Light shadows

I downloaded the Alfa 75 mod from Race Department and the cars look like they are floating on air because the shadows are very light compared to all the other cars. The cars behave correctly in all other respects (although far too fast in comparison to other '87 touring cars in that class) but the shadows detract from an otherwise great mod.

How do I correct this?

Here are two screenshots to illustrate:




This is at Donington, where the low light seems to make the problem worse. Somehow at Hockenheim the Alfa shadow looks normal...

I looked at the .cas files and noticed something different in the Alfa file:

The M3 and all the other cars have this structure of code:

<SPIN> MeshFile=BMW_M3_CHASSIS_a.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(200.0)
<EXPO> MeshFile=BMW_M3_CHASSIS_a.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(200.0) Reflect=True
<EXPO> MeshFile=BMW_M3_EXPO_FLOOR.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(200.00)

The Alfa's looks like this:

<SPIN> MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_EXPO.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(200.0)
<EXPO> MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_EXPO.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(200.0) Reflect=True

All the other cars have 'CHASSIS'.gmt's while the Alfa only has 'BODY_EXPO'.gmt and does not differentiate the main body from the floor as in other .cas files.

Any ideas please?

Uncomman wrote:

I downloaded the Alfa 75 mod from Race Department.

What is the exact name of the Alfa 75 mod from Race Department mate ?

And what game platform is it for ? (GTL, GTR2, rFactor ... etc, ...etc)

I cannot seem to locate it.

Oops sorry i was mistaken, was not on Race Dept, was here on EM here is the link:

Alfa 75

It's for GTL

It's called ALFA_ROMEO_75_1.0+GTL

https://www.mediafire.com/file/urzuubbolbg9i5p/ALFA_ROMEO_75_1.0+GTL.rar

Okay, got it. I'll have a look at it m8.

MUCH appreciated fisheracing!

Hi Uncomman!

Change the following Lines in .cas-file to this:

 <LOW>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256, AmbientShadA.dds) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(100.0)
 <MED>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256, AmbientShadA.dds) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(120.0)
 <HIGH> MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256, AmbientShadA.dds) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(140.0)
 <MAX>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256, AmbientShadA.dds) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(160.0)

The Result:



not what ive expected?!?

BTW: Shadow works in my Game. Not as deep as at other Cars, but not the "flying effect".

Greetings
Muddie

Yes, Muddie, you focused on a difference I had not noticed - in ALL the other cars' .cas files, there was a (True, Solid, 256, 256, AmbientShadA.dds) in the brackets. But if that is the effect of the change, it clearly isn't the solution.

Muddie7272 wrote:

BTW: Shadow works in my Game. Not as deep as at other Cars, but not the "flying effect".

Yes, most of the time mine is fine too, particularly when the sun is shining brightly. But when it's overcast, like it is most of the time at Donington (English weather!?) then the shadow is very light. Which leads me to believe that it is the "LOW" setting we should look at:

<LOW>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(100.0)

...except that the Alfa settings are exactly the same as the other cars, besides the AmbientShadA.dds, yet the car shadow appears different.

So I am no closer, unless I only race this class at tracks where the sun shines most of the time.

The alfa_romeo_75_body_shadow_a.gmt shadowmesh_material uses the shadow_texture.dds

There could be a possibility that certain tracks use a shadow_texture of a different shade in intensity.

I've changed the material in the alfa_romeo_75_body_shadow_a.gmt to use the texture black.dds.

See if this makes a difference in your game. >>> new body shadow gmt <<<

Place right in your Alfa Romeo 75 folder.

And maybe change this line > (True, Solid, 256, 256) to (Static, Solid, 512, 512)

Thanks fisheracing, I made the changes you suggested, but they made no difference at all. Here are the screen grabs for various tracks; all the other cars are consistent; they have the same shadows irrespective of track, and I also noticed that the shadow is more diffused (spread) and has less sharp edges on the other cars:

Barcelona:



Brands Hatch:



Donington (Always the worst, overcast conditions, corrected for brightness and contrast, much darker originally)

Hockenheim:



Monza:

Try this has same skins plus many more


https://www.evolution-modding.net/t2293-alfa-romeo-75?highlight=alfa+75

Thanks fatguts but it's the same mod with one extra skin, the Jagermeister one.

It uses all the same .hdc and .cas files and does the same thing. Here is the Jagermeister car from the mod you linked to, at Donington again:

Muddie wrote:

BTW: Shadow works in my Game. Not as deep as at other Cars, but not the "flying effect".

Have you tried it at Donington? And what resolution are you running? I am at 1280 x 1024

Hey Uncomman!

Youre Right. Something is wrong with the Shadow. Im drove at 7 PM, nearly Dark, and the Shadow doesnt satisfy me. But another Thing is mor worse. The Shadow on the Window when you drive under the Bow. If you will clear that issue, look in the .cas-File in the Cockpit Part. There is somewhere the Window or cpit_window Line. At the end of the Line you see shadowreceiver=true. Kill that and theres now darking on the Window under the Dunlop Bow.

Greetings
Muddie

Hi Uncomman,

By inspecting other .cas files I found a subtle difference in the ShadowObject parameters. In the Alfa Romeo you can read :

 <LOW>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(100.0)
 <MED>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(120.0)
 <HIGH> MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(140.0)
 <MAX>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(True, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(160.0)

in other cars, I found the word Static instead of the word True as the 1st parameter and you can read as follows: 

 <LOW>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(Static, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(100.0)
 <MED>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(Static, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(120.0)
 <HIGH> MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(Static, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(140.0)
 <MAX>  MeshFile=ALFA_ROMEO_75_BODY_SHADOW_A.gmt CollTarget=False HATTarget=False ShadowObject=(Static, Solid, 256, 256) LODIn=(0.0) LODOut=(160.0)

Please try changing this in your .cas file and let us know if it helps ?

Thanks jodelmor, we already did that, as a result of fisheracing's suggestion:

fisheracing wrote:

And maybe change this line > (True, Solid, 256, 256) to (Static, Solid, 512, 512)

I did many screenshots after that change had been done, made no difference.

Muddie wrote:

At the end of the Line you see shadowreceiver=true. Kill that and theres now darking on the Window under the Dunlop Bow.

Just to clarify, does 'kill that' mean change to false?

Hi Uncomman again

No,no, you can delete the Phrase. Left a Space between the other Phrases. But..Try it, change it to false. I dont know exactly what happens then. My Prognosis: Both Methods have the same result. Please tell me if there is a difference.

Greetings
Muddie

Uncomman wrote:

Have you tried it at Donington? And what resolution are you running? I am at 1280 x 1024

Both Doningtons. I am running at 1920 x 1080 32 bit and the shadow is as deep as the deep blue sea.

Can't understand why yours is having that effect mate.

Tell me, do you have anti-aliasing on or off in your configuration? I will try at the higher resolution just to test, but It seems strange that in all the mods that I have, only ONE does this. And I have about 200, so its not a system anomaly - that would be an irrational conclusion, given that this is a completely isolated incidence.

There is certainly something wrong with the shadowing in this mod.

Uncomman wrote:

Tell me, do you have anti-aliasing on or off in your configuration? I will try at the higher resolution just to test, but It seems strange that in all the mods that I have, only ONE does this. And I have about 200, so its not a system anomaly - that would be an irrational conclusion, given that this is a completely isolated incidence.
There is certainly something wrong with the shadowing in this mod.

Dear buddy! I use anti-aliasing level 2, and everything in high resolution, and i think it's very nice.
Good luck, Uncomman!

Uncomman wrote:

Tell me, do you have anti-aliasing on or off in your configuration?

There is certainly something wrong with the shadowing in this mod.

This is my configuration for GTL:



If there is something wrong with the shadowing, then how come it does not happen in my camp ?

Thanks will try a few settings.

"how come it does not happen in my camp" is not a rational argument, given that all my other mods have correct shadowing. Why should ONE mod and no other do this?

It cannot be denied that if you observe the shadowing carefully, the Alfa shadow does not propagate like the other mods, even Ney's screenshot demonstrates this. The shadow is not diffused and has sharp edges, all the others are diffused and have fuzzy edges.

I have tried higher resolution with anti-aliasig at he highest level I can, forced Direct X 9 and nothing changes. ALL other mods/cars (1900-odd) shadow perfectly but not this mod.

The mod has another problem. If you run it in AI mode, the Alfas are between 3 and 5 seconds a lap faster than the BMW's and RS500's a lap, which is absurd.

I will just have to exclude Donington (pity because it is the quintessential touring car track) and other tracks where the Alfa shadow does not work from this class.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!