Shadowmask point light quality is not usable in production quality game

[AndersMalmgren]

Hey, So we are moving from 5.5.4p1 and subtractive light mode in the hope of getting some more current gen look to the lighting in our game.

So we are looking at Distance shadowmask since we target desktop PCs and SteamVR

The docs state static caster on a static reciver should use shadow map, but the result is just as bad as a realtime light casting shados from static on static.

Here the same mixed light as baked, the shadow is nice and soft, almost not visible

Its the same with Spotlights and directional light however directional light is pretty ok. So to us it seems that Distance shadow mask light mode only works for directional lights and we still cant get shadows and specular effects from indoor lighting?

[AcidArrow]

@AndersMalmgren

The docs state static caster on a static reciver should use shadow map, but the result is just as bad as a realtime light casting shados from static on static.

Shadow map is the real time shadows (up to the shadow distance limit), so I don’t know why you’re expecting it to look better than real time.

[AndersMalmgren]

But, but, that makes the entire light mode not usable. We use baked lighting on static objects because they produce much more high quality shadows

[AcidArrow]

Then switch to the “normal” shadowmask mode?

[AndersMalmgren]

Yeah it does make close up shadows look much better, like this static railing casting on static stair

But it does not work as well on large(r) landscapes
Distance shadow mask

Shadow mask

edit: hmm, looked less of a difference now then last time I compared them, funny

[AndersMalmgren]

Here the quality difference was more apperent
Distance

shadow mask

But lightmap on terrain has never worked in Unity 5 so not shocking
And its more like how it looked in 5.5.4