Self-illumination

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Self-illumination on the Cheater's Lament.
See the VDC on $selfillum for how glowing is implemented in materials.

Self-illumination, also known as selfillum or simply as glowing, is a feature of the Source Engine that causes certain textures to appear to glow when in areas with little light. This effect is used to add to the appearance, tone and/or artstyle of certain items in Team Fortress 2. As with other graphical features like jiggle bones, self-illumination is purely cosmetic with no gameplay consequence.

Objects that glow in the dark

  • Note: This list is incomplete and does not display self-illumination of all applicable items.
List of items with Self-illumination
Class Slot Item Notes
Weapons Melee Sun-on-a-Stick
  • The orange segments.
Sun-on-a-Stick
Cosmetics Bolt Boy
  • The lens.
Bolt Boy
Cross-Comm Express
  • The monocle.
Cross-Comm Express
Cosmetics Cross-Comm Crash Helmet
  • The laser and monocle.
Cross-Comm Crash Helmet
Infernal Impaler
  • The horn lighting.
Infernal Impaler
Lieutenant Bites
  • The eyes.
Lieutenant Bites
Lieutenant Bites the Dust
  • The eyes.
Lieutenant Bites the Dust
Soldier's Stogie
  • The burnt end of the cigar.
Soldier's Stogie
Weapons Melee Neon Annihilator
  • The neon tubing.
Neon Annihilator
Sharpened Volcano Fragment
  • The orange segments.
Sharpened Volcano Fragment
Third Degree
  • The heated coil.
Third Degree
Cosmetics Apparition's Aspect
  • The whole head.
Apparition's Aspect
Blazing Bull
  • The horns, ears, and eyes.
Blazing Bull
Carrion Companion
  • The eyes.
Carrion Companion
Electric Escorter
  • The lightbulb.
Electric Escorter
Fallen Angel
  • The wings.
Fallen Angel
Filamental
  • The whole head.
Filamental
Googol Glass Eyes
  • The lenses.
Googol Glass Eyes
Gothic Guise
  • The eyes.
Gothic Guise
Mucous Membrain
  • The goo.
Mucous Membrain
Person in the Iron Mask
  • The eye-slits and ear-holes.
Person in the Iron Mask
Portable Smissmas Spirit Dispenser
  • The window on the house in the snow globe.
Portable Smissmas Spirit Dispenser
PY-40 Incinibot
  • The lenses.
PY-40 Incinibot
Pyro in Chinatown
  • The neon tubing.
Pyro in Chinatown
Spectralnaut
  • The skull.
Spectralnaut
Tail from the Crypt
  • The tail.
Tail from the Crypt
Triclops
  • The lenses.
Triclops
Vicious Visage
  • The lenses.
Vicious Visage
Waxy Wayfinder
  • The flame and the top of the candle.
Waxy Wayfinder
Weapons Primary Grenade Launcher
  • The stripe and the end of the grenades.
Grenade Launcher
Iron Bomber
  • The stripe and the circles on the side of the grenades.
Iron Bomber
Loose Cannon
  • The fuse and plug on the cannonball.
Loose Cannon
Secondary Quickiebomb Launcher
  • The team-colored sections of the stickybombs.
Quickiebomb Launcher
Stickybomb Launcher
  • The stickybombs.
Stickybomb Launcher
Cosmetics Cap'n Calamari
  • The eye.
Cap'n Calamari
Eyeborg
  • The eye.
Eyeborg
Forgotten King's Restless Head
  • The eyes.
Forgotten King's Restless Head
HDMI Patch
  • The screen.
HDMI Patch
Mannhattan Project
  • The mushroom cloud.
Mannhattan Project
Polly Putrid
  • The eyes.
Polly Putrid
Scottish Snarl
  • The eyes and teeth.
Scottish Snarl
Taunt Spent Well Spirits
  • The stripe and the end of the grenades.
Spent Well Spirits
Weapons Secondary Robo-Sandvich
  • The light.
Robo-Sandvich
Melee Apoco-Fists
  • The gems.
Apoco-Fists
Cosmetics Bunsen Brave
  • The flames.
Bunsen Brave
Can Opener
  • The brain.
Can Opener
Cold War Luchador
  • The gems.
Cold War Luchador
Hellish Overlord
  • The eyes.
Hellish Overlord
Ivan The Inedible
  • The sandwich.
Ivan the Inedible
Soviet Stitch-Up
  • The bolts and the wounds.
Soviet Stitch-Up
Storm Spirit's Jolly Hat
  • The whole hat.
Storm Spirit's Jolly Hat
U-clank-a
  • The star.
U-clank-a
Weapons Primary Rescue Ranger
  • The screen and the light.
Rescue Ranger
Secondary Giger Counter
  • The light emitted.
Giger Counter
Cosmetics Arctic Mole
  • The lenses, when using the Paint Eyes style.
Arctic Mole
Big Star
  • The watch.
Big Star
Clockwerk's Helm
  • The lenses.
Clockwerk's Helm
Data Mining Light
  • The whole hat.
Data Mining Light
Delldozer
  • The light.
Delldozer
Face Full of Festive
  • The festive lights.
Face Full of Festive
Head Mounted Double Observatory
  • The lenses.
Head Mounted Double Observatory
Industrial Festivizer
  • The festive lights.
Industrial Festivizer
Mining Light
  • The light.
Mining Light
Pip-Boy
  • The screen and buttons.
Pip-Boy
Special Eyes
  • The lenses.
Special Eyes
Tin-1000
  • The lenses.
Tin-1000
Weapons Primary Blutsauger
  • The team-colored muzzle and stripe.
Blutsauger
Secondary Kritzkrieg
  • The yellow lines on the barrel.
Kritzkrieg
Quick-Fix
  • The lights on the backpack.
Quick-Fix
Vaccinator
  • The beaker, hose, hose connector on the backpack, and the nozzle.
Vaccinator
Melee Übersaw
  • The team-colored liquid and the nozzle.
Ubersaw
Vita-saw
  • The team-colored liquid.
Vita-Saw
Cosmetics Archimedes the Undying
  • The eyes.
Archimedes the Undying
Byte'd Beak
  • The lenses.
Byte'd Beak
Dr. Gogglestache
  • The lenses.
Dr. Gogglestache
Emerald Jarate
  • The neon liquid and the symbol.
Emerald Jarate
Herzensbrecher
  • The vials and heart.
Herzensbrecher
Quadwrangler
  • The vials.
Quadwrangler
Steam Pipe
  • The lenses.
Steam Pipe
Templar's Spirit
  • The eyes.
Templar's Spirit
Trepanabotomizer
  • The lights.
Trepanabotomizer
Taunt Results Are In
  • The x-ray.
Results Are In
Cosmetics Carious Chameleon
  • The eyes.
Carious Chameleon
Holy Hunter
  • The bullets and symbol.
Holy Hunter
Marsupial Man
  • The lenses.
Marsupial Man
Randolph the Blood-Nosed Caribou
  • The nose.
Randolph the Blood-Nosed Caribou
Sir Hootsalot
  • The eyes.
Sir Hootsalot
Sniper's Snipin' Glass
  • The lense and attachments.
Sniper's Snipin' Glass
Weapons Building Ap-Sap
  • The eye.
Ap-Sap
Cosmetics Backstabber's Boomslang
  • The eyes.
Backstabber's Boomslang
Upgrade
  • The lenses.
Upgrade
TF2 crosshair orange.png
Multiple classes
Weapons Melee Crossing Guard
  • The lights.
Crossing Guard
Cosmetics Doublecross-Comm
  • The monocle.
Doublecross-Comm
Professor's Pineapple
  • The liquid.
Professor's Pineapple
Snaggletoothed Stetson
  • The eyes.
Snaggletoothed Stetson
Weapons N/A
Australium Wrench
  • The Australium plating.
Australium weapons
Botkiller Wrench
  • The eyes on Mk. 1 Silver, Gold, Rust and Blood botkiller weapons.
Botkiller weapons
High Roller's Rocket Launcher
  • The texture. (Only applied to certain items)
Decorated
Festive Wrench
  • The festive lights.
Festive weapons
Melee
Golden Frying Pan
  • The pan.
Golden Frying Pan
Saxxy
  • The statue.
Saxxy
Cosmetics A Rather Festive Tree
  • The festive lights.
A Rather Festive Tree
Accursed Apparition
  • The skull.
Accursed Apparition
Aperture Labs Hard Hat
  • The lightbulb with a team-colored lens.
Aperture Labs Hard Hat
Awesomenauts Badge
  • The insignia.
Awesomenauts Badge
Beacon from Beyond
  • The flame and the top of the candle.
Beacon from Beyond
Beaten and Bruised

The Nightmare style, under the following circumstances:

  • The right eye, when equipped on Pyro, alongside the Voodoo-Cursed Pyro Soul.
  • The goggles, when equipped on Engineer.
Beaten and Bruised
Blapature Co. Contributor
  • The rainbow circle.
Blapature Co. Contributor
Bombinomicon
  • The eyes and gums.
Bombinomicon
Cheater's Lament
  • The halo.
Cheater's Lament
Conspiracy Cap
  • The bulb.
Conspiracy Cap
Dead Little Buddy
  • The ghost.
Dead Little Buddy
Dueler
  • The outline.
Dueler
Earbuds
  • The headphones
Earbuds
Electric Badge-aloo
  • The monocle.
Electric Badge-aloo
Festive Frames
  • The festive lights.
Festive Frames
Gifting Man From Gifting Land
  • The outline.
Gifting Man from Gifting Land
Hooded Haunter
  • The ghost.
Hooded Haunter
Horseless Headless Horsemann's Head
  • The inside areas. Set to fade in and out.
Horseless Headless Horsemann's Head
Philateler
  • The outline.
Philateler
Madness vs Machines Boundless Heart 2019
  • The heart.
Madness vs Machines Boundless Heart 2019
Memes vs. Machines PotatOS Server 2019
  • The screen.
Memes vs. Machines PotatOS Server 2019
Pocket Horsemann
  • The eyes and mouth.
Pocket Horsemann
RoBro 3000
  • The jet flame and the eye.
RoBro 3000
Rump-o'-Lantern
  • The bulb.
Rump-o'-Lantern
Spirit of Giving
  • The screen.
Spirit of Giving
Unknown Monkeynaut
  • The monkey.
Unknown Monkeynaut
Virtual Viewfinder
  • The lenses, ear covers and inside screen.
Virtual Viewfinder
Voodoo-Cursed Engineer Soul
  • The eyes and brain.
Voodoo-Cursed Soul
Action items Power Up Canteen
  • The button on the Return to Base canteen.
  • The syringe on the Übercharge canteen.
  • The strap on the Ammo/Clip Refill, Buildings Upgrade, Critical Hit Boost, and Übercharge canteens.
  • The symbol on all five canteens.
Power Up Canteen

Update history

December 2, 2010 Patch

  • [Undocumented] Removed self illumination on the Earbuds.

September 15, 2011 Patch

February 1, 2013 Patch

  • [Undocumented] Fixed an issue with the self-illumination on the Vaccinator's backpack.

March 1, 2023 Patch

March 20, 2023 Patch

August 13, 2024 Patch

  • Fixed regressed self-illum setting for the Earbuds.

Bugs

  • The entire head of the Engineer Robot is self-illuminated, instead of just the eyes like with the other Robots.