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arma:modeling:shadows [2009/04/17 08:14] – added shadow hand rail tip. snakemanarma:modeling:shadows [2024/08/01 10:00] (current) – links added. snakeman
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-====== Shadows ======+====== ArmA 1 Shadows ====== 
 + 
 +[[https://www.pmctactical.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=42|ArmA 1 Forum]], [[:arma|ArmA 1 Home]], [[arma:config|ArmA 1 Config]], [[arma:tools|ArmA 1 Tools]], [[arma:file_formats|ArmA 1 File Formats]], [[arma:missions|ArmA 1 Missions]], [[arma:modeling|ArmA 1 3D Modeling]], [[arma:terrain|ArmA 1 Terrain]], [[arma:texturing|ArmA 1 Texturing]], [[arma:scripting|ArmA 1 Scripting]] 
 + 
 +**ArmA 1** aka Armed Assault (ArmA)
  
 Used for HW shadow casting. The shadows are cast from this LOD on resolution LOD surfaces. The shadow volume area is made by extruding the lit faces of the shadow LOD (faces that have normals oriented towards the light) in the light direction. Used for HW shadow casting. The shadows are cast from this LOD on resolution LOD surfaces. The shadow volume area is made by extruding the lit faces of the shadow LOD (faces that have normals oriented towards the light) in the light direction.
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 LOD must be named ShadowVolume 0.000, ShadowVolume 10.000 or ShadowVolume 1000.000 LOD must be named ShadowVolume 0.000, ShadowVolume 10.000 or ShadowVolume 1000.000
  
-  * Shadow volume 0 is the main stencil shadow. It should have less than 1000 triangles.  +  * Shadow volume 0 is the main stencil shadow. It should have less than 1000 triangles. 
-  * Shadow Volume 10 is optimized stencil shadow LOD with as few triangles as possible. +  * Shadow Volume 10 is optimized stencil shadow LOD with as few triangles as possible.
   * Shadow 1000 is special for trees, it uses alpha transparent textures to be calculated using GPU shadow buffer. (so this lod can have link on texture)   * Shadow 1000 is special for trees, it uses alpha transparent textures to be calculated using GPU shadow buffer. (so this lod can have link on texture)
  
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 For trees and vegetation there can also be used so called HYBRID SHADOW. This is controlled by model property Shadow=hybrid in Geometry LOD Those shadows are cast on all models except the model itself. Trees can use special shaders for leaves that simulates self shadowing. For trees and vegetation there can also be used so called HYBRID SHADOW. This is controlled by model property Shadow=hybrid in Geometry LOD Those shadows are cast on all models except the model itself. Trees can use special shaders for leaves that simulates self shadowing.
  
-====== ShadowVolume on BIS MLODs ====== 
  
-These are statistics on the BIS MLOD vegetation objects for ShadowVolume settings.+====== ShadowVolume on bis MLODs ====== 
 + 
 +These are statistics on the bis MLOD vegetation objects for ShadowVolume settings.
  
 akat02s:\\ akat02s:\\
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 PrefersShadowVolume = 0\\ PrefersShadowVolume = 0\\
 the LODs must be closed and triangulated. the LODs must be closed and triangulated.
 +
  
 ====== Shadow Tutorial by Skaven ====== ====== Shadow Tutorial by Skaven ======
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 4 - Open the same property (LODNoShadow) in all the other LODs but this time give it a value of 1. 4 - Open the same property (LODNoShadow) in all the other LODs but this time give it a value of 1.
  
-5 - Inside the Shadow Lod (10000) with the entire model selected go to Structure/Topology/Find non-Closed and check if you have any opened point/faces (they get red if you do and below on your left O2 tells you the amount of them).  +5 - Inside the Shadow Lod (10000) with the entire model selected go to Structure/Topology/Find non-Closed and check if you have any opened point/faces (they get red if you do and below on your left O2 tells you the amount of them).
  
 6 - If you do have any opened points/faces you must close them, you may try O2 to close them for you, for that go to Structure/Topology/Close, this should close the model for you, however, sometimes you need to do it by hand since this feature inside O2 as some limitations. 6 - If you do have any opened points/faces you must close them, you may try O2 to close them for you, for that go to Structure/Topology/Close, this should close the model for you, however, sometimes you need to do it by hand since this feature inside O2 as some limitations.
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 inner shadow can cause sick effects on weapons ? inner shadow can cause sick effects on weapons ?
  
-i get best results when shadow lod was almost copy of pilot view why shadows behave different ?\\ +i get best results when shadow lod was almost copy of pilot view why shadows behave different ?\\
 i have my graphic options on LOW, maybe this ?\\ i have my graphic options on LOW, maybe this ?\\
 but i really get zebra effects but i really get zebra effects
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 i gave no "LODNoShadow = 1", i gave LOD 10000 (as i was told)\\ i gave no "LODNoShadow = 1", i gave LOD 10000 (as i was told)\\
 i gave model with lower poly count as i it was in OFP maybe there should be more detailed model ?\\ i gave model with lower poly count as i it was in OFP maybe there should be more detailed model ?\\
-all faces are closed, no "open" or "hole" faces and weapons look really really sick than +all faces are closed, no "open" or "hole" faces and weapons look really really sick than
  
 half of gun is almost black on the soldiers there is "zebra" of shadow half of gun is almost black on the soldiers there is "zebra" of shadow
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 ====== Notes ====== ====== Notes ======
  
-**Armored_Sheep (BIS dev)**: The LODNoShadow property is not necessary. This property is used in other lods to disable shadow projection on too complex meshes.+**Armored_Sheep (bis dev)**: The LODNoShadow property is not necessary. This property is used in other lods to disable shadow projection on too complex meshes.
  
 ArmA engine uses Shadow Volume 0, Shadow Volume 10 and Shadow Volume 1000. Different values than that are not used. ArmA engine uses Shadow Volume 0, Shadow Volume 10 and Shadow Volume 1000. Different values than that are not used.
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 Shadow 1000 is special for trees, it uses alpha transparent textures to be calculated using GPU shadow buffer. Shadow 1000 is special for trees, it uses alpha transparent textures to be calculated using GPU shadow buffer.
  
-Source [[http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=76;t=68241|BIS forum topic]]. 
  
 ===== Earl Summary ===== ===== Earl Summary =====
  
-**Earl (BIS dev)**: The only named property that should always be used is "LODNoShadow = 1" on all visual LODs which are >400 faces.+**Earl (bis dev)**: The only named property that should always be used is "LODNoShadow = 1" on all visual LODs which are >400 faces.
  
 Default behavior should be: Default behavior should be:
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   * Use high detail SV LOD to draw stencil shadow   * Use high detail SV LOD to draw stencil shadow
   * At distance use lower detail SV LOD to draw stencil shadow   * At distance use lower detail SV LOD to draw stencil shadow
-  * At greater distance, use last or lower visual LOD's for shadow map source, and start to fade that shadow away.+  * At greater distance, use last or lower visual LODs for shadow map source, and start to fade that shadow away. 
  
 ===== Hand Rails ===== ===== Hand Rails =====
  
-**Armored_Sheep** (BIS Dev) about handrail modeling in houses: Stencil buffer shadows (those sharp polygons) are not able to use alpha transparency. They are drawn by extruding triangles from ShadowVolume lod.+**Armored_Sheep** (bis Dev) about handrail modeling in houses: Stencil buffer shadows (those sharp polygons) are not able to use alpha transparency. They are drawn by extruding triangles from ShadowVolume lod.
  
 If you choose shadow buffer casting (used on trees) you can have alpha transparent textures in shadow casting lod (you define this by properties in geometry lod) BUT you will be still limited by texture resolution (ArmA casts this shadow using single 2048x2048 texture for whole scene) If you choose shadow buffer casting (used on trees) you can have alpha transparent textures in shadow casting lod (you define this by properties in geometry lod) BUT you will be still limited by texture resolution (ArmA casts this shadow using single 2048x2048 texture for whole scene)
  
 At this particular model I suppose to don't put the rail in the shadow at all. (PMC edit: means its either no shadow, or model a real handrail with polygon's not just one face with alpha channel texture). At this particular model I suppose to don't put the rail in the shadow at all. (PMC edit: means its either no shadow, or model a real handrail with polygon's not just one face with alpha channel texture).
 +
 +
 +====== Closing Model ======
 +
 +modEmMaik about closing shadowvolume lod mesh:
 +
 +I open up another O2, copy and paste the single element, which is not close-able, and try to detect the problem.
 +
 +Sometimes faces are doubled, which you may detect in the solid view and switch the faces (w-button).
 +
 +Sometimes the mesh is not closed because one edge in one face is splitt (one additional point in the same line). It looks closed, but it is not.
 +
 +When it is closed, I copy the mesh back.
 +
 +Best check for shadow LOD is to create a big box in the first visual LOD, invert the faces (w-button) of this box and check the result in the buldozer.
 +
arma/modeling/shadows.1239956085.txt.gz · Last modified: 2009/04/17 08:14 (external edit)
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