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See your own shadow in doom 3!

S

Sureshot324

Diamond Member
open the console (ctrl-alt-~) and type:

set g_showPlayerShadow "1"

This doesn't seem to hurt my frame rate at all (timedemo fps is the same) and looks really cool! I'm not sure why id didn't include an option for this in the menu, though there are some problems. For one, if you shine your flashlight on your own shadow it still shows up IIRC. I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows. Also if you look straight down, the shadow of your foot is a bit in front of you. I think this is because the camera is actually at the back of your head, not where your eyes are.

Still, seeing your huge shadow move across the wall as you move close to a light is a very cool effect! Now if only there was a way to see your own player model so you could look down and see your own body being hacked apart by the imps. 😛
 
I tried it a while ago when someone posted on driverheaven, but I didn't like how there are bits of the shadow missing when it's cast on certain objects.
 
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows.
Click to expand...
Uh, you may want to look again at that.
 
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
yes
Click to expand...

Would you mind explaining why we needed a 27th d3 thread on the FIRST PAGE of this particular forum? Especially when it easily fits in a number of the other threads...
 
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows.
Click to expand...
Uh, you may want to look again at that.
Click to expand...


The flashlight is not dynamic, it's a lightmap. It creates shadows on characters (i.e. friendlies and enemies) but not the environment or any of it's static components. Go shine it on some walkway rails to see what I mean. It affects shadowing on characters, but nothing else.
 
Originally posted by: Insomniak
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows.
Click to expand...
Uh, you may want to look again at that.
Click to expand...


The flashlight is not dynamic, it's a lightmap. It creates shadows on characters (i.e. friendlies and enemies) but not the environment or any of it's static components. Go shine it on some walkway rails to see what I mean. It affects shadowing on characters, but nothing else.
Click to expand...

That's a good thing. Have you ever used the flashlight in Far Cry? That thing is a performance HOG, and it doesn't look much better, if at all IMO.
 
Originally posted by: SickBeast
That's a good thing. Have you ever used the flashlight in Far Cry? That thing is a performance HOG, and it doesn't look much better, if at all IMO.
Click to expand...


I agree. Graphics hardware is not yet ready for a fully dynamic flashlight.
 
Originally posted by: Insomniak
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows.
Click to expand...
Uh, you may want to look again at that.
Click to expand...
The flashlight is not dynamic, it's a lightmap. It creates shadows on characters (i.e. friendlies and enemies) but not the environment or any of it's static components. Go shine it on some walkway rails to see what I mean. It affects shadowing on characters, but nothing else.
Click to expand...
Just took a bunch of screenshots of rails and people casting shadows, so you may want to re-examine that premise. (I'm too tired to post them now.) The effect is minimal because the axis of the beam is too close to your eyeline, but it is visible. It's not perfect, but it does work.

If darn near every light is dynamic (shoot fluorecents for fun), why wouldn't the flashlight be. Carmack has always hated the lightmap method of faking lights and wanted to calculate shadow volumes and now can.
 
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Insomniak
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows.
Click to expand...
Uh, you may want to look again at that.
Click to expand...
The flashlight is not dynamic, it's a lightmap. It creates shadows on characters (i.e. friendlies and enemies) but not the environment or any of it's static components. Go shine it on some walkway rails to see what I mean. It affects shadowing on characters, but nothing else.
Click to expand...
Just took a bunch of screenshots of rails and people casting shadows, so you may want to re-examine that premise. (I'm too tired to post them now.) The effect is minimal because the axis of the beam is too close to your eyeline, but it is visible. It's not perfect, but it does work.

If darn near every light is dynamic (shoot fluorecents for fun), why wouldn't the flashlight be. Carmack has always hated the lightmap method of faking lights and wanted to calculate shadow volumes and now can.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw this too. Seems like you can see a small shadow behind the object.
 
Originally posted by: clicknext
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Insomniak
Originally posted by: DefRef
Originally posted by: Sureshot324
I think the flashlight actually isn't part of the dynamic lighting system at all and can't create shadows.
Click to expand...
Uh, you may want to look again at that.
Click to expand...
The flashlight is not dynamic, it's a lightmap. It creates shadows on characters (i.e. friendlies and enemies) but not the environment or any of it's static components. Go shine it on some walkway rails to see what I mean. It affects shadowing on characters, but nothing else.
Click to expand...
Just took a bunch of screenshots of rails and people casting shadows, so you may want to re-examine that premise. (I'm too tired to post them now.) The effect is minimal because the axis of the beam is too close to your eyeline, but it is visible. It's not perfect, but it does work.

If darn near every light is dynamic (shoot fluorecents for fun), why wouldn't the flashlight be. Carmack has always hated the lightmap method of faking lights and wanted to calculate shadow volumes and now can.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw this too. Seems like you can see a small shadow behind the object.
Click to expand...
Sometimes, not so small!

* Shining on a rail. Hmmm....


* Another rail. Note highlight and my shadow.


* A worker and rail.


* Me & my shadow and a guy with his.

(Shots taken at 800x600, Ultra quality, no AA, 128MB 5900)
 
Yeah everything but my own shadow. or any weapon I'm holding. At least in my game that's how it is.
 
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