Two questions about why some things aren't in the game.

[Squideey]

Long topic name. Blah.

Okay, I just want to know why these two features aren't in the game, if it's possible or not:

• Bricks being affected by fog.
• Players and other models casting shadows onto bricks.

Bricks seem to be affected by fog if they have FX paints on them, so I'm lost.

Also, players cast shadows onto bricks in screenshots. They also cast shadows onto interiors and terrains. Is there some reason why this isn't in the game, since it already isn't causing anyone any major problems?

That is all.

[Ad Bot]

[Lugnut]

The shadow thing has something to do with the graphics and the inability to do so, and what do you mean by the fog?

[Burger]

Because people have crappy computers, be included. These take up memory, some that people don't have.

[Devvy]

because bricks arn't models.

[AGlass0fMilk]

Because people have crappy computers, be included. These take up memory, some that people don't have.

Options > Graphics > turn off fog/shadows on bricks

Something like that maybe?

"I wish I could run Blockland, but now that there are physics, it slows down my computer too much"

[joe hb]

off topic: i like the maps you make squideey
on topic: i wonderd that too.

[Badspot]

Blockland uses the default shadow system from torque.  It basically produces a raytraced image of the model, then shrink wraps it onto the environment via software.  This is very slow.  To have shadows cast onto bricks, it would literally take as much cpu/graphics time to render one shadow from one guy as it does to render every brick in the scene.  I know this because I have tested it.  I even had to hack in some limits so you don't go down to 1fps when you stand in front of "complex" interior geometry like the cupboard hinges in the kitchen map.

Improving shadows in Blockland would require switching to a more modern shadowing technique such as perspective shadow mapping.  This is not trivial.  


Fx/transparent bricks use a different rendering path then the static/opaque bricks.  There is no fog in the static brick rendering path.  Blame kompressor.  

[Makingblah]

Blockland uses the default shadow system from torque.  It basically produces a raytraced image of the model, then shrink wraps it onto the environment via software.  This is very slow.  To have shadows cast onto bricks, it would literally take as much cpu/graphics time to render one shadow from one guy as it does to render every brick in the scene.  I know this because I have tested it.  I even had to hack in some limits so you don't go down to 1fps when you stand in front of "complex" interior geometry like the cupboard hinges in the kitchen map.

Improving shadows in Blockland would require switching to a more modern shadowing technique such as perspective shadow mapping.  This is not trivial.  


Fx/transparent bricks use a different rendering path then the static/opaque bricks.  There is no fog in the static brick rendering path.  Blame kompressor.  

When I'm about 50 studs above a brick My shadow goes onto it.