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env_cascade_light

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

English (en)
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It is also available in Black Mesa Black Mesa.

CSM in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
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.

Note.pngNote:Due to lighting changes in Black Mesa, this entity has additional parameters.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:In Insurgency, shadows will be very faint if the map hasn't been compiled with HDR.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:In Insurgency, Lightstyles will break when this entity exists.
Note.pngNote:You still need to have a light_environment in your map as well to create lightmap based lighting, which is not done by this entity.
Note.pngNote:Older games like Half-Life 2 don't have this entity, but there is an attempt of porting it.
Note.pngNote:You alternatively can implement Biohazards deferred lighting here is a port for Source 2013 Multiplayer Source 2013 Multiplayer as originally it was made for Alien Swarm Alien Swarm.
Blank image.pngTodo: Make tutorial on how to implement deferred lighting in your source engine project, and also how to use it.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 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 Black Mesa)
Used for controlling shadow softness in cascades 1, 2, and 3.
Depthbias1 (Depthbias1) to Depthbias3 <float> (only in Black Mesa)
DepthBias for cascades 1, 2, and 3.
Slopescaledepthbias1 (Slopescaledepthbias1) to Slopescaledepthbias3 <float> (only in Black Mesa)
Slope DepthBias for cascades 1, 2, and 3.
ViewModelDepthbias (ViewModelDepthbias) <float> (only in Black Mesa)
DepthBias for viewmodel cascade.
ViewModelSlopescaledepthbias (ViewModelSlopescaledepthbias) <float> (only in Black Mesa)
DepthBias for viewmodel cascade.
CSM_Volume_Mode (CSMVolumeMode) <choices> (only in Black Mesa)
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.
Note.pngNote: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.
LightColor <color255>
Changes color of the sunlight.
LightColorScale  !FGD Obsolete
Deprecated. Boosts the color of the sunlight. Non-functional, only resets the Light Color.
SetCSMVolume  (only in Black Mesa)
Set CSM Volume via trigger volume.
SetCSMVolumeToSceneBounds  (only in Black Mesa)
Set CSM Volume to scene bounds.
SetCSMVolumeViaCSMVolumeEntity <targetname> (only in Black Mesa)
Set CSM Volume to CSM Volume Entity.

EnableDisable:

Enable
Disable
Enable/disable this entity from performing its task. It might also disappear from view.

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

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