HL2 does have real time shoadows!

[Lahire149]

*possible Spolier*

In the citadel when you are being carried in your pod, you passover about 2 striders that are walking toward you. Look to the wall to the left of them. That is clearly dynamic shadows being cast by their legs...
or could this be some pre-rendered trick valve threw in te game?

 

[DarkStar]

It's the same shadows that the rest of the game uses.

I don't think you'd call them technically "real-time" but boy do they ever look good.

 

[NonStopableForce]

Where the shadows moving? otherwise its probly a trick : p

-NSF

 

[Lahire149]

It's the same shadows that the rest of the game uses.

show me an example

 

[Ames]

Yep, same shadows, logic wins anyways. Why would Valve not say anything about it?

Map is d3_citadel_02 if anyone wants to have a look.

 

[FictiousWill]

same ass-tastic shadows as the rest of the game, of course

 

[Lahire149]

http://img173.echo.cx/my.php?image=d3citadel0200052xz.jpg

Full Size: http://img173.echo.cx/img173/1249/d3citadel0200051rl.jpg

that's it...shadows sure do look good there, best shadows in whole game...although my not be realtime. Though it was though

 

[Pesmerga]

simple vertex shadows. I think dynamic shadows are defined by their functionality with dynamic lighting.

 

[Lahire149]

Can anyone find other shadows similar to this one? The strider's body almost looks HDR.

 

[Ames]

It's because of the high contrast of lighting in that scene that the Strider's body appears like that.

 

[Kazuki_Fuse]

The shadows in Half-Life 2 aren't effected by lighting. So they're not dynamic in any way. I think Source has the capability though, maybe once HDR is included, but takes up too much resources.

 

[Lahire149]

It's because of the high contrast of lighting in that scene that the Strider's body appears like that.

The whole game should have been optimized with points similar in apperace to that one.

 

[Ames]

The whole game should have been optimized with points similar in apperace to that one.

It would look freakishly unnatural.

Alyx should not have half of her body covered in darkness in a well-lit lab in the daytime.

 

[Lahire149]

It would look freakishly unnatural.

Alyx should not have half of her body covered in darkness in a well-lit lab in the daytime.

Obviously valve wouldn't have to implement it everywhere(they're not that dumb), just in more locations. I didn't mean for every frikkin frame. It wouldn't have to be as extreme as my screenie. There should have been a slight bit more polish, just look at the potential here...

 

[Pesmerga]

Every frame? Half-Life 2 is not a movie.

Besides, raising the contrast does little to improve the visual quality of a game. It is the dark against light in that specific screeny that gives it the "HDR effect" which doesn't really look that good either, compared to things seen with HDR / Bloom enabled.

 

[Sparta]

They are real time shadows but they are from a single light source. That light source being the same as every other object and NPC in that level.

 

[Asuka]

All people and enemies cast dynamic shadows. Just lights and stuff dont change the shadow.

 

[Sparta]

All people and enemies cast dynamic shadows. Just lights and stuff dont change the shadow.

No its not dynamic shadows, its static shadows. They are not altered by light sources like other games. They are created from one light source, which doesnt move or anything. Hence why they are all facing the same direction

 

[Asus]

HL2 has dynamic shadows. The flashlight comes to mind. They also use static shadows for things such as rails etc. People far too often use the word dynamic instead when they mean realtime.

 

[Sparta]

HL2 has dynamic shadows. The flashlight comes to mind. They also use static shadows for things such as rails etc. People far too often use the word dynamic instead when they mean realtime.

The flashlight doesnt cast shadows though.

 

[boystupid]

I'm sure the flashlight gives the effect of casting extra shadows.

 

[Cypher19]

simple vertex shadows. I think dynamic shadows are defined by their functionality with dynamic lighting.

The shadows are not vertex shadows (does such a thing even exist? I guess planer shadows would fit the bill...) but are basically shadow decals. The shadow is generated by doing a quick, lo-res render of the object in question to a colour texture. Then, that texture is mapped onto the environment using the same algorithm as the decals everywhere else (or at least, they share many symptoms)

The shadows in Half-Life 2 aren't effected by lighting. So they're not dynamic in any way. I think Source has the capability though, maybe once HDR is included, but takes up too much resources.

Adding in dynamic shadows isn't easy, and is actually a MASSIVE hit on performance. right now I've got an (unoptimized) demo demonstrating omnidirectional light/shadow using shadow maps (if Valve were to add dynamic shadows, they would definitely be using shadow maps because they can look soft) and on an X800Pro is gets about 90fps, and that's for just ONE light. More than that and FPS goes down the drain. Omni shadow maps seriously won't be practical for at least another year or two, so Valve won't be adding it in very soon.

I'm sure the flashlight gives the effect of casting extra shadows.

Sorrry, it doesn't. Any "shadows" you see are purely your imagination.

Obviously valve wouldn't have to implement it everywhere(they're not that dumb), just in more locations. I didn't mean for every frikkin frame. It wouldn't have to be as extreme as my screenie. There should have been a slight bit more polish, just look at the potential here...

It would be difficult for them to find a balance for every location in the game, because the shadows stay constant throughout the ENTIRE level (that is, from one loading point to the next). That map is a little different because it has so few moments where you see the shadow, so they can get away with a really spiffy single case.

 

[Gergor]

Valve were shooting for a realistic lighting. Rarely in life do you see objects in such high contrast because natural light isn't that harsh. A light built by the combine, however, is probably intensely bright. The striders have the very same normal maps and shadows in this screen as they do in the rest of the game, but the effect is more subtle in the sunlight. It may not seem noticeable, but if you were to take away the normal maps you'd notice a huge difference in the way striders look even in sunlight.