Graphics corruption when using GPU Shadows

drakkenshie · 08-24-2010, 01:06 PM

When using GPU shadows, I get wavy lines on my screen, somewhat around and ahead of my character. CPU shadows doesn't cause this, but GPU shadows look far better so I use them.

It looks like interference patterns basically.

This first image is in Dark Light Woods, and you can easily see the wavy lines in the image.

Switching to CPU shadows removes the issue, but of course the shadows do not look as nice.

This next shot is in Commonlands. Here it was almost like a half-box drawn ahead of me everywhere I went, with sun bright in the sky so very few shadows where I was standing.

Zabjade · 08-25-2010, 01:50 PM

I have also had GPU shadow issues.

Barx · 08-25-2010, 02:13 PM

Do you have antialiasing on? If so try turning it off, AA causes quite a few issues with Shader 3.

drakkenshie · 08-25-2010, 05:05 PM

Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Do you have antialiasing on? If so try turning it off, AA causes quite a few issues with Shader 3.

Nope.

There is no in-game option for this except the seperate buffer setting to allow external (driver) anti-aliasing, and that is disabled.

Imago-Quem · 08-25-2010, 06:48 PM

drakkenshield wrote:

When using GPU shadows, I get wavy lines on my screen, somewhat around and ahead of my character. CPU shadows doesn't cause this, but GPU shadows look far better so I use them.
It looks like interference patterns basically.
This first image is in Dark Light Woods, and you can easily see the wavy lines in the image.
Switching to CPU shadows removes the issue, but of course the shadows do not look as nice.
This next shot is in Commonlands. Here it was almost like a half-box drawn ahead of me everywhere I went, with sun bright in the sky so very few shadows where I was standing.

Sorry about that. I'm working on it right now. It's actually due to an offset value that separates shadows from the casting surface. The offset has to be balanced just right to work correctly. If you still have the slider option for "quality vs distance", try moving the slider a little up or down for now to make the lines go away.

Vitarga · 08-25-2010, 10:36 PM

I am also having this same issue. I like the gpu shadows alot better also so i just turn the slider toward quality like Imago stated and it disappears completely. But....the shadow distance is so short that you see shadows appearing all over the place when you move. Thats a bit agravating but much better than the cpu shadows imo.

Thanks for the response

Aule · 08-25-2010, 11:42 PM

There's no "quality vs distance" slider. There's a "complex shader distance" slider that basically determines the size of the screwed up box shaped graphic.

drakkenshie · 08-25-2010, 11:52 PM

Imago-Quem wrote:

drakkenshield wrote:
When using GPU shadows, I get wavy lines on my screen, somewhat around and ahead of my character. CPU shadows doesn't cause this, but GPU shadows look far better so I use them.
It looks like interference patterns basically.
This first image is in Dark Light Woods, and you can easily see the wavy lines in the image.
Switching to CPU shadows removes the issue, but of course the shadows do not look as nice.
This next shot is in Commonlands. Here it was almost like a half-box drawn ahead of me everywhere I went, with sun bright in the sky so very few shadows where I was standing.
Sorry about that. I'm working on it right now. It's actually due to an offset value that separates shadows from the casting surface. The offset has to be balanced just right to work correctly. If you still have the slider option for "quality vs distance", try moving the slider a little up or down for now to make the lines go away.

I figured this was something about surface issues and I did play with the slider to cut down on the noise.

Thanks for working on this, and for explaining it. I'm not a graphics programmer, but I have debugged similar issues in OpenGL where drawn layers interfered with each other.

Maybe you can make those CPU shadows as dark as the GPU ones for when we are inside looking out... SMILEY

Tinkr · 09-03-2010, 06:29 PM

I experience the same issue with GPU shadows, obviously something the devs need to look at. It's not a shader 3.0 issue, happens even without 3.0 shaders turned on.

vermils · 09-07-2010, 04:35 AM

Any idea when this issue might be hotfixed? I'm growing weary of seeing the landscape with a grid outline... no matter how closely I draw my shadows to me they still show up.

Zabjade · 09-09-2010, 02:24 PM

Still getting the squigglies with the Shadows and this is recent to the last update, should I get a screenshot so you can see the issue?

08-24-2010, 01:06 PM	#1
drakkenshie General Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 243	When using GPU shadows, I get wavy lines on my screen, somewhat around and ahead of my character. CPU shadows doesn't cause this, but GPU shadows look far better so I use them. It looks like interference patterns basically. This first image is in Dark Light Woods, and you can easily see the wavy lines in the image. Switching to CPU shadows removes the issue, but of course the shadows do not look as nice. This next shot is in Commonlands. Here it was almost like a half-box drawn ahead of me everywhere I went, with sun bright in the sky so very few shadows where I was standing. __________________

08-25-2010, 01:50 PM	#2
Zabjade Loremaster Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,631	I have also had GPU shadow issues. __________________

08-25-2010, 05:05 PM	#4
drakkenshie General Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 243	Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote: Do you have antialiasing on? If so try turning it off, AA causes quite a few issues with Shader 3. Nope. There is no in-game option for this except the seperate buffer setting to allow external (driver) anti-aliasing, and that is disabled. __________________

08-25-2010, 06:48 PM	#5
Imago-Quem Developer Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 481	drakkenshield wrote: When using GPU shadows, I get wavy lines on my screen, somewhat around and ahead of my character. CPU shadows doesn't cause this, but GPU shadows look far better so I use them. It looks like interference patterns basically. This first image is in Dark Light Woods, and you can easily see the wavy lines in the image. Switching to CPU shadows removes the issue, but of course the shadows do not look as nice. This next shot is in Commonlands. Here it was almost like a half-box drawn ahead of me everywhere I went, with sun bright in the sky so very few shadows where I was standing. Sorry about that. I'm working on it right now. It's actually due to an offset value that separates shadows from the casting surface. The offset has to be balanced just right to work correctly. If you still have the slider option for "quality vs distance", try moving the slider a little up or down for now to make the lines go away. __________________ Ryan James Favale Graphics Programmer - EQ II & PlanetSide 2 Sony Online Entertainment Personal URL:TheGraphicsPoint.com

08-25-2010, 11:42 PM	#7
Aule Server: Guk Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,360	There's no "quality vs distance" slider. There's a "complex shader distance" slider that basically determines the size of the screwed up box shaped graphic. __________________ guk.Aule - 90 coercer \| Troops of Doom \| 90 bruiser - guk.Krindi

08-25-2010, 02:13 PM	#3
Barx Server: Antonia Bayle Guild: Mayhem Rank: Officers Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Manors of Mithaniel, New Halas Posts: 3,480	Do you have antialiasing on? If so try turning it off, AA causes quite a few issues with Shader 3.

08-25-2010, 10:36 PM	#6
Vitarga Tester Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vegas Posts: 35	I am also having this same issue. I like the gpu shadows alot better also so i just turn the slider toward quality like Imago stated and it disappears completely. But....the shadow distance is so short that you see shadows appearing all over the place when you move. Thats a bit agravating but much better than the cpu shadows imo. Thanks for the response

08-25-2010, 11:52 PM	#8
drakkenshie General Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 243	Imago-Quem wrote: drakkenshield wrote: When using GPU shadows, I get wavy lines on my screen, somewhat around and ahead of my character. CPU shadows doesn't cause this, but GPU shadows look far better so I use them. It looks like interference patterns basically. This first image is in Dark Light Woods, and you can easily see the wavy lines in the image. Switching to CPU shadows removes the issue, but of course the shadows do not look as nice. This next shot is in Commonlands. Here it was almost like a half-box drawn ahead of me everywhere I went, with sun bright in the sky so very few shadows where I was standing. Sorry about that. I'm working on it right now. It's actually due to an offset value that separates shadows from the casting surface. The offset has to be balanced just right to work correctly. If you still have the slider option for "quality vs distance", try moving the slider a little up or down for now to make the lines go away. I figured this was something about surface issues and I did play with the slider to cut down on the noise. Thanks for working on this, and for explaining it. I'm not a graphics programmer, but I have debugged similar issues in OpenGL where drawn layers interfered with each other. Maybe you can make those CPU shadows as dark as the GPU ones for when we are inside looking out... __________________

09-03-2010, 06:29 PM	#9
Tinkr Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 43	I experience the same issue with GPU shadows, obviously something the devs need to look at. It's not a shader 3.0 issue, happens even without 3.0 shaders turned on. __________________ Tinkrbelle Dragon Maw Guild Guk Server

09-07-2010, 04:35 AM	#10
vermils Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 22	Any idea when this issue might be hotfixed? I'm growing weary of seeing the landscape with a grid outline... no matter how closely I draw my shadows to me they still show up. __________________

09-09-2010, 02:24 PM	#11
Zabjade Loremaster Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,631	Still getting the squigglies with the Shadows and this is recent to the last update, should I get a screenshot so you can see the issue? __________________