Shadow control/en

Language subpage

This subpage is used on the Shadow control page to display content in English.

If you have edited the language subpage, do not forget to purge the base page by clicking on the button on the right. Otherwise, its contents will not be updated.

Purge the base

class hierarchy
CShadowControl defined in shadowcontrol.cpp ↳CBaseEntity

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

Bug:At least in Counter-Strike: Source, if the current map does not have this entity, shadow properties (angles and distance) will transfer from previous map that had shadow_control. Confirm in other games.
In at least Day of Defeat: Source, if the current map and no previous maps have contained this entity, shadow color will be inherited from light_environment's _ambient KV.

Note:This is a preserved entity in .

• On a new round, its properties including its position 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:The properties of this entity apply to the whole map. Multiple instances of this entity within a map may cause errors.

Note:

• Since Left 4 Dead, shadow direction can be determined by local lights instead of a global value. See below for more details.
• Deprecated in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Use env_cascade_light instead
• 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

Targetname:

Name (targetname) <string>

The targetname that other entities refer to this entity by.

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 <color255>

Set the shadow color.

direction <vector>

Set the shadow direction.

SetDistance <float>

Set the maximum shadow cast distance.

SetAngles <string>

Set the shadow direction.

SetShadowsDisabled <integer>

Set shadows disabled state.

SetForceBlobsEnabled <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 <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