Shadow Quality

Valorin

Valorin
GraphicEqualizer said:
I tend to find Morbad's workarounds at least make the shadows less like a techno house party than otherwise. There are some drawbacks for on foot immersion with soft shadow for sure, but it's better stability of the shadows from popping off and on everywhere else.
It's kind of abysmal that a bug could exist for so long in a game that is built upon amazing visuals and immersion - I am really hoping it is taking so long because they are completely reworking the lighting system, and that would be fine IF they told us that. Leaving us in the, pun alert, dark, is just not on.
Click to expand...
Yeah... the on/off shadows are really absolutely annoying... Had that happen earlier for a mountain ravine... I mean... Ugh.
 

Staarlord

S
Can someone tell me what these settings do? My aim is to significantly reduce, or remove the visible Milkyway. It's wayyyy too bright.

<LocalDustBrightness>0.13</LocalDustBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesBrightness>1.5</MilkywayInstancesBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesSize>1.3</MilkywayInstancesSize>
 

Morbad

Morbad
Staarlord said:
Can someone tell me what these settings do? My aim is to significantly reduce, or remove the visible Milkyway. It's wayyyy too bright.

<LocalDustBrightness>0.13</LocalDustBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesBrightness>1.5</MilkywayInstancesBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesSize>1.3</MilkywayInstancesSize>
Click to expand...

Local dust brightness controls the glow from the non-star elements of the skybox, e.g. that diffuse gas/dust that permeates most of the galactic plane.

Milky Way instances brightness controls the brightness of the points used to represent the stars of the Milky Way, while the size is just that. The overall brightness of the Milky Way is a combination of those values, plus the number of Milky Way instances.

For a relatively prominent, but plausible Milky Way, I normally use:
<MilkyWayInstancesCount>64000</MilkyWayInstancesCount>
<MilkywayInstancesBrightness>1.0</MilkywayInstancesBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesSize>0.25</MilkywayInstancesSize>

You may want to try something like:
<MilkyWayInstancesCount>32000</MilkyWayInstancesCount>
<MilkywayInstancesBrightness>0.2</MilkywayInstancesBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesSize>0.33</MilkywayInstancesSize>
 

Staarlord

S
Morbad said:
Local dust brightness controls the glow from the non-star elements of the skybox, e.g. that diffuse gas/dust that permeates most of the galactic plane.

Milky Way instances brightness controls the brightness of the points used to represent the stars of the Milky Way, while the size is just that. The overall brightness of the Milky Way is a combination of those values, plus the number of Milky Way instances.

For a relatively prominent, but plausible Milky Way, I normally use:
<MilkyWayInstancesCount>64000</MilkyWayInstancesCount>
<MilkywayInstancesBrightness>1.0</MilkywayInstancesBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesSize>0.25</MilkywayInstancesSize>

You may want to try something like:
<MilkyWayInstancesCount>32000</MilkyWayInstancesCount>
<MilkywayInstancesBrightness>0.2</MilkywayInstancesBrightness>
<MilkywayInstancesSize>0.33</MilkywayInstancesSize>
Click to expand...
Ahh thank you very much!
By "number of instances," do you mean the various galactic arms? Or points from which you can observe the Milky Way? I mean, I guess I had assumed that there was only one instance--only one Milky Way."
 

alexzk

A
Staarlord said:
Ahh thank you very much!
By "number of instances," do you mean the various galactic arms? Or points from which you can observe the Milky Way? I mean, I guess I had assumed that there was only one instance--only one Milky Way."
Click to expand...
It splits whole Galaxy into "computation jobs" (instances) and compute it as a whole. So more instances you have - more details will be visible.
Similar idea to the "bit rate" in audio (less bit rate - worse sound).
 

jojon

J
Staarlord said:
By "number of instances,"...
Click to expand...
I am pretty sure "instances" here is simply the cloudlike "paint application 'brush'" sprites that are stamped down to draw the galaxy; You set how many such "brush stamps" you want the galaxy to be made up out of in total, how large each is, and a common scale for how strongly its comprising texels "adds" or "subtracts" pixel values where it is stamped on the "canvas".

The three values need to balanced: More densly packed-, and/or larger 'brushes' typically overlap more -- if you've got ten brushes overlapping in a spot, each contributing light, that's twice the brightness of a spot with only five overlapping ones, so in that case you may want to halve the brightness value, to compensate.

Smaller and/or sparser instances will result in tiny puffs of smoke with a lot of empty space in between them, and none of the varying shapes produced by the sum of overlapping brushes. (EDIT: ...meanwhile, a ton of huge brushes will of course result in a big round cloud that takes ages to draw.)
 
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Staarlord

S
Morbad said:
Not much to be done about the current shadow issues via configuration files. I'm also reluctant to devote much effort into an attempt to mitigate what few issues may be addressable as I still have some hope that a not-too-distant future game update will provide some relief.
Click to expand...
Yeah you can't completely nix it but I swear, it seems like using MLAA4 + Ambient Occlusion to off seems to minimize it greatly. I rarely see it now and when I do it's in initial approach of a station for just a couple times, as opposed to ongoing strobing. I'd try clearing the shader cache file and settings those settings and trying. Maybe it affects GPUs differently. I'm on a 4080. Not sure if AMD users see this but I feel like I did initially back when Odyssey released and I had a 5700XT. I'm fact I recall my cabin lights flickering lol
 

Scarlet Viper

Scarlet Viper
Morbad said:
Not much to be done about the current shadow issues via configuration files. I'm also reluctant to devote much effort into an attempt to mitigate what few issues may be addressable as I still have some hope that a not-too-distant future game update will provide some relief.
Click to expand...
Returning player here irked by flickery shadows in my cockpit and on stations. Are the settings on your first post still useable or have you updated the files as per latest ED update?
 

Morbad

Morbad
Scarlet Viper said:
Returning player here irked by flickery shadows in my cockpit and on stations. Are the settings on your first post still useable or have you updated the files as per latest ED update?
Click to expand...

My most recent profile is v26, but they aren't going to address the flickering issues that have been around for the last several game updates. I don't think there is much that can be done about that via manipulating the shadow tables in the config files.
 

darki_404

D
@Morbad
You are the ultimate shadow expert, is there a way to completely disable the flashing ones?
in my tests the flashing ones are the ones called "directional".

does resetting this section give the desired result?
XML: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<GraphicsConfig>
    <Shadows_Low>
        <Profile_General>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_General>
        <Profile_PlanetApproach>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <CrossFadeCascades>false</CrossFadeCascades>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_PlanetApproach>
        <Profile_PlanetSurface>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumZeroCanBeOverridden>1</FrustumZeroCanBeOverridden>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00003</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_PlanetSurface>
        <Profile_StationInterior>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
        </Profile_StationInterior>
        <Profile_AsteroidField>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_AsteroidField>
    </Shadows_Low>
</GraphicsConfig>

source:

Tweaking shadows

Hi! I currently play ED on an aging PC at a comfortable 45 to 60 fps on mid to high settings. Turning on shadows KILLS my fps though, so I play with them turned off. I don't mind this at all, but I do miss shadows playing off my cockpit for immersion. Is there an ini tweak or tool that would...
forums.frontier.co.uk forums.frontier.co.uk
 

Morbad

Morbad
darki_404 said:
@Morbad
You are the ultimate shadow expert, is there a way to completely disable the flashing ones?
in my tests the flashing ones are the ones called "directional".

does resetting this section give the desired result?
XML: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<GraphicsConfig>
    <Shadows_Low>
        <Profile_General>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_General>
        <Profile_PlanetApproach>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <CrossFadeCascades>false</CrossFadeCascades>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_PlanetApproach>
        <Profile_PlanetSurface>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumZeroCanBeOverridden>1</FrustumZeroCanBeOverridden>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00003</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_PlanetSurface>
        <Profile_StationInterior>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
        </Profile_StationInterior>
        <Profile_AsteroidField>
            <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
            <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
            <FrustumCockpit>
                <DepthBias>0.00008</DepthBias>
                <DepthSlopeBias>5.0</DepthSlopeBias>
                <FilterKernelSize>3.0</FilterKernelSize>
            </FrustumCockpit>
            <Frustum0>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum0>
            <Frustum1>
                <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
            </Frustum1>
        </Profile_AsteroidField>
    </Shadows_Low>
</GraphicsConfig>

source:

Tweaking shadows

Hi! I currently play ED on an aging PC at a comfortable 45 to 60 fps on mid to high settings. Turning on shadows KILLS my fps though, so I play with them turned off. I don't mind this at all, but I do miss shadows playing off my cockpit for immersion. Is there an ini tweak or tool that would...
forums.frontier.co.uk forums.frontier.co.uk
Click to expand...

Been a while since I tested disabling directional shadows, but that method should still work.
 

Morbad

Morbad
Just tested 4.1.0.0 and the bug with flickering/disappearing shadow frustums is still present, irrespective of shadow tables used (I tested with the stock "Ultra" profile).

New versions also makes some changes to the shadow tables in GraphicsConfiguration.xml, but it looks like these changes are limited to stripping out the legacy/pre-EVSM shadow variables. My current xmls should still work normally, bugs that are beyond my control not withstanding.
 

darki_404

D
I copied the <Shadows_Low> section from the new file in today's update and made it look very similar to this one posted above. The result is effectively turning off directional shadows completely.
I prefer it like this both flat and VR

this is the file to disable directional shadows
XML: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<GraphicsConfig>
    <Shadows_Low>
    <Profile_General>
      <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
      <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
      <FilterQuality>3</FilterQuality>
      <Fade>0.01</Fade>
      <FrustumCockpit>
        <DepthBias>0.0001</DepthBias>
        <DepthSlopeBias>1.5</DepthSlopeBias>
      </FrustumCockpit>
      <Frustum0>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum0>
      <Frustum1>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum1>
    </Profile_General>
    <Profile_PlanetApproach>
      <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
      <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
      <FilterQuality>3</FilterQuality>
      <CrossFadeCascades>true</CrossFadeCascades>
      <LastCrossFadeCascadesDistance>300.0</LastCrossFadeCascadesDistance>
      <NearClipBias>1.0</NearClipBias>
      <AltitudeAdaptation>
        <MinElevation>85.0</MinElevation>
        <MaxElevation>600.0</MaxElevation>
        <Scale>10.0</Scale>
        <FirstCascadeScalingAmount>0.125</FirstCascadeScalingAmount>
      </AltitudeAdaptation>
      <FrustumCockpit>
        <DepthBias>0.0001</DepthBias>
        <DepthSlopeBias>1.5</DepthSlopeBias>
      </FrustumCockpit>
      <Frustum0>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum0>
      <Frustum1>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum1>
    </Profile_PlanetApproach>
    <Profile_PlanetSurface>
      <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
      <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
      <FilterQuality>3</FilterQuality>
      <NearClipBias>1.0</NearClipBias>
      <FrustumZeroCanBeOverridden>0</FrustumZeroCanBeOverridden>
      <FrustumCockpit>
        <DepthBias>0.0001</DepthBias>
        <DepthSlopeBias>1.5</DepthSlopeBias>
      </FrustumCockpit>
      <Frustum0>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum0>
      <Frustum1>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum1>
    </Profile_PlanetSurface>
    <Profile_StationInterior>
      <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
      <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
      <FilterQuality>3</FilterQuality>
      <Fade>0.01</Fade>
      <FrustumCockpit>
        <DepthBias>0.001</DepthBias>
        <DepthSlopeBias>1.5</DepthSlopeBias>
      </FrustumCockpit>
      <Frustum0>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum0>
    </Profile_StationInterior>
    <Profile_AsteroidField>
      <SliceSize>1024</SliceSize>
      <NumFrustums>0</NumFrustums>
      <FilterQuality>3</FilterQuality>
      <FrustumCockpit>
        <DepthBias>0.0001</DepthBias>
        <DepthSlopeBias>1.5</DepthSlopeBias>
      </FrustumCockpit>
      <Frustum0>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum0>
      <Frustum1>
        <EndDistance>0</EndDistance>
      </Frustum1>
    </Profile_AsteroidField>
  </Shadows_Low>
    <GUIColour>
    <Default>
      <LocalisationName>Standard</LocalisationName>
      <MatrixRed>   0.25, 0.25, 0.50 </MatrixRed>
      <MatrixGreen> 0.25, 0.50, 0.25 </MatrixGreen>
      <MatrixBlue>  0.50, 0.25, 0.25 </MatrixBlue>
    </Default>
  </GUIColour>
  </GraphicsConfig>
 
Last edited:

Scarlet Viper

Scarlet Viper
Morbad said:
Just tested 4.1.0.0 and the bug with flickering/disappearing shadow frustums is still present, irrespective of shadow tables used (I tested with the stock "Ultra" profile).

New versions also makes some changes to the shadow tables in GraphicsConfiguration.xml, but it looks like these changes are limited to stripping out the legacy/pre-EVSM shadow variables. My current xmls should still work normally, bugs that are beyond my control not withstanding.
Click to expand...

Interesting as I felt they at least fixed the lighting on the stations as I didn't notice any 'pop' of shadows or 'readjustment of lighting' when approaching or leaving stations.
 

Lhorndra

Lhorndra
My highly subjective impressions without proper testing so far (stock "Ultra", stock GraphicsConfiguration.xml): the flickering in stations and when approaching a planetary surface seems to have decreased, but has not completely disappeared. However, shadows still pop in and out under a landed ship on a planet.
 
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