Shadows on Ragdolls.

[gtanner]

Shadows do not effect infantry during the ragdoll process, only before death and when the bodies are enabled (in a fixed position).

Infantry before death.

Infantry during ragdoll, shadow effect on model removed.

Infantry fixed position with shadow again.

I did check the known issues but didnt see anything that would point to this.

Edit:Shadows also dont show on the first person infantry, but that might be a known issue.

Edited January 8, 2010 by GOPHUR

[maxxim]

Looks like he is talking about the shadow from the tree or building cast onto the infantry, but what about the other shadow, the one from the infantry cast onto the ground outside the range of a tree/building shadow? Could be a good follow up test.

[gtanner]

Retesting, i'm not able to create this again.

Possibly an erroneous muzzle flash?

[xanthus]

Retesting, i'm not able to create this again.

Possibly an erroneous muzzle flash?

I was thinking that your screenshots are just showing the inf model being lit up by the muzzle flash.

[gtanner]

I was thinking that your screenshots are just showing the inf model being lit up by the muzzle flash.

I can see how it would look that way i did have another picture from the same ragdoll falling and it was all lit up until it hit it's fixed position.

[gtanner]

I'm not able to do it each time but im fairly sure this is caused by the firing ragdolls, so it may be one of those non issues since clones are a dev thing.

When you create a firing clone an lmg or tank for example the muzzle flash will follow you no matter where in the map you go and i think this is what causes the ragdolls to stay lit up in the shadows.

[gtanner]

Ok i ran into this accidentally, this whole thing seems to be quite random.

I lined up the infantry to shoot them all at once, and as the link shows some have kept the shadow from the trees, some have not. (the shadow returns upon rigid body)

Edited January 8, 2010 by GOPHUR

[GOPHUR]

returns upon rigid body...

Do you mean once they stop moving the shadows return?

[GOPHUR]

Hmm, just not able to reproduce it. What's your video card?

[gtanner]

Do you mean once they stop moving the shadows return?

Hmm, just not able to reproduce it. What's your video card?

Sorry completely missed this reply Gophur, yes when the ragdoll stops processing and becomes static.

I can replicate this any time be forming a long line of troops and shooting down that line.

Video Card: Nvidia 8800 GTS

I've also found this which could be related to what ever causes this.

Scenario: (church tower) Two inf, 1 stands with no shadow and the other covered in shadow. Killing them both will topple them out.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/gtannerbtz/ShadowANDnoShadow.jpg

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/gtannerbtz/ShadowANDnoShadowOutside.jpg

As you can see the infantry which was shadowed inside the tower has keep the shadow, unlike the report above the shadow will stay on the ragdoll out in the open regardless.

EDIT: This seems to effect all building related shadows, but works perfectly with tree shadows. I'd hazard a guess it's because the shadow system used for building interiors is a more true/false kind of shadow casting.

(sorry if this is slightly unclear, this isn't the easiest thing to explain)

Edited February 3, 2010 by gtanner

[GOPHUR]

OK I'll mess around with this a bit and see what I can show to RAMP.

[GOPHUR]

I'm seeing pretty detailed shadow casting here.

[gtanner]

I'm seeing pretty detailed shadow casting here.

Yeah the tree shadows are great, i understand that the building interoir shadows aren't as dynamic so the sticky-shadow on infantry ejected out of buildings probably wont be too common.

I can still recreate the original shadow mystery within tree shadows where randomly an inf will not be shadowed until the body becomes static. It's easier to do with inf lined up and shooting them down at the same time, but it can happen on the odd kill as shown in the original post.

[GOPHUR]

OK good feedback gtanner, TY.

What are your INF-ragdoll settings and your shadow settings?

[gtanner]

OK good feedback gtanner, TY.

What are your INF-ragdoll settings and your shadow settings?

Both groups are set to full/enabled, not a huge issue but hey polish is polish .

Also i know this isn't Q&A so feel free to disgard but could we expect some sort of 'forced' shadow for all players, possibly just for tree casting?

Edited February 4, 2010 by gtanner

[ratatosk]

Also i know this isn't Q&A so feel free to disgard but could we expect some sort of 'forced' shadow for all players, possibly just for tree casting?

This brings up something I was just wondering about today. Short version is that I am on the sidelines until the beta reaches GA because I just bought a nice new rig and like a lot of others, have found that 1.30 has problems with 64 bit Win7, so I am confined to messing with the beta which runs fine. This is the first time in 3 years of playing that I've had the hardware to run best graphics while maintaining playable fps and I thought that was pretty cool. At first...

But then I was thinking why would I enable shadows, rain, clutter, etc. if they all just make it harder to see the bad guy and don't do anything to hide me unless he has the same settings turned on? I understand the appeal of immersion, but it looks like the cool features are more than offset by the fact that your opponents don't have to use them. I'm not talking about whatever the fps hit is, I just mean that if I have shadows on and he doesn't I gave him an advantage.

Of course I've never used any of this stuff in-game before, so maybe I am missing something? If I'm generally correct, then I think that maybe there need to be some limits on how much you can turn off if there is to be any point in offering the features. Of course, that will cause issues for people with lesser systems, but hey, I got mine they can get theirs!