(Mapping) Shadow direction

[Cleaner]

A post from Felix-The-Ghost about playermodel's shadow reminded me of something I've been meant to ask for ages...

It has always buggered me when mapmodels shadows where in contradiction with the sun's position on the skymap.

So... I'd like to know how the shadow's direction is generated coz sometimes it's cast from the East (ac_arid), sometimes from the West (ac_depot) or even North-West (ac_aqueous), is there a way/command to give 'it' a direction?

[jamz]

shadowyaw

(OMFG! I taught Cleaner something about mapping)

[Cleaner]

Tha mate ;)

EDIT: Oops I forgot to write the most important bit about all this :s

@ All mappers out there... Please use this feature, as I explained above it is really annoying when shadows are facing wrong direction.

[MykeGregory]

I was always under the asumption the shadow was generated by where the light entity(s) are placed.

[Pi_Halo]

Cleaner should really have known this before. That was a new mapping trick I had taught myself when making ac_outpost. I had used the shadowyew to create shadows based off the position of the sun in the skymap and positioned the light entries to somewhat go along with it.

[jamz]

That, KC, is the only reason I knew. I remember you telling me, so I looked in ac_outpost.cfg to remind myself of the command.

[Stranz]

i'll forget that command as soon as i try to use it, good thing is i never use daylight skymaps ;]

[Cleaner]

@ Halo, when we DES was making ac_outpost I was more worried about the layout and fixing the rails and minecarts models (which I will rework for next version) so I s'pose I must have missed some inner talks.

i'll forget that command as soon as i try to use it, good thing is i never use daylight skymaps ;]

Sorry for me being rude but what you're saying is pretty much lame! What about inner lighting then?

I had a little chat with Jamz this morning on irc about it and as soon I've finished with the mapmodels repackaging we'll work on something to get this...

[Stranz]

i'll forget that command as soon as i try to use it, good thing is i never use daylight skymaps ;]

Sorry for me being rude but what you're saying is pretty much lame! What about inner lighting then?

i easily forget commands, that's what i meant. i like mostly night themed maps as that's the style i prefer for them which doesn't mean i don't use light, but sure i still have to learn about how to use it better as is not my strength.

[Felix-The-Ghost]

I had a little chat with Jamz this morning on irc about it and as soon I've finished with the mapmodels repackaging we'll work on something to get this...

Please.

Also yeah, shadowyaw <angle> or something (I only know from the config files)

[Ronald_Reagan]

Am I the only one who learned by looking at the reference?
:>

"Oh, this is a neat command! Lets add it into a script!"

[Cleaner]

Even tough, indoors or outdoors, day time or night time any light source cast shadows...

I am not flaming you but I'd like maps to be as much good looking as possible and if we find a way to fix individual shadowyaw for mapmodels it can only be a plus.

Sorry for me making it harder for mappers but none can escape evolution, some for sure skip almost every levels and stay gema... erm sorry I meant "prehistoric" but there is a generation within the community that is also looking at exploiting every tricks in the book in order to get top notch maps(*).

As for the playermodel's shadow I was thinking about (again I'm no coder so it's just a suggestion) giving 'it' a sort of shadowaxisdist command that would follow movements according to where in space lights entities are placed but I think I pushing it a little too far, forgive me :(


(*) Doesn't mean it will overthrown ac_douze for that matter. :(

EDIT: Sorry just noticed now some replies been made while I was myself replying, this post was towards Stranz

[ExodusS]

What will happen to open areas, because i use little lights everywhere.

[Cleaner]

"Oh, this is a neat command! Lets add it into a script!"

Typical scripters/coders! Expecting everyone to understand right away... Would you please mind explaining what it does? How to use it? aso

What will happen to open areas, because i use little lights everywhere.

Daytime just use the shadowyaw command to match the skymap, night time dunno yet how it can be implemented.

[Ronald_Reagan]

Install it (ie put it in your autoexec.cfg) and then execute it with /rotator

If you look at your shadows, you will understand what it does.

[Cleaner]

Install it (ie put it in your autoexec.cfg) and then execute it with /rotator

If you look at your shadows, you will understand what it does.

Done, Shadow rotating endlessly around the mapmodel... What's the use? I don't get it...

[Ronald_Reagan]

Who said there was a use :>

[Cleaner]

Who said there was a use :>

Typical scripters/coders! XD Make it more fun and have a bot chasing the shadow, at least this way it would have a use... Make us laugh XD

[AC Slater]

If a models individual shadow direction was a mapmodel variable, and could be manipulated like height and texture, that would be fast for mappers.

[ExodusS]

I think the best thing is to let the choice to the mapper.
When he puts a mapmodel he adds one more value who is the rotate (from the north of the map).

[Cleaner]

I think the best thing is to let the choice to the mapper.
When he puts a mapmodel he adds one more value who is the rotate (from the north of the map).

I couldn't agree more with you mate but the issue is how to isolate that value to each single entity :s

[Felix-The-Ghost]

Yeah that would be fantastic if the code struct for mapmodels simply had a shadowyaw variable (and length).

[Ronald_Reagan]

I think the best thing is to let the choice to the mapper.
When he puts a mapmodel he adds one more value who is the rotate (from the north of the map).

Not as easy as 4+1, you would need to change quite a lot, including the map format.