roblox-lighting

name	roblox-lighting
description	Lighting service, Atmosphere, post-processing (Bloom, ColorCorrection), day/night cycle.
last_reviewed	"2026-05-27T00:00:00.000Z"
sources	["https://github.com/Roblox/creator-docs/blob/main/content/en-us/environment/lighting.md","https://github.com/Roblox/creator-docs/blob/main/content/en-us/environment/atmosphere.md","https://github.com/Roblox/creator-docs/blob/main/content/en-us/environment/post-processing-effects.md"]

Roblox Lighting & Atmosphere

Use this skill when configuring lighting, atmosphere, time of day, post-processing effects, or creating visual mood for a game.

Quick Reference

Lighting Service

Lighting.ClockTime = 14            -- 0-24 numeric
Lighting.Brightness = 2            -- 0-10, default 2
Lighting.Ambient = Color3.fromRGB(70, 70, 70)        -- shadow fill
Lighting.OutdoorAmbient = Color3.fromRGB(128, 128, 128)
Lighting.GlobalShadows = true
Lighting.ShadowSoftness = 0.2      -- 0=sharp, 1=soft
Lighting.Technology = Enum.Technology.Future  -- or ShadowMap for mobile

Atmosphere

local atmo = Instance.new("Atmosphere")
atmo.Density = 0.3    -- 0=clear, 1=opaque (keep <0.5)
atmo.Offset = 0.25    -- 0=ground, 1=sky
atmo.Color = Color3.fromRGB(199, 199, 199)   -- near fog
atmo.Decay = Color3.fromRGB(92, 92, 92)      -- far/horizon
atmo.Glare = 0        -- 0-10
atmo.Haze = 0         -- 0-10
atmo.Parent = Lighting

Post-Processing (all parented to Lighting)

Effect	Key Properties
BloomEffect	Intensity (0-1), Size (px), Threshold (>0.7 recommended)
ColorCorrectionEffect	Brightness, Contrast, Saturation (-1 to 1), TintColor
DepthOfFieldEffect	FarIntensity, FocusDistance, InFocusRadius, NearIntensity
SunRaysEffect	Intensity (0-1), Spread (0-1)

Day/Night Cycle

local CYCLE_SPEED = 1  -- minutes per full day
task.spawn(function()
    while true do
        Lighting.ClockTime += (task.wait() / 60) * (24 / CYCLE_SPEED)
        if Lighting.ClockTime >= 24 then Lighting.ClockTime -= 24 end
    end
end)

Local Lights

Light	Use	Key Props
PointLight	Lamps, torches	Range, Brightness, Color
SpotLight	Flashlights	Range, Angle, Face
SurfaceLight	Screens, panels	Range, Angle, Face

Perf: Limit shadow-casting lights to 4-6 visible. Use Shadows=false on most. Neon material = cheap glow.

Common Pitfalls

• Brightness >3 washes out. Density >0.5 = soup. Max 2-3 post effects.
• Always set some Ambient (not black). ShadowMap on mobile. One CC only.

References

• Mood presets (Day, Golden Hour, Night, Horror, Underwater, Sci-Fi), zone tweens, full examples: references/full.md