I don’t know quite how the engine would manage that as I am not sure how the safeguards are defined, but this seems like a way to try to get four light permutations recognized as two.
PEOPLE, I’VE KINDA FIGURED IT OUT![/size]
This is a prop_static + lighting issue. Certain prop_static work under these conditions, but certain do not. Seems like if you have all lights in the level turn off = that bug, but if you have some light, then that bug does not occur. But it does not occur for some props at all - see screenshots below.
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As you can see, it does not happen with the box - it’s lit fine, but all the other props I put here for test purposes are pitch black.[/size]
However, if I were to add an unnamed light right next to them, they’d be lit fine by that light.[/size]
Static props are lit under flashlight, but not by light and light_spot entities that are named and are to turn on/off.
EDIT: This still doesn’t explain how vanilla Office Complex does this without any static props having issues. 
So, to make sure I am understanding this correctly, some static props but not others are affected by this issue; and the issue causes affected props to not be lit by named lights (although they will be lit just fine by unnamed lights, if an area has nothing but unnamed lights this will cause the props to appear to be pitch black as nothing is lighting them).
If so, this corresponds well to my own experience.
However, you claim to have compiled the first map of Office Complex (bm_c1a2a) and had all the props light fine. This does not match my experience, as even recompiling the bm_c1a2a version in mapsrc with no alterations caused the relevant props to light glitchily.
Everything you said is correct, yes. It’s as if there is some compile parameter, such as -StaticPropLighting in CSGO, that we’re not being told about.
Maybe you should try compiling it again from mapsrc, but check your files to make sure it’s all correct - maybe it works out this time.
Interestingly enough, I didn’t notice this issue happening with flickering lights where logic_timer would turn entities on and off. ALTHOUGH, maybe I just overlooked it because either all entities happened to be physics or dynamic or another light source was giving it light.
Just tried recompiling a clean Office Complex and the props are still dim. I suspect I know what’s happening there, though- somehow you’re getting the vanilla map instead of your recompile in game. Try making some other obvious change in Office Complex (like adding a prop or something) far away from any of the lights involved and see if it carries through.
Back at this again!
I’ve decided to copy the Office Complex map 1’s vmf and put it elsewhere, then rename it, and compile. Works just fine.
So, I decided to make a zoo/test map, and here it is:
bm_lighttest.zip (6.98 KB)bm_lighttest.vmf[/attach]
So, I’ve yet to figure out how Black Mesa (vanilla) Office Complex does it.