Are lightmaps a part of load time, or are they saved to disk?

Hello,

My question, more specifically is are lightmaps generated at load times or are they done being created once you build the light in your level. Like the settings in lightmass that warn you about high build times. Would that make the load time longer or just make the time it takes for it to build the level longer for the person making the level.

they are created once you build the lighting in your level.

Yes, I get that. So in saying that, you’re saying that the amount of time it takes to build the lightmaps only affects the person building the lightmaps? Like it’s a one and done thing that doesn’t tie into making loading times for the player longer, excluding the resolution of the lightmaps?

In other words, the lightmaps are only created once you build the level, and are not created every time the level is loaded in the game?

Thats the purpose of Lightmaps. They are prebaked and are stored in your Level.

^ that.

oh god imagine lightmaps having to be baked every time you load a map…
that would mean hours of loading time per level.

Alright. Thanks for clearing that up for me, guys.