P3D v4 Ground Polygons no shadows

[Gerald Krutsch]

Hi guys (beware: noob at work! ),

I keept searching for this question and found some older threads that not all GP layers will cast shadows. Unfortunately placing my GP on layers from 16 to 24 did not fix this. I still can't see any shadows on my custom ground polygons.

Any advice?

Thanks.

Gerald

 

[toprob]

Do you have 'simulator objects' set to receive shadows?

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Hello @toprob ,

I'm not at home now and can't tell you about that option.
The problem is that if I slew my ACFT above the ground at my own custom ARP, I can see the shadow dissapearing over my GP (it does show on the TAXI lines created by ADE directly but not on the custom ground lines and markings).
I found that topic I talkt about (it is older and for P3D v3). In the pictures you can see the same effect.
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/shadow-not-casting-on-certain-texture-ground-poly.439690/

So the Q is: Will that option affect only parts of the ground?

 

[toprob]

It's not clear whether you've ended up with old pre-FSX polys, or new Prepar3d ones. It's something I found with Prepar3d polys for v4, editing the resultant BGL gave me problems until I tried turning off drawcall batching -- then my shadows disappeared until I realised they'd be 'simulator objects' rather than scenery objects, and set them to receive shadows in the Prepar3d settings.... So yeah, it would affect the polys only, normal ground etc would still receive shadows.

Could be off-track, of course, but worth checking if you have already tweaked the layers without effect.

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Noted! Thank you. Will check and reply.
BR,
Gerald

 

[Andrew]

Set buildings to receive shadows. Don't ask my why

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Set buildings to receive shadows. Don't ask my why

Yep...that worked. SimObjects cast receive did not do anything. Setting the buildings to receive shadows worked well....darn...
I will still try to convert all my GP to MDL.

Regards,
Gerald

 

[GaryGB]

Hi guys (beware: noob at work! ),
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/ground-polygons-no-shadows.441067/

I kept searching for this question and found some older threads that not all GP layers will cast shadows. Unfortunately placing my GP on layers from 16 to 24 did not fix this. I still can't see any shadows on my custom ground polygons.

Any advice?

Thanks.

Gerald

Hi Gerald:

Just out of curiosity, did you also try remaining layers between 24 and 32 to see if any of them would receive / display shadows ?

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/gp-and-custom-ground-lines.440977/#post-780567

AFAIK, for P3D compatibility, one should only use VTP layers from 16 to 32 so the textured SCASM / ASM Ground Polyon surface 'receives' and displays shadows cast from super-imposed SimObjects.

GaryGB

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Hy Gary,

didn't try them all just some (16 to 20 IIRC).

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

OK guys. I tried all layers from 16 to 24 and none of them displayed shadows.
Converting them to MDL did not work either.

Anything else I could try?

 

[toprob]

I'm still unsure whether these are FS2002-style, or Prepar3d? Talking about multiples-of-4 layers suggests FS2002, but it could still be either...

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Well I did convert them for P3D v4 with XtoMDL so I do think these are P3D like GP...

 

[GaryGB]

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/ground-polygons-no-shadows.441067/#post-781972

Well I did convert them for P3D v4 with XtoMDL so I do think these are P3D like GP...

Hi Gerald:

If that is the case, then they are MDL-based Ground Polygons (aka G-Polys or GPs").

Did you use 'negative' Z-Bias Material Properties settings when you created / placed the "GP" objects ?

Also, did you try editing the placement BGLComp-XML placement code for the MDL-based GPs to disable any "NoShadow" elements, or to insert "NoZTest" elements immediately prior to the LibraryObject placement elements for the GPs ?

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526978.aspx#LibraryObject

GaryGB

 

[robystar]

Gary said it all but I wish he would understand the word "concise" .
(Sorry, Gary, you know I cannot help myself making these remarks. They are well meant though).
And P3Dv4 is different.
And I am not sure whether Gerald's conversion of his FS2004 scasm type ground polys to FSX ones can be done with XtoMDL. I guess it would need to go through the MCX Gound Poly Wizard, but correct me if I am wrong again.

 

[Andrew]

If you still have problems with shadows (I have noted a few for a long time) ... leave this to LM and then have a drink.

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

I guess it would need to go through the MCX Gound Poly Wizard, but correct me if I am wrong again.

Hi @robystar , I did not go through the GP Wizard because I can convert only 1 GP at a time. I had to import the BGL and export the scenery.

Did you use 'negative' Z-Bias Material Properties settings when you created / placed the "GP" objects ?

I just exported the scenery. I understood that the negative Z-Bias is applied automaticaly.