Env projectedtexture

Env_projectedtexture has different appearances

Projecting a colorful texture in Garry's Mod.

Portal 2 uses projected textures extensively for world lighting.

Showcase of volumetrics in a Portal 2 map.

Template:Entity It projects a texture as a dynamic light that affects all objects in the world, optionally with Shadow Mapping. env_Projectedtexture does not light the world similarly that other light entities which are ray-traced when you compile the map. This light however is real-time and works without RAD.

Warning:This is the most expensive light entity in the engine. Use sparingly.

Note:Newer hardware can handle it better.

In code, it is represented by theCEnvProjectedTextureclass, defined in theenv_projectedtexture.cppfile.

Caveats and Fixes

Main article:  Env_projectedtexture/fixes

Issue	Affected games	Fix	Notes
Valve's games only support one shadow map in the PVS at a time.	Official Source games/stock Template:Game name code	It is possible to modify/remove this limit by following these instructions.	The following games have exceptions to this: : 9 (Can be increased with -numshadowtextures #) : Infinite : 4 (Can be increased with -numshadowtextures #) : 8
Textures used for projected textures require the flags Clamp S, Clamp T and Clamp All to avoid glitchy tiling. Also note, that VTFs are used directly and no VMT is needed.	All Source games	N/A	N/A
Shadows are only rendered when the user is running with "High" shadow detail. If your options menu does not show the "High" shadow detail setting by default	All Source games.	Add -force_vendor_id 0x10DE -force_device_id 0x1180 to the game's launch options	Black Mesa has multiple quality levels for dynamic shadow rendering dynamic shadows from Projected Textures work on "Low" settings
In multiplayer, mat_supportflashlight must be set to 1 for flashlights to work	All multiplayer Source games	N/A	By default these ConVars are disabled in Team Fortress 2, so this entity won't work there without special configuration
Viewmodels won't receive light or shadows from projected textures	All Source games except and	env_projectedtexture/fixes#Enabling shadow receiving on the view model	Confirm:Does also fix this issue? It uses dynamic shadows a lot.
Some Nvidia graphics cards (especially with latest drivers) render white specks, squares or noises on certain textures	Portal 2	Remove the bumpmap ($bumpmap or $ssbump) or $detail textures)	Video of said bug.
While running in DirectX 9 mode, some graphics cards will not render shadows from env_projectedtexture regardless of the shadow detail setting, and as a result will render the texture through brushes instead of properly stopping them	Portal 2	Run the game in Vulkan mode with the launch parameter -vulkan	Also affects all DX9 based mods, fixed in and
Parenting does not work with stock SDK code	Template:Game name	Env_projectedtexture/fixes#Fixing Parenting	N/A
No smooth transition between this light and env_cascade_light	CS:GO	N/A	N/A
SpotlightTexture is disabled in some branches	Portal 2 engine branch and CS:GO branch	N/A	Fixed in Strata Source engine branch
Source 2007/2009 Bugs
Template:ModernNote
The configurable texture value from Hammer is not accepted - will always default to the flashlight	Source 2007, Source 2009, Source Multiplayer	Use the SpotlightTexture input or override the actual contents of the default VTF with a new one. Env_projectedtexture/fixes#Fix_configurable_texture_value_in_Hammer	N/A
This entity cannot target another entity	Source 2007, Source 2009, Source Multiplayer [confirm]	env_projectedtexture/fixes#Fixing targeting	N/A
Models will not receive their own shadows correctly	Source 2007, Source 2009, Source Multiplayer [confirm]	Create a bumpmap for the texture; Even a flat bumpmap is sufficient	N/A
This entity will cause issues if the entity overlaps a portal in Portal	Portal	N/A	Confirm:Is this fixed in latest version of Portal?

Flags

• 1: Enabled
• 2: Always Update (moving light)Template:AS addTemplate:Mapbase also

Keyvalues

Target (target) <targetname>

The entity will rotate to point at this target. Make sure you check the Always update flag if you set this.

FOV (lightfov) <float>

The field of view cone/pyramid at which the texture is projected.

Confirm:This keyvalue does not work in Alien Swarm.

NearZ (nearz) <float>

Objects closer than this will not receive the light from the projection.

FarZ (farz) <float>

Objects beyond this distance will not receive the light from the projection.

Enable Shadows (enableshadows) <boolean>

Enables/disables shadows from this projected texture. 0 = no, 1 = yes.

Shadow Quality (shadowquality) <choices>

Quality of shadows.

• 0: Low (sharp, pixelized shadows)
• 1: High (smooth edged shadows)

Shadow Filter (shadowfilter) <integer> (only in )

Changes the Shadow Filter parameter of the light, which is responsible for smoothing the light. Works only when enabled Always update flag.

Light Only Target (lightonlytarget) <boolean>

Limit flashlight effect to only affect target entity.

Light World (lightworld) <boolean>

Control whether flashlight affects static world geometry. 0 = no, 1 = yes.

Light Color (lightcolor) <color255 + int>

Light color and intensity.

Camera Space (cameraspace) <integer>

Angles are interpreted as being relative to camera.

Texture Name (texturename) <string> !FGD

The texture which this entity projects. Must be a VTF file (not VMT), relative to /materials.

Texture Frame (textureframe) <integer> !FGD

If the texture is animated, this is the frame it should begin on.

Simple Projection (simpleprojection) <boolean> (in all games since ) !FGD

Indicates if this is a simple, non-light casting texture projection.

Simple Projection Size (projection_size) <float> (in all games since ) !FGD

Size of the simple projection.

Simple Projection Rotation (projection_rotation) <float> (in all games since ) !FGD

Brightness Scale (brightnessscale) <float> (in all games since ) (also in )

Scale the light color by this brightness.

Color Transition Time (colortransitiontime) <float> (in all games since ) (also in )

Amount of time it takes for a color change to occur. Higher numbers cause faster transitions.

Appearance (style) <choices> (in all games since ) (also in )

Various Custom Appearance presets.

Note:Requires input AlwaysUpdateOn to work.

Custom Appearance (pattern) <string> (in all games since ) (also in )

Set a custom pattern of light brightness for this light. Pattern format is a string of characters, where a is total darkness, z fully bright. i.e. aaggnnttzz would be a steppy fade in from dark to light.

Default Appearance (defaultstyle) <string> (in all games since )

Light View Models (lightviewmodels) <boolean> (only in )

Control whether flashlight effects view models.

Light Not PVS Culled (lightnotpvsculled) <boolean> (only in )

Disable PVS culling optimization for this light (you shouldn't do this unless it's explicitly causing problems).

Enable Volumetrics (volumetric) <boolean> (only in )

Whether or not to use volumetrics for this projected texture.

Volumetric Intensity (volumetricintensity) <float> (only in )

Defines the intensity of the volumetrics. (Default is 1. Can go above; no strict limit)

Inputs

Note:In some FGDs, only TurnOn, TurnOff and FOV are present.

TurnOn

Turns on the texture.

Confirm:In gmod projected lights always start on even when "enabled" is not checked.

TurnOff

Turns off the texture.

FOV <floatRedirectInput/float>

Sets FOV.

EnableShadows <booleanRedirectInput/boolean>

Set the if shadows are enabled. 0 = no, 1 = yes.

SpotlightTexture <stringRedirectInput/string>

Sets the spotlight texture.

Note:Disabled in onwards. Fixed in

Target <stringRedirectInput/string>

Specify a new Target entity to point at.

CameraSpace <booleanRedirectInput/boolean>

Sets Camera Space.

LightOnlyTarget <booleanRedirectInput/boolean>

Sets Light Only Target.

LightWorld <integerRedirectInput/integer>

Sets Light World. 0 = no, 1 = yes.

AlwaysUpdateOn  (in all games since ) (also in )

Turn on per frame updating (for moving lights).

AlwaysUpdateOff  (in all games since ) (also in )

Turn off per frame updating (for moving lights).

LightColor <color255RedirectInput/color32> (in all games since ) (also in )

Change the Light Color.

SetBrightness <floatRedirectInput/float> (only in )

Sets the brightness.

SetLightStyle <integerRedirectInput/integer> (in all games since ) (also in )

Sets an Appearance. (see Appearance keyvalue above for possible values)

SetPattern <stringRedirectInput/string> (in all games since ) (also in )

Sets Custom Appearance. (see Custom Appearance keyvalue above)

SetNearZ <floatRedirectInput/float> (in all games since ) (also in )

Sets NearZ.

SetFarZ <floatRedirectInput/float> (in all games since ) (also in )

Sets FarZ.

Ambient  (only in )

Set ambient.

Confirm:Doesn't seem to do anything

EnableVolumetrics <booleanRedirectInput/boolean> (only in )

Enables or disables volumetrics.

SetVolumetricIntensity <floatRedirectInput/float> (only in )

Sets the intensity of the volumetrics. (Default is 1. Can go above; no strict limit)

SetBrightnessScale <floatRedirectInput/float> (only in )

Sets the brightness.