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The ModFather
retired moderator
Original Poster
#1 Old 17th Nov 2005 at 1:46 AM Last edited by Echo : 11th Sep 2008 at 12:41 PM.
Default How to create correct shadows for custom objects
This not really a tutorial: it's an excerpt from the oldArchived Object Workshop forum, where Boblishman explained how to create a new groudshadow for a custom object.

Since there are no tutorials about this subject, I've copied the relevand posts here.

NOTE: though Boblishman only talks about the groudshadow, the same method can be applied to create the wallshadows, too.




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Tutorials:How_to_create_correct_shadows_for_custom_objectswiki
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Manipulator of messy meshes
retired moderator
#2 Old 28th Dec 2005 at 10:29 PM Last edited by Numenor : 21st Feb 2006 at 7:56 AM.
If you've deleted the groundshadow subset from your clone object, your object will not have a shadow. If you want one, you need to add it back into the package (or reclone and start again, which will probaly be easier)


You need also to change your groundshadow texture. The way to get a correct groundshadow is:

Open your 3D editor,
take a screed dump of the 4 view windows
paste it into your graphics editor
crop the image leaving the overhead view only
crop to the object (but not too close)
reduce the colours to 2 (black/white)
erase unneccsary lines, (leaving the outline shape)
increase the colour depth to 16 million colours
magic wand the outline
invert it
delete the contents
fill with grey (128)
deselect
blur several times
resize it to 64 x64 pixels (dont worry if it looks disorted, it will look ok when mapped properly)
save as png
Import into your 3D editor
assign to the groundshadw subset
remap (if necessary)
export as .obj file
import into SimPE (doing NOTHING to the other subsets, and REPLACE the goundshadw)
CLEAR the bounding mesh
select the subsets you want to be selectable and click Add to bounding Mesh
go to the groundshadow texture....then Build DTX the new texture,
change the file type to ExtRaw8bit
update all sizes, commit
save your package.......phew!
Screenshots
Field Researcher
#3 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 4:33 PM Last edited by Numenor : 21st Feb 2006 at 7:58 AM.
And I am stumped (again) with the more mundane project I'm working on. It's cupboards to hang on the wall over the kitchen counters. The shadow is white and I didn't change aything but its size.
It is cloned from The Meaning of Fruit painting, which I chose for its number of groups and also its high room rating. I tried another clone from the same object with the same result. The shadow was ok until I changed its size. Which is odd because I have made other pictures from clones of the same painting and chaged the size of their shadows and they came out right.
I noticed the shadow for this object doesn't have a texture so I tried adding one following that part of IgnorantBliss' tutorial for adding a subset, but the shadow still shows up white.
The ModFather
retired moderator
Original Poster
#4 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 5:35 PM
The shadow textures must be greyscale images (shades of grey on a black background), with no alpha channel, and must be in ExtRaw8bit format; the one in the cupboard #1 is in format DXT5, which happens when you import the image using the DDS utilities.

In order to fix it, display the texture in SimPE, select the ExtRaw8bit format, right-click on the image and choose Update all sizes; then Commit and save.
This procedure is needed every time you need to resize the shadow texture (which actually is quite infrequent: if you resize the shadow mesh to fit your new object, the image gets correctly stretched over the new mesh, without the need to change the size of the texture).

I've finally started my Journal. Information only, no questions.

My latest activity: CEP 9.2.0! - AnyGameStarter 2.1.1 (UPD) - Scriptorium v.2.2f - Photo & Plaques hide with walls - Magazine Rack (UPD) - Animated Windows Hack (UPD) - Custom Instrument Hack (UPD) - Drivable Cars Without Nightlife (UPD) - Courtesy Lights (FIX) - Custom Fence-Arches - Painting-TV - Smarter Lights (UPD)


I *DON'T* accept requests, sorry.
Field Researcher
#5 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 5:40 PM Last edited by Numenor : 21st Feb 2006 at 7:59 AM.
Thanks. I'll try that. But I'd like to understand better why do I need to add a texture at all?
Part-time Hermit
#6 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 5:47 PM
Besides the texture image format, the texture reference on the Material Definition of the shadow on the main (number 1) cupboard is pointing to a wrong one that's not included in the package. When I fixed that, the shadow did show up dark. On the other two cupboards, there is no texture reference in the Material Definition at all. If you add a texture, do like with the first cupboard but make sure the texture references and texture formats are right.
Field Researcher
#7 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 6:03 PM Last edited by Numenor : 21st Feb 2006 at 8:00 AM.
It actually seemed to work for me after I changed to format ExtRaw8Bit, without fixing the name of the texture in the material definition. I guess that's because the texture I used does exist in another object in my downloads folder?

And I have another question if there is no alpha channel how do I avoid a solid black shadow? When I added this texture to the package I did also import an alpha channel. And when I opened the package up again the texture looked translucent. So how do I go about it with the othe two cupboards when I add the shadow texture?
Part-time Hermit
#8 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 6:08 PM Last edited by Numenor : 21st Feb 2006 at 8:00 AM.
There is no need for an alpha channel when you use the ExtRaw8Bit format. The white parts of the image are going to be solid and black parts transparent, and shades of grey will be partially transparent. When you add the shadow to the two other cupboards, do as with the first one, but just make sure to import the texture in the right format. And maybe copy the information of the shadow material from another object that has a "normal" shadow with a texture to begin with.

Yes, the shadow worked for you because you had that other object in your downloads folder. I've made the same mistake sometimes when adding Material Definitions, forgetting to change the texture reference but not noticing it since I had the other object in my downloads, as well.
Field Researcher
#9 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 7:38 PM
Me again. I think I did the same thing on all 3 cupboards. In fact I did it all over 3 or 4 times but always with the same result. The first cupboard has a pretty good shadow, but I'd like it to be a bit lighter. The shadows on 2 and 3 are way too dark. Could you look at it again?
Also I've realized that for the corner piece to look right I'll need to add another shadow for the other wall. How hard is that?
How bad do you think it would be if there just weren't any shadows?
Thanks.
Part-time Hermit
#10 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 7:56 PM Last edited by Numenor : 21st Feb 2006 at 8:01 AM.
- It may be that since that original shadow has no texture, it hasn't been uv-mapped. You may want to try to map it.
- To make the shadow more transparent, make the shadow texture darker.
- You have to perform fix integrity on cupboards 2 and 3, without that the new shadow textures aren't correctly linked.
- The shadow texture on cupboard 3 is just a black square, unlike on the two other ones.
- I've never done it, but it's probably possible to make a shadow for the other wall, too. A shadow mesh is just a mesh like any other, you'll just have to place it exactly in the right place so that it appears to be against the wall and not floating, or sunken in the wall. Your shadow mesh would be like an L shape when looking from above, instead of just a flat I shape.
The ModFather
retired moderator
Original Poster
#11 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 11:05 PM
In any case, for objects that are mounted directly against the wall, the shadow is barely visible; it adds a sense of "reality" when in hi-res mode and in close-up view, but again, it's barely visible during normal play.

I've finally started my Journal. Information only, no questions.

My latest activity: CEP 9.2.0! - AnyGameStarter 2.1.1 (UPD) - Scriptorium v.2.2f - Photo & Plaques hide with walls - Magazine Rack (UPD) - Animated Windows Hack (UPD) - Custom Instrument Hack (UPD) - Drivable Cars Without Nightlife (UPD) - Courtesy Lights (FIX) - Custom Fence-Arches - Painting-TV - Smarter Lights (UPD)


I *DON'T* accept requests, sorry.
Field Researcher
#12 Old 29th Dec 2005 at 11:32 PM
UV Mapping! You're brilliant! (And/or I'm a bit dim.) And perhaps the other part of the corner shadow wasn't showing up at all because I'd neglected to fix the integrity since I added it. Now it all looks pretty good. Whew. Thanks, thanks, and thanks.
Lab Assistant
#13 Old 30th Sep 2006 at 10:03 AM
I'm pretty much new at making stuff, and bare with me if I might sound stupid But my question is, can I change the (mesh) size of the groundshadow or shape ?
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 29th Jun 2007 at 2:27 PM Last edited by angieb : 29th Jun 2007 at 4:30 PM.
I've made an object cloned from the 12th dynasty vase but this has'nt got an original groundshadow. In your shadow tutorial you say to create one if you don't have one. How do I make one? I've drawn a groundshadow mesh underneath the object but I don't know what to do from there. I have taken the pictures of all three angles of the object and prepared them. The object is a candlestick. Your help would really be appreciated.

Thank you very much

angieb

It's okay I think I've worked it out. I get a mental block sometimes when I'm trying to hard.

Thanks for the turorial.

angieb
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 30th Jun 2007 at 2:12 PM
Default groundshadow mesh
hi it's me again I just wanted to check with you about the groundshadow mesh.

As the 12th dynasty vase does'nt have a groundshadow do I need to import the groundshadow mesh as a subset? I've imported it as a second texture and also added it to the material definition. I've gone into the game and I'm not sure if its working i've looked at it with the walls up.

Also if I wanted to add the left shadow and the front shadow would they need to be imported as a subset or just added to the txtr and mat def as I have done with the groundshadow?

This is my first mesh object so forgive me if I appear to be stupid.

Thanks

angieb
Part-time Hermit
#16 Old 30th Jun 2007 at 6:26 PM
For the shadows to work correctly, you should have them as their own subsets, just like existing shadows in the game are. So, import each shadow as a separate subset. However, I'm not sure if they are automatically going to work as shadows do when the object previously has no shadows and may not have the necessary built in functionality for them. If you can't get them to work by importing but you really want a shadow, then I'd recommend cloning some other sculpture that does come with a shadow already.
Lab Assistant
#17 Old 30th Jun 2007 at 6:47 PM
Quote: Originally posted by IgnorantBliss
For the shadows to work correctly, you should have them as their own subsets, just like existing shadows in the game are. So, import each shadow as a separate subset. However, I'm not sure if they are automatically going to work as shadows do when the object previously has no shadows and may not have the necessary built in functionality for them. If you can't get them to work by importing but you really want a shadow, then I'd recommend cloning some other sculpture that does come with a shadow already.


Thankyou. I thought that might be the case I don't think that importing them will help. I did try importing the groundshadow mesh as a subset but it did'nt work and I got the flashing blue again. I think its best if I do as you say and clone a different object. I would like to give the object shadows as I would like to know how to do it successfully I would also like to upload it and even though I have my shadows turned off most of the time not everybody does.

Thankyou again for your help.

angieb
Lab Assistant
#18 Old 30th Jun 2007 at 10:19 PM
Quote: Originally posted by angieb
Thankyou. I thought that might be the case I don't think that importing them will help. I did try importing the groundshadow mesh as a subset but it did'nt work and I got the flashing blue again. I think its best if I do as you say and clone a different object. I would like to give the object shadows as I would like to know how to do it successfully I would also like to upload it and even though I have my shadows turned off most of the time not everybody does.

Thankyou again for your help.

angieb


Decided to keep it how it is as I want to be able to place the objects on the fire mantle and I'm not ready to start changing the placements of objects yet.

Its's not so easy finding suitable objects to clone. At least I know how to do the shadows now.

Thankyou

angieb
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