okay here's an update on how this shadows thing work:
- You have to use SH3 v1.0 SH3Controllers.ACT in \SilentHunterIII
- You have to edit your \MyDocuments\SH3\Cfg\Main.cfg file and set DynamicShadows=Yes and set it to read-only (Big, big thanks to FlakMonkey for this one)
Now just doing this will enable shadows on those objects that are correctly setup. There are a fair amount of stock objects that will cast shadows
Now for the technical jargon on how it works:
- if the base object (sub, ship, etc.) has a DynamicShadows render controller attached to it and the light source is correct (sunlight) then EVERYTHING that is attached to it will cast shadows onto itself and others if:
---- the above is done
---- there is an SHD_ node attached to either the object itself you're wanting shadows for or it's parent (or it's parent, so on and so forth). It's easiest to place the SHD node as a child of the object you're wanting shadows of.
---- this SHD_ node's visibility needs to be set to 0x0 (I said needs not has to)
---- this SHD_ node HAS to have a DynamicShadowCast render controller attached to it (as a child) with UseObjectVisibility set to 0 (not quite sure how this UseObjectVisibility property works yet but trust me, I'll be playing with it)
that's what I know so far. More investigating to do.