Problem with self shadows

[kaden213]

My problem is that even when I have shadows on self enabled in the options the shadows don't appear on my character or on npc's. I've posted my load order below in case it helps.

 

Oblivion.esm

All Natural Base.esm

Cobl Main.esm

Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm

Kvatch Rebuilt.esm

Better Cities Resources.esm

Oblivion Vwalk.esp

TNR ALL RACES FINAL Vwalk.esp

TNR - ShiveringIsles no helms Vwalk.esp

Cobl Races TNR.esp

Cobl Races TNR SI.esp

Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp

UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp

DLCShiveringIsles.esp

DLCShiveringIsles Vwalk.esp

DLCShiveringIsles Vwalk DG_DS.esp

Better Cities .esp

LoadingScreens.esp

Natural_Habitat_by_Max_Tael.esp

All Natural.esp

All Natural - SI.esp

OBGE - Liquid Water.esp

All Natural - Real Lights.esp

WindowLightingSystem.esp

Book Jackets Oblivion.esp

Living Economy.esp

Living Economy - Items.esp

Cutthroat Merchants.esp

P1DmenuEscape.esp

Streamline 3.1.esp

Enhanced Hotkeys.esp

GizmodianNetherweaveRobe.esp

Sinblood's Widow Dress.esp

Underworld Armor.esp

R18PN - Fiona Armor.esp

GizmodianSorceress.esp

Cobl Glue.esp

Cobl Si.esp

Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp

OOO-Map_Markers_Stock.esp

Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul Vwalk.esp

OOO 1.32-Cobl.esp

Kvatch Rebuilt.esp

Kvatch Rebuilt Weather Patch.esp

Kvatch Rebuilt Vwalk.esp

Scribe Supplies.esp

VaultsofCyrodiilBC.esp

Apachii_Goddess_Store.esp

Apachii_Goddess_Store Vwalk.esp

Knights.esp

Knights Vwalk.esp

xuldarkforest.esp

xulStendarrValley.esp

xulTheHeath.esp

XulEntiusGorge.esp

xulFallenleafEverglade.esp

xulColovianHighlands_EV.esp

xulChorrolHinterland.esp

xulChorrolHinterland Vwalk.esp

xulBeachesOfCyrodiilLostCoast.esp

xulBravilBarrowfields.esp

xulBravilBarrowfields Vwalk.esp

xulLushWoodlands.esp

xulAncientYews.esp

xulAncientRedwoods.esp

xulCloudtopMountains.esp

xulArriusCreek.esp

xulPatch_AY_AC.esp

xulRollingHills_EV_withoutWheat.esp

xulPantherRiver.esp

xulRiverEthe.esp

xulBrenaRiverRavine.esp

xulBrenaRiverRavine Vwalk.esp

xulImperialIsle.esp

xulImperialIsle Vwalk.esp

xulBlackwoodForest.esp

xulCheydinhalFalls.esp

KvatchRebuilt-CheydinhalFalls patch.esp

xulAspenWood.esp

xulAspenWood Vwalk.esp

xulSkingradOutskirts.esp

xulSkingradOutskirts Vwalk.esp

xulSnowdale.esp

Salmo the Baker, Cobl.esp

Harvest [Flora].esp

BlackScreenSneakFix.esp

Alternative Start by Robert Evrae.esp

Level Based Summon Cap.esp

RenGuardOverhaul.esp

Oblivion XP.esp

actors_in_charge.esp

ActorsInEmotions.esp

NaRae Pose - 01.esp

NaRae Pose - 01 Guide Book.esp

Cobl Races.esp

Better Cities Full.esp

Better Imperial City.esp

Better Cities Full FPS Patch.esp

Better Cities - All Natural.esp

Better Cities Full Vwalk.esp

Better Cities - Unique Landscape Barrowfields.esp

Better Cities - Unique Landscape Chorrol Hinterland.esp

Better Cities - Unique Landscape Cheydinhal Falls.esp

Better Cities - Unique Landscape Skingrad Outskirts.esp

Better Imperial City Vwalk.esp

Better Imperial City FPS Patch.esp

Better Cities - COBL.esp

Better Cities - Unique Landscape Imperial Isle.esp

Bashed Patch, 0.esp

Woman's Move - Animation Replacer.esp

Armor-Clother.esp

Arena Ring.esp

zzEDialog.esp

[ThomasKra]

Even if you could see them, Self Shadows are busted in this game.

 

You aren't missing much.

[kaden213]

Even if you could see them, Self Shadows are busted in this game.

 

You aren't missing much.

 

I know that, but I would still like to know what the problem is.

[HeyYou]

Even if you could see them, Self Shadows are busted in this game.

 

You aren't missing much.

 

I know that, but I would still like to know what the problem is.

 

The problem is, Self Shadows are broken. They have a variety of ways of manifesting this fact, one of which, you have found.

[MichikoUnknownFox]

You'll probably want to turn them off immediately even if you figured it out. I haven't seen anybody, not even on high end machines, not even among JP modders, that has satisfactory self-shadow settings. A lot of them simply advise you to turn them off, because they mess with your character's looks by putting [jaggedy and pixelated] shadows on your character in any lighting.

[MotoSxorpio]

bActorSelfShadowing=#<br>bDrawShadows=#<br>bDoActorShadows=#<br><br>These should all be set to "1"<br>iShadowFilter=#  turn this to anything but 0, I have gone as high as 16 without too much fps loss.<br>iShadowMapResolution=(512

is decent, 2048 is excellent, 4048 cripples my lowly 9800 gt SLI)  Make

sure you have a "power of two" integer here. I check back see if

anything improves. <img src="../../../public/style_emoticons/dark/wink.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=";)">

Edited June 5, 2011 by MOTOSXORPIO

[MichikoUnknownFox]

Yeah, but sadly, it really doesn't look good, IMO.

 

Here's what it looks like in my game:

 

 

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/9629/selfshadowexample01.jpg

 

 

This is 2048 shadow map resolution (bloom, no AA, default shaders [no OBGE that is]). I'm facing the direction of the sun at about 11 AM in-game time, though it's a slightly foggy day. For the sharp-eyed people that know where I am standing, there's a wall in front of me, but the sun is over that wall anyway so the wall shouldn't cast a shadow on me. Note also how bright my surroundings are compared to me. Also, if the sun were shining, the shadow would be clearer, but it would still cover my face because apparently my Anvil guard helmet is an umbrella. If you want, I can upload a screenshot of that.

 

Some people might like it, but if you ask me it makes characters look weird and out of place. If it were consistent with the rest of the game world, like buildings really had the same shadow style, then maybe it'd be good. If you have light flickering on (which it is, by default) it looks even weirder, because you'll have shadows dancing across your face the whole time when around a light source other than the sun. Ambient Occlusion (from OBGE or other methods) tends to make it worse, because then you'll have dots of light blurring into the shadow.

 

The main problem with it is really that it's too intense. There's no real way to soften the shadows (that I know of). Would've been great if it's just a light shade on your face, rather than making such a clear cut shadow.

 

 

- edit: Here's some more reference shots if you're interested. Taken inside the very well lit Anvil Mage's Guild, which has light sources both above and in front of the character's position.

 

 

 

Normal:

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5764/selfshadowexample02a.jpg

 

Self Shadow (2048 shadow resolution):

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/4200/selfshadowexample02b.jpg

 

 

Edited June 5, 2011 by UNKNOWNYMOUS

[Telyn]

It tends to make skin seams look much worse, too.

[kaden213]

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry it took so long to write back, I was away from my computer most of the day today. My problem turned out to be a really stupid one, I didn't realize you had to have on exterior/interior shadows in order for self shadows to work. Once again thanks for helping me out.

[RGMage2]

On my gaming rig I always have self shadows on with a 2048 resolution. I don't think I could play oblivion without them. On the other hand, on my modding laptop I usually have them off, partly for performance and partly because they look so bad.

 

A few examples of where I think they work, but it is just a matter of opinion.

 

 

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u312/RGMage2/Avi07.jpg

 

 

 

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u312/RGMage2/09103101.jpg

 

 

 

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u312/RGMage2/Aug1932.jpg

 

 

 

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u312/RGMage2/NecessaryViolence.jpg

 

Edited June 6, 2011 by RGMage2