Ugly "blocky" shadows :s

[NeuroFunker 11]

Been watching latest screens by ShacTac from armaholic.com, and first thing i've noticed, there are still this ugly "blocky" shadows, which it seems, haven't been changed since arma 2. Maybe it were not set maximum resolution, but in a 2013 game, this is really annoying. Will BI devs improve them soon?

Check screens:

http://www.armaholic.com/datas/users/a3_st_11_4.jpg http://www.armaholic.com/datas/users/a3_st_3_4.jpg

Found them from this news here: http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=18678

[Beagle 684]

I have a word for you...it's ALPHA.

Alpha is not a cool advertising term it means its pre-beta and beta means pre-release.

The game is not ready yet.

[Llano 11]

Maybe he is playing on low settings?

Low shadow-quality etc.

[NeuroFunker 11]

I have a word for you...it's ALPHA.

Alpha is not a cool advertising term it means its pre-beta and beta means pre-release.

The game is not ready yet.

No shite ? ;) I do know that, indeed. But the thing is, the lighting seems to be improved a lot, but i'm worried, that the shadows haven't been touched yet... And i do really hope, they won't stay that way as now. :)

[Beagle 684]

I would not dare to judge a game by a preview version...as long as it is work in progress its hard to tell what we will get in August.

[rehtus777 10]

No shite ? ;) I do know that, indeed. But the thing is, the lighting seems to be improved a lot, but i'm worried, that the shadows haven't been touched yet... And i do really hope, they won't stay that way as now. :)

I'm wondering if it isn't ShacTac's set-up? If you watch many of the videos from E3 and Gamescom, you don't see the block shadows. Also, when you have ArmA 2 set on High, the shadows look fine.

[Vespa 1]

iz because they render the fastest yo

[roberthammer 582]

iz because they render the fastest yo

Is there a higher option to make them smooth? btw yo

[NeuroFunker 11]

Also, when you have ArmA 2 set on High, the shadows look fine.

actually i have shadows on very high, and i have a lot of situations, where the shadows are blocky there. I'll up some screens to show what i mean.

[antoineflemming 14]

Clearly, the screens are taken with low graphic quality (but bloom on, really?).

[rehtus777 10]

actually i have shadows on very high, and i have a lot of situations, where the shadows are blocky there. I'll up some screens to show what i mean.

Is your anti-aliasing set to the Highest level? It can be a GPU hog set on high. If you set it lower, then the jagged edges appear.

[Smurf 12]

They will stay like that until dynamic shadows are implemented in a later patch, right? :rolleyes:

[Vespa 1]

Is there a higher option to make them smooth? btw yo

Yeah, there is.

[roberthammer 582]

Yeah, there is.

Great thx

[Assifuah 1]

I wouldn't even bother worrying about them. It's Alpha dude, there's way more things to test/worry about than icky little shadows!!

[NeuroFunker 11]

I wouldn't even bother worrying about them. It's Alpha dude, there's way more things to test/worry about than icky little shadows!!

shadows and lighting along with textures, are most important components of quality visuals. When either one of them is low on quality, the whole visual is fucked.

Have made some screens, i say BIS loves vintage, welcome to 8-bit world :P

here are few more http://imageshack.us/g/856/arma2oa2013022820061506.jpg/

ingame video setting:

http://s1.directupload.net/images/130228/htcnr3e9.jpg (281 kB)

Has nothing to do with Anti Alaising, set them to max.

Edited February 28, 2013 by NeuroFunker

[Assifuah 1]

shadows and lighting along with textures, are most important components of quality visuals. When either one of them is low on quality, the whole visual is fucked.

Yes, true. But I'd much rather have game mechanics working properly than, in this case, perfect shadows. So what, they look a little bit blocky but we don't know they're going to be like that in the full release or even if those screenshots were on good settings.

[dslyecxi 23]

Those shots are with shadow detail on 'High', aka, the highest setting. The settings in general are all very highly set. If you want straight-edged, ugly shadows, you can set it to low, same as with how Arma2 behaves.

Shadow render distance in A3 is as with TKOH, where it can be set much higher. The tradeoff is that higher shadow distance you get lower-quality shadows. That tradeoff, for me, is well worth it. Regardless, the shadow distance in these screens is roughly default as I recall.

Those are the facts, plain and simple. Deal with them as you will. I think it looks fantastic. Some of you seem to have unrealistic expectations.

[NeuroFunker 11]

Those shots are with shadow detail on 'High', aka, the highest setting. The settings in general are all very highly set. If you want straight-edged, ugly shadows, you can set it to low, same as with how Arma2 behaves.

Shadow render distance in A3 is as with TKOH, where it can be set much higher. The tradeoff is that higher shadow distance you get lower-quality shadows. That tradeoff, for me, is well worth it. Regardless, the shadow distance in these screens is roughly default as I recall.

Those are the facts, plain and simple. Deal with them as you will. I think it looks fantastic. Some of you seem to have unrealistic expectations.

well, if thats so, i'll probably set to lowest distance possible, to have quality shadows, for me it's really a pain to look at.

maybe lil bit offtop, on what rig have you played alpha (system specs)? How well/bad does it run compared to arma 2?

[dslyecxi 23]

well, if thats so, i'll probably set to lowest distance possible, to have quality shadows, for me it's really a pain to look at.

Go for it if you want. I've compared the two and the high shadows are vastly superior. You can make your own judgment with the alpha. The notion that the screens are at 'low settings' is completely inaccurate however.

[rehtus777 10]

shadows and lighting along with textures, are most important components of quality visuals. When either one of them is low on quality, the whole visual is fucked.

Have made some screens, i say BIS loves vintage, welcome to 8-bit world :P

http://imageshack.us/download/837/arma2oa2013022820124356.jpghttp://imageshack.us/download/835/arma2oa2013022820144061.jpg

here are few more http://imageshack.us/g/856/arma2oa2013022820061506.jpg/

ingame video setting:

http://s1.directupload.net/images/130228/htcnr3e9.jpg (281 kB)

Has nothing to do with Anti Alaising, set them to max.

Something isn't set right on your computer / ArmA 2 settings. The only way I see jagged lines in ArmA 2 is if I zoom in on the shadow or kneel down / go prone close to a shadow. Sometimes with big objects (like a roof or a pole) I can barely see the jagged lines if I strain my eyes to look for it (nothing like your photos...not even close). As for Anti Alaising, I beg to differ.

---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 PM ----------

Here are my screen shots of "shadows".

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/8861/arma2oa2013022814224575.jpg (104 kB)

http://imageshack.us/a/img189/6993/arma2oa2013022814173650.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img855/5015/arma2oa2013022814195638.jpg

2nd image shows some jagged lines, but that is only on a very large object. But the other shadows look great.

When BF3 released their Alpha, it looked lousy compared to the release; it will be the same for ArmA 3. If you go and look at the "showcase videos" at E3 and Gamescom, you'll see what will probably be close to what the finished release will look like.

PS. Sorry for all the edit's. I've never posted pics to this sight.

Edited February 28, 2013 by rehtus777

[NeuroFunker 11]

Something isn't set right on your computer / ArmA 2 settings. The only way I see jagged lines in ArmA 2 is if I zoom in on the shadow or kneel down / go prone close to a shadow. Sometimes with big objects (like a roof or a pole) I can barely see the jagged lines if I strain my eyes to look for it (nothing like your photos...not even close). As for Anti Alaising, I beg to differ.

---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 PM ----------

Here are my screen shots of "shadows".

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/43/arma2oa2013022814224575.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/arma2oa2013022814195638.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/189/arma2oa2013022814173650.jpg/

3rd image shows some jagged lines, but that is only on a very large object. But the other shadows look great.

When BF3 released their Alpha, it looked lousy compared to the release; it will be the same for ArmA 3. If you go and look at the "showcase videos" at E3 and Gamescom, you'll see what will probably be close to what the finished release will look like.

could you set the same settings as i do on my screens, and make similar ones?

[Flash Thunder 10]

I hope this is fixed too its not acceptable anymore. (demanding I know) but this game is PC exclusive DX11 compatible and from 2013 it shouldn't have 256k shadow maps anymore unless you the player want them.

Even on highest settings on Arma 2 I still didn't like shadows I just play Arma 2 without shadows saves me alot of framez iz teh exploits!

[Assifuah 1]

Something isn't set right on your computer / ArmA 2 settings. The only way I see jagged lines in ArmA 2 is if I zoom in on the shadow or kneel down / go prone close to a shadow. Sometimes with big objects (like a roof or a pole) I can barely see the jagged lines if I strain my eyes to look for it (nothing like your photos...not even close). As for Anti Alaising, I beg to differ.

---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 PM ----------

Here are my screen shots of "shadows".

http://imageshack.us/a/img855/5015/arma2oa2013022814195638.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img189/6993/arma2oa2013022814173650.jpg

3rd image shows some jagged lines, but that is only on a very large object. But the other shadows look great.

When BF3 released their Alpha, it looked lousy compared to the release; it will be the same for ArmA 3. If you go and look at the "showcase videos" at E3 and Gamescom, you'll see what will probably be close to what the finished release will look like.

PS. Sorry for all the edit's. I've never posted pics to this sight.

I imagine you have a high 3D Resolution set too? (Higher than your actual screen res?)

Your ARMA looks much better than mine!

[rehtus777 10]

could you set the same settings as i do on my screens, and make similar ones?

I guess I could. Those shots were taken with everything on HIGH (texture; shadows; etc.). Yes, some of the large buildings throw off a jagged edge, but nothing like your photos and nothing like dslyecxi's doorway photo.

I had trouble posting my photos in the previous post, let me try to post the one with the jagged edge with my soldiers silhouette.

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/8861/arma2oa2013022814224575.jpg (104 kB)