I finally have shadow maps back into the game. This time using HLSL. I've also coded up all 4 levels of shader detail. The only thing left is to render actors/vehicles into the shadow map @ the highest detail level. I already wrote the shaders I just have to plug it all in...

I'm also working on a lot of other things as usual, some gameplay related, some networking related.

Here are some early screenshots of the 'High' Level of detail...but first here's a breakdown of the stuff going on in these scenes. I'm pretty much at the limit of PS2.0 in terms of texture coords, and instructions. I couldn't squeeze a 3x3 filter in there for the shadows, so I'm going to try a screen space blur to smooth out the shadows @ the highest shader level of detail.

High level of detail shader...
-2 1024^2 shadow maps w/2x2 filter
-Diffuse + Specular lighting.
-Cube map reflections on vehicles + buildings, modulated via reflectivity map.
-Fog of war texture.
-Dynamic lighting texture w/lights height in alpha channel.
-Luminance texture for windows

The 'Highest' level has a 2048^2 shadow map in addition to a 1024 shadow map for distant geometry. Like I said earlier, I'm going to do a screen space blur on the shadows to soften them up, instead of a 3x3PCF filter. We'll see how that works out.











- Dan