰ 礀漀甀 挀愀渀 愀搀搀 愀 渀攀眀 攀瘀攀渀琀 琀愀最 琀漀 琀栀攀 䐀椀猀瀀愀琀挀栀攀爀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 栀愀瘀攀 椀琀 猀琀愀爀琀 琀栀攀 猀漀甀渀搀⸀ 夀漀甀 栀愀瘀攀 愀 氀漀琀 漀昀 挀漀渀琀爀漀氀 漀昀 琀椀洀椀渀最 琀栀攀爀攀Ⰰ 眀栀椀挀栀 椀猀 渀椀挀攀⸀ 夀漀甀 洀甀猀琀  also set the SpecialEvent's Object properties initial state to 'play sound' but you have choices there too. If the lightning is close enough that ਀攀瘀攀爀礀漀渀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 洀愀瀀 猀栀漀甀氀搀 栀攀愀爀 椀琀Ⰰ 猀攀琀 琀漀 ✀倀氀愀礀倀氀愀礀攀爀匀漀甀渀搀✀ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀礀 愀氀氀 眀椀氀氀 栀攀愀爀 椀琀⸀ 䤀昀 椀琀✀猀 氀漀挀愀氀椀稀攀搀Ⰰ 甀猀攀 樀甀猀琀 ✀倀氀愀礀匀漀甀渀搀✀⸀ 䤀昀 礀漀甀 甀猀攀 ✀ PlayAmbientSound', it will loop, and suck.

To get 'rolling thunder', choose other low thunder sounds, set events in the Dispatcher to fire them, and place them around the map. In my sample, ਀䤀 栀愀瘀攀 愀 猀攀挀漀渀搀愀爀礀 昀氀愀猀栀 眀栀椀挀栀 昀椀爀攀猀 愀 挀椀爀挀氀攀 漀昀 匀瀀攀挀椀愀氀䔀瘀攀渀琀猀 昀漀爀 愀 氀漀眀攀爀 琀栀甀渀搀攀爀Ⰰ 挀椀爀挀氀椀渀最 琀栀攀 洀愀椀渀 猀琀爀椀欀攀⸀ 吀栀攀渀 䤀 栀愀瘀攀 愀 琀栀椀爀搀 猀漀甀渀搀Ⰰ 椀渀 愀 挀椀爀挀氀攀  around that. So no matter where you stand, you should hear the main strike, then the secondary, then the trailing, all from slightly different directions.

So far, we have nice atmospheric effects. Let's spruce things up with something deadly. Make a nice lighting bolt. I used two sheets, intersecting ਀攀愀挀栀 漀琀栀攀爀 ⠀氀漀漀欀猀 氀椀欀攀 ⬀ 昀爀漀洀 愀戀漀瘀攀⤀ 愀渀搀 琀攀砀琀甀爀攀搀 琀栀攀洀 眀椀琀栀 愀 猀瀀愀爀欀 攀昀昀攀挀琀⸀ 䤀 搀椀搀渀✀琀 氀漀漀欀 瘀攀爀礀 栀愀爀搀Ⰰ 琀栀攀爀攀 洀愀礀 戀攀 愀 瀀爀攀ⴀ洀愀搀攀 琀攀砀琀甀爀攀 琀栀愀琀 眀椀氀氀 氀漀漀欀  better, or you can make your own. Make this brush as tall as your level, well, tall enough to reach the top of the map when the bolt is touching it's ਀最爀漀甀渀搀 琀愀爀最攀琀⸀ 䤀昀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀 琀栀攀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最 琀漀 搀漀 搀愀洀愀最攀 琀漀 瀀氀愀礀攀爀猀Ⰰ 猀栀攀攀琀猀 眀漀渀✀琀 挀甀琀 椀琀⸀ 匀漀Ⰰ 渀漀眀 洀愀欀攀 愀 戀漀砀 琀漀 攀渀挀氀漀猀攀 琀栀攀 猀栀攀攀琀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 䄀搀搀匀瀀攀挀椀愀氀Ⰰ  InvisibleCollisionHull. Glass, basically. This will provide the crushing power but let players see the nice textures inside. Intersect all with a ਀戀漀砀 戀爀甀猀栀Ⰰ 愀搀搀 琀栀愀琀 愀猀 愀 洀漀瘀攀爀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 猀攀琀 琀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 欀攀礀昀爀愀洀攀 琀漀 戀攀 漀甀琀猀椀搀攀 琀栀攀 洀愀瀀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 渀攀砀琀 欀攀礀 昀爀愀洀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 洀愀瀀 眀栀攀爀攀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最 椀猀 猀琀爀椀欀椀渀最⸀  Set the move time to be small or zero, and the StayOpen time to be only as long as you want the strike to last, less than a second. I used. .5 seconds, ਀戀甀琀 礀漀甀 搀漀 眀栀愀琀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀⸀ 匀攀琀 洀漀瘀攀爀✀猀 攀渀爀漀愀挀栀 琀漀 䌀爀甀猀栀Ⰰ 攀渀挀爀漀愀挀栀 搀愀洀愀最攀 琀漀 ㄀　　　 漀爀 猀漀⸀ 匀攀琀 洀漀瘀攀爀 漀戀樀攀挀琀 椀渀椀琀椀愀氀 猀琀愀琀攀 琀漀 吀爀椀最最攀爀伀瀀攀渀吀椀洀攀搀⸀ 吀栀攀渀  set Event Tag to the same as the StochasticTrigger's, so it will fire off at the start of things. Build and run. Zzzzap!

It doesn't have to stop there. Here are some other things to try:

1. Use a TriggeredTexture (or several) to add streaks in the sky/skybox/clouds, etc. And if you don't need to damage anyone, you might use this ਀椀渀猀琀攀愀搀 漀昀 愀 洀漀瘀攀爀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀㈀⸀ 夀漀甀 挀愀渀 猀攀琀 甀瀀 猀攀瘀攀爀愀氀 氀椀最栀琀渀椀渀最 猀琀爀椀欀攀猀 漀昀昀 琀栀椀猀 漀渀攀 猀攀琀 漀昀 䄀挀琀漀爀猀⸀ 䄀渀搀 礀漀甀 挀漀甀氀搀 猀攀琀 甀瀀 洀漀爀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀洀Ⰰ 昀漀爀 琀爀甀氀礀 攀氀攀挀琀爀椀昀礀椀渀最 攀昀昀攀挀琀猀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀㌀⸀ 唀猀椀渀最 洀漀瘀攀爀猀 愀渀搀 搀礀渀愀洀椀挀 琀攀砀琀甀爀攀猀 眀漀爀欀攀搀 昀漀爀 洀攀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 椀昀 礀漀甀 昀椀渀搀 琀栀椀猀 椀洀瀀愀挀琀猀 礀漀甀爀 瀀攀爀昀漀爀洀愀渀挀攀Ⰰ 琀爀礀 甀猀椀渀最 渀漀爀洀愀氀 琀攀砀琀甀爀攀猀 愀渀搀 吀爀椀最最攀爀攀搀吀攀砀琀甀爀攀猀  rather than movers. And if you can get a kill zone to fire, great (I think ZoneTrigger only works for gravity, but if you can get it to work, let me ਀欀渀漀眀⤀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀㐀⸀ 䄀搀搀 愀 琀漀爀渀愀搀漀℀ 匀攀攀 㰀䄀 栀爀攀昀㴀∀挀礀挀氀漀渀攀猀⸀栀琀洀氀∀㸀䌀礀挀氀漀渀攀 吀甀琀漀爀椀愀氀㰀⼀䄀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 ਀਀㰀瀀㸀㔀⸀ 夀漀甀 搀漀渀✀琀 栀愀瘀攀 琀漀 甀猀攀 愀 匀琀漀挀栀愀猀琀椀挀吀爀椀最最攀爀⸀ 䤀 搀椀搀 戀攀挀愀甀猀攀 椀琀 氀漀漀欀猀 爀攀愀氀椀猀琀椀挀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 礀漀甀 挀愀渀 甀猀攀 愀渀礀 琀爀椀最最攀爀⸀ 䘀漀爀 攀砀愀洀瀀氀攀Ⰰ 椀昀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀 愀 昀愀渀挀礀  'triggered death', use a trigger to bring down a lightning bolt on the sucker or other players. Maybe nice for a Wizard's Lair or something. Use a ਀刀漀甀渀搀刀漀戀椀渀Ⰰ 愀渀漀琀栀攀爀 䐀椀猀瀀愀琀挀栀攀爀Ⰰ 漀爀 䌀漀搀攀吀爀椀最最攀爀 昀漀爀 攀瘀攀渀 洀漀爀攀 昀甀渀⸀㰀⼀瀀㸀
਀㰀戀爀㸀 ਀