P3D v3 Observation and questions regarding shadows....

[whamil77]

I was recently updating an add-on airport that I modified with ADE 1.70. The original included some old FSX scenery (static aircraft). I added some newer ORBX static aircraft and some static aircraft I had created from some older FS9 files using ModelConverterX. The newer ORBX aircraft all projected shadows but anything older did not, which I knew and accepted.

While making some modifications using Instant Scenery 3, I loaded the OBJ file from the airport ( I choose to compile objects separately, an option in ADE) into Instant Scenery such that I could edit some other objects directly. When I loaded the OBJ.bgl file into Instant Scenery from within P3Dv3.4, all static aircraft projected shadows correctly after the load, even those that never had. I closed Instant Scenery and the shadows remained.

Questions are....why does this work and what can be done to make it work without having to load Instant Scenery?

Note: I am unsure that this is the appropriate forum, but my intent was to get the issue in front of as many savvy FSD folks as possible in hopes that someone has an idea of what may be happening.

Before loading OBJ.bgl into P3D. Shadows are dim on the two ORBX aircraft on right, but present. No shadows on the three aircraft on the left.


After loading OBJ.bgl into P3D (continues after closing Instant Scenery within P3D and remains until scenery is reloaded by changing flight, reloading flight, etc.). Full shadowing on all aircraft.

 

[toprob]

Although it's been a long time since I used IS, I assume it works inside P3D by creating simobjects for placement. So the difference would be how P3D renders shadows on normal objects and simobjects. You can change these two independently in Lighting: Shadows, so try turning both on to cast shadows.

 

[Lane Street]

Assuming P3D works similar to FSX, you have an option to have scenery objects cast ground shadows.

What you see under the Orbx planes in the "before" picture are "shadows" built into the model by way of a flat plane under the airplane that is textured with the airplane's "shadow". This "shadow" will be visible regardless of your sim setting for ground shadows.

I put "shadow" in quotes because what you see under the Orbx planes is not really a shadow. It is a static texture that will not change position as the Sun moves across the sky and is not projected by the sim lighting engine.

cheers,
Lane

 

[whamil77]

I knew I came to the right place!

The setting for shadows is labeled "buildings." Checking the "buildings" option corrected the shadow issue under the static aircraft. It also placed shadows under any static library object including buildings, signs, trees, cars, trucks, and anything else not considered autogen. I guess it should be labeled "static objects."

After so many years with FS9, FSX, and every version of P3D, I don't know how I didn't know that. But with folks like you around, I guess I didn't have to. Thank you both very much!