Loosing of shadows in visual LODs (when using alpha textures)

[h4wek 43]

(look for shadows under wing of heli model on screens)

Hi everyne form BIS - tell me this thing beacuse I spent hours on trying optimize model and config to make shadows work.

Problem is not in shadow volume LOD beacouse I have shadow when I cut rotor from my heli model in visual lod or if I make every blade of rotot on PROXIES,

Reason of this problem is probably in number of selections connected to one bone or sub/bone - nobody describe limits of bone system (after many trys I know now about one value 255 bones for one model is a limit but this problem with shadows is frustrating, for example I have the same model with partially  not textured blur rotor  - and shadowswrk perfectly, but when I texture those missing shapes again shadows disapears.

 

 

both screens are from the same model - only difference is not texture on one blade - tell me why this react in this way ? What mechanizm make this problem?

Small update - the broblem is with texture used for blur blades - when I remove texture from one (only one is eunogh, rest of blades using still the same alpha texture as you see on picture) of those 5 blades or when I replace texture on this one blade to non Alpha type or use only color on it, the shadows come back to live.

I try to remove whole blade and it not help so I remove another one (with no change of old alpha textures) and it work finally - so problem is somewhere in complexity of alpha selections. When I change texture to non alpha or full color or non texture state the shadows works but first i must reduce complexity of blades.

This issue si not described anywhere on wiki manuals (model/bones/animations etc) so is hard to discover where is reason or border parameter to avoid this situation or solve it when it occure.

Main question is - if I remove or change other selections with alpha textures  in this lod (to save main rotor structure) it will help or not? What is maximum number of possibile selections with alpaha textures (or maybe animated selections with alpha?) what not affect this shadow problem?

next update: I chek it - reason was seems to be  number of elements with alpha textures in animated selection (not in whole LOD - only in selection) I chek it now and it seems to be about 40 faces per selection - but fu.......k, it is not like that, beacouse when I cut before (on screen 4) 2 blades number of alpha faces was 48 and shadows working, now I have 5 blades with 40 faces in alpha textures and it still not work - so question to BIS what is f.... wrong with it, what is the rule for make it work normally - what I shoud avoid or do additionally to make thos shadows work at last?

 

update: after several test I discover that border value of alpha faces when shadows works is about 50, but........not every time.

I dont know if engine count other alpha faces in LOD/model or soem other value affect with this shadow work, but still something is problem (rotor blur made on 40 faces - but still not work - so what the f.... if with 50 worked). 

 

next update : I check ecery fase of object and when I have 44 faces on main rotor and 24 faces on tail rotor shadows works (one more and shadows gone) so maybe it will be helpfull to someone who want to make advanced animated rotors. (still I waiting for any ansver or explanation of this issue form BIS experts).

 

solved (count on yourself :😞 broblem is on area shape of alpha faces used on rotary selection - sum  of whole area shapes of faces must be ???? (still i don't know how much or what rule is for that calculation) but most important - when I downsize area of rotor by thinner blades or resaize whole rotor - shadows start to work (without cuting number of faces in rotor - so now it works with 80 FACES without problems - i change width of blades only by 1 degree.

So will be very helpful info from BIS how to calculate this area - but anyway reason is discovered.