Gradient shadow mapping

[inlimbo]

i don't know if's an accurate term, but i'm talking shadow maps with brightness falloff or a mixture of differently graded shadows in one scene. in my experience with games that use real-time shadow solutions, it's either single toned shadow maps plus fogging over an entire scene or single toned shadow maps over prebaked occlusion.

i guess crysis 2 uses a completely real-time solution of the latter, but it's still missing the variety of contrast in something like half-life 2. shouldn't we be able to approach something like hl2 with no precomputation by using a mixture of different shadow maps, even if they need to be considerably low res. i realize half-life 2's light map generator simulates light bouncing to great effect and the game benefits from sheer lighting design that other games might lack, but i would think it would be possible to simulate radiosity with no Enlighten-like prepass.

dead space 2 has some neat and dramatic lighting, but even it is fairly even toned.

 

[inlimbo]

is this a massively uninformed question? it's okay; you can tell me

 

[mikiex]

There are a lot of different methods for realtime and static lighting and how they combine for a lighting and shadow solution. I think you need to look at them one at a time and see how they work. The term you are probably looking for is penumbra

 

[inlimbo]

penumbra's just one aspect of shadow volume. i'm more concerned with simulating the whole spectrum, as global illumination does, but in true real-time and with enough contrast to get pleasing results (not necessarily accurate ones). it should be possible with a mix of shadow maps even if it's partially artist controlled