This article's documentation is for anything that uses the Source engine. Click here for more information.

env_cascade_light

From Valve Developer Community
Jump to: navigation, search

env_cascade_light is a point entity available in all Source Source games since Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.(also in Xengine)

English (en)
Edit
Comparison of CSM and without CSM in Black Mesa
(Click to preview)

It casts an extremely accurate shadow map via the tools/skybox texture, acting as a real-time variation of light_environment. This form of lighting is known as Cascaded Shadow Maps, or CSM, which works by rendering very detailed shadow maps which becomes a lower and lower resolution depending on the distance the viewer is from the surface, similar to mipmaps. Some games automatically add this entity to the map, but it can be placed manually as well.

Icon-Important.pngImportant:
  • Xengine Xengine's implementation requires -CascadeShadows and -StaticPropLighting parameters for VRAD, this for CSM to work correctly.
  • Due to lighting changes in Xengine Xengine, this entity has many additional parameters.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:
  • Although you can toggle this entity, you can have only one env_cascade_light in your level. Other will not work.
  • In Insurgency, shadows will be very faint if the map hasn't been compiled with HDR.
  • In Insurgency, Lightstyles will break when this entity exists.
Note.pngNote:
Blank image.pngTodo: Make a tutorial on how to implement deferred lighting in your source engine project.


Counter-Strike: Global OffensiveXengine Represented by class CCascadeLight.

Keyvalues

Light Color (color) <color255>
This is the color of the sunlight. For Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the color is automatically copied from the light_environment.
Max shadow distance (maxshadowdistance) <float>
Maximum dynamic shadow distance. Higher values are slower, default on PC is 400 units.
Use light_environment's angles (uselightenvangles) <boolean>
If true, the CSM shadow angles are automatically taken from a light_environment's angles. If false, this entity's Pitch Yaw Roll is used.
LightRadius1 (LightRadius1) to LightRadius3 <float> (only in Xengine)
Used for controlling shadow softness in cascades 1, 2, and 3.
Depthbias1 (Depthbias1) to Depthbias3 <float> (only in Xengine)
DepthBias for cascades 1, 2, and 3.
Slopescaledepthbias1 (Slopescaledepthbias1) to Slopescaledepthbias3 <float> (only in Xengine)
Slope DepthBias for cascades 1, 2, and 3.
ViewModelDepthbias (ViewModelDepthbias) <float> (only in Xengine)
DepthBias for viewmodel cascade.
ViewModelSlopescaledepthbias (ViewModelSlopescaledepthbias) <float> (only in Xengine)
DepthBias for viewmodel cascade.
CSM_Volume_Mode (CSMVolumeMode) <choices> (only in Xengine)
Use Manual mode for better quality and performance. In near future Auto mode will be removed from the game.
  • 0: Auto: Static cache will update once every 10 frames (approx) covering max shadow distance or whole map around player.
  • 1: Manual : Static cache area coverage and updates are managed via CSM Volumes' I/O.

EnableDisable:

Start Disabled (StartDisabled) <boolean>
Stay dormant until activated (with theEnableinput).

Base:
Name (targetname) <string>
The name that other entities use to refer to this entity.
Parent (parentname) <targetname>
Maintain the same initial offset to this entity. An attachment point can also be used if separated by a comma at the end. (parentname [targetname],[attachment])
Tip.pngTip:Entities transition to the next map with their parents
Tip.pngTip:phys_constraint can be used as a workaround if parenting fails.
Origin (X Y Z) (origin) <coordinates>
The position of this entity's center in the world. Rotating entities typically rotate around their origin.
Note.pngNote:Hammer does not move the entities accordingly only in the editor.
Pitch Yaw Roll (X Y Z) (angles) <angle>
This entity's orientation in the world. Pitch is rotation around the Y axis, yaw is the rotation around the Z axis, roll is the rotation around the X axis.
Note.pngNote:This works on brush entities, although Hammer doesn't show the new angles.
Classname (classname) <string> !FGD
Determines the characteristics of the entity before it spawns.
Tip.pngTip:Changing this on runtime still has use, like making matching an entry in S_PreserveEnts will persist the entity on new rounds!
Flags (spawnflags) <integer> !FGD
Toggles exclusive features of an entity, its specific number is determined by the combination of flags added.
Effects (effects) <integer> !FGD
Combination of effect flags to use.
Entity Scripts (vscripts) <scriptlist> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Space delimited list of VScript files (without file extension) that are executed after all entities have spawned. The scripts are all executed in the same script scope, later ones overwriting any identical variables and functions. Scripts executed on the worldspawn entity will be placed in root scope.
Think function (thinkfunction) <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Name of the function within this entity's script that'll be called automatically every 100 milliseconds, or a user-defined interval if the function returns a number. Avoid expensive operations in this function, as it may cause performance problems.
Lag Compensation (LagCompensate) <boolean> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) !FGD
Set to Yes to lag compensate this entity. Should be used very sparingly!
Is Automatic-Aim Target (is_autoaim_target) <boolean> (in all games since Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) !FGD
If set to 1, this entity will slow down aiming movement for consoles and joystick controllers when the entity is under the crosshairs.

Inputs

SetAngles <string>
Sets the direction shadows cast in.
Note.pngNote:Effects nothing.
LightColor <color255>
Changes color of the sunlight.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:Doesn't work as expected. With Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's implementation, the color only changes on static props, not on world geometry or dynamic objects. It only changes the shadow color (only in world geometry, not in models), with no change upon reloading the game. With Xengine Xengine's implementation, the only thing you can do is change shadows color to turquoise and change the intensity of these shadows, however this doesn't effects shadows on the viewmodel.
Examples

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Portal 2: Community Edition Portal 2: Community Edition):

Xengine Xengine:

LightColorScale  !FGD Obsolete
Deprecated. Boosts the color of the sunlight. Non-functional, only resets the Light Color.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:Effects nothing in Xengine Xengine.
SetCSMVolume  (only in Xengine)
Set CSM Volume via trigger volume.
SetCSMVolumeToSceneBounds  (only in Xengine)
Set CSM Volume to scene bounds.
SetCSMVolumeViaCSMVolumeEntity <targetname> (only in Xengine)
Set CSM Volume to CSM Volume Entity.
Disable <void>
Disable this entity.
Note.pngNote:Only in Xengine Xengine work as expected. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's implementation only disable blobby shadows and lighting in viewmodel, also cause freeze for some seconds.
Enable <void>
Enable this entity.
Note.pngNote:Only in Xengine Xengine work as expected. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's implementation only enable blobby shadows and lighting in viewmodel, also cause freeze for some seconds.

Base:
AddContext <string>
Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. See Context.
AddOutput <string>
Assigns a new keyvalue/output on this entity. For keyvalues, some rely on extra necessary code to be ran and won't work if its simply just changed through this input. There is a strict format that must be followed:
// Format of changing KeyValues: "AddOutput [key] [value]"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,targetname new_name"

// Format of adding an Output: "AddOutput {targetname}:{inputname}:{parameter}:{delay}:{max times to fire, -1 means infinite}"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:SetParent:!activator:0.0:-1"
// Arguments can be left blank, but the empty blank should still be contained.
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:ClearParent::0.0:-1"
ClearContext
Removes all contexts from this entity's list.
ClearParent
Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.
FireUser1 to FireUser4
Fires the respectiveOnUseroutputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.
Kill
Removes this entity and any entities parented to it from the world.
KillHierarchy
Functions the same as Kill, although this entity and any entities parented to it are killed on the same frame, being marginally faster thanKillinput.
RemoveContext <string>
Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.
SetParent <string>
Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).
SetParentAttachment <string>
Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.
SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset <string>
As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.
Use  !FGD
Same as a player invoking +use; no effect in most cases.
DispatchResponse <string> !FGD
Dispatches a response to the entity. See Response and Concept.
DispatchEffect <string> (removed since Left 4 Dead) !FGD
Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin; See also List of Client Effects. Replaced by the particle system since Left 4 Dead.
RunScriptFile <script> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Execute a VScript file from disk, without file extension. The script contents are merged with the script scope of the receiving entity.
RunScriptCode <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Execute a string of VScript source code in the scope of the entity receiving the input. String quotation may be needed when fired via console.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:In Hammer, using string arguments will corrupt the VMF file's structure, making the file unviewable for the next Hammer session.
Note.pngFix:Remove the string argument manually with a text editor.
Note.pngNote:Team Fortress 2 Backtick characters ` are replaced with quotation marks at runtime, allowing quotation marks to be used when normally not possible.
CallScriptFunction <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2) !FGD
Calls a VScript function defined in the scope of the receiving entity.
TerminateScriptScope  (only in Team Fortress 2) !FGD
Destroys the script scope of the receving entity.
SetLocalOrigin <coordinates> (in all games since Alien Swarm) !FGD
Send this entity to a spot in the map. If the entity is parented to something, it will be offset from the parent by this amount.
SetLocalAngles <angles> (in all games since Alien Swarm) !FGD
Set this entity's angles.

Outputs

Base:

OnUser1 to OnUser4
These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered FireUser1 to FireUser4 Input; see User Inputs and Outputs.

See also

External links