shadows?

[A2597]

so...I know the default graphics engine in X3 doesn't support shadows of any sort.

I'm just wondering if any modder, or if perhaps egosoft themselves, have any intentions of adding them into the game?

Thanks

[Predator02]

On a game this old? No. Maybe in the expansion.

[THE_BIG_FISH:Leo]

it would be more likely when (and if) they create a new engine for X4 (if they ever make an X4)

[exogenesis]

XBTF & X-Tension did optional shadow effects (of a sort), didn't they ?

Mind you they were a bit weird at times, mostly kept it turnd off.

[Locksley]

One could do "fake" shadows for mines so they give the impression there shadowing the asteroid. Then you got to mod the bob files for the original textures and stuff.

That's about it; shadows for ships - I just can't imagine Even if you could do a grey box that follows the player ships and being semi transparent gives the impression of a shadow.... I just don't know.

But fake shadows for mines would be nice.

[bp2019]

Are you serious? where exactly are you going to SEE shadows?

60% of the sectors are too dark for shadows to be really viewable and the others are mostly devoid of anything to cast a shadow ON.

If you want them to cast shadows on capitol ships as you fly by... why? if you're flying close enough to see the shadow you're either running out of things to do or busy firing at it and dodging ppc.

Im not meaning any of this to sound mean, i just dont understand the fascination with shadows for x3, its like the fascination for more fruit in pacman.

[exogenesis]

Well implemented self-shadowing objects e.g. stations,
would look great when've you've just started the game, adds immersion.

But after a while you rarely get close enough to see the details
(docking computer), so it would seem to be a waste of developer resources in a space game.

[jlehtone]

a waste of developer resources in a space game.

Particularly when the other half of players is already complaining about all the time (wasted) on "the looks", while it should have been spend on "playability". Besides, AFAIK the shadows do consume some CPU&GPU time too, in addition to the developer resources. So the shadow rendering would have to be optional, and probably many of those with more powerful hardware would turn that off as well.

Maybe, just maybe one might reach a slightly better spatial location awareness inside a dense field of rock debrii with addition of shadows. But since OOS mobile mining is already painless, such novelty value is simply not worth much. (And dense debrii already has framerate issues anyway.)