Shadow control

Class hierarchy
CShadowControl ↳CBaseEntity
shadowcontrol.cpp

It defines the direction, color and attenuation distance of the dynamic shadows created by light_environment for the entire map.

Note:Since Left 4 Dead, shadow direction can be determined by local lights instead of a global value. See below for more details.

Bug:At least in Counter-Strike: Source, if the current level does not have this entity, shadow properties (angles and distance) will transfer from previous map that had shadow_control. Confirm in other games.  [todo tested in ?]

Important:This is a preserved entity in .
If the game has round restart mechanics this entity may not behave as expected:

More info

On a new round entities with this classname will intentionally not reset. You can use logic_auto to emulate resetting it. Killing it removes it forever, as it is not respawned on a new round. It cannot be spawned with a point_template. Parenting this with non-preserved entities may have undesirable effects.

Note:Deprecated in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Use env_cascade_light instead

Note:In Black Mesa shadows are disabled by default. Also shadows always use lowest shadows detail setting, so that they look like a darkening under models, due to this they do not stand out against background of dynamic light sources.

Keyvalues

Name (targetname) <string>[ Edit ]

The name that other entities refer to this entity by, via Inputs/Outputs or other keyvalues (e.g. parentname or target).
Also displayed in Hammer's 2D views and Entity Report.

See also:  Generic Keyvalues, Inputs and Outputs available to all entities

Shadow Color (color) <color255>

This is the color of the shadows.

Maximum Distance (distance) <float>

This is the maximum distance the shadow is allowed to cast, in inches.

Tip:Shortening this distance can be used to approximate the effects of diffuse lighting.

All Shadows Disabled (disableallshadows) <choices>

Disable shadows entirely.

Force Blob shadows (ForceBlobShadows) <choices> (only in )

Enable blobby shadows (same that you can see if use lowest shadow detail).

Warning:Never disable, otherwise game will crash on map launch.

Enable Local Light Shadows (enableshadowsfromlocallights) <boolean> (in all games since ) (also in )

Enable shadow direction to be calculated on a per-entity basis and to be dictated by the light closest to the entity.

Note:This keyvalue may not be available in some FGDs.

Code:There is a custom version of this feature which could run on previous versions of Source. Click here for more information.

Tip:Pitch is the sun's angle of elevation from the ground, and yaw is its compass bearing.

Inputs

color <color255RedirectInput/color32>

Set the shadow color.

direction <vectorRedirectInput/Vector>

Set the shadow direction.

SetDistance <floatRedirectInput/float>

Set the maximum shadow cast distance.

SetAngles <stringRedirectInput/string>

Set the shadow direction.

SetShadowsDisabled <integerRedirectInput/integer>

Set shadows disabled state.

SetForceBlobsEnabled <integerRedirectInput/integer> (only in )

Set shadows blob state.

Warning:Never set 0, otherwise game will crash with this message.

If you'll try set to 1

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

Set local light shadows enabled state.

Note:This input may not be available in some FGDs.

See also

• Lighting
• light_environment
• env_cascade_light