Alpha Shadows

You may have noticed those nice new shadows in Episode 2 generated from the alpha maps on a models texture. You might have also noticed that your custom models aren't working as they should, alpha shadows not working. Well there is a step that is required to make your alpha shadows show up.

In your lights.rad you need to include a new block of information, basically just a list of models that can create alpha shadows during RAD.

Here is the list from episode 2, it is best to include this list with your lights.rad.

forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence_notbarbed002a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence_notbarbed002b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence_notbarbed002c.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence_notbarbed002d.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence_notbarbed002e.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence_notbarbed002f.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence001a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence001b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence002a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence002b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence002c.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence002d.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence002e.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence003a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/exterior_fence003b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_cliff_01a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_cliff_02a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_deciduous_01a-lod.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_deciduous_01a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_deciduous_02a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_deciduous_03a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_deciduous_03b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_foliage/tree_poplar_01.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence001a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence001b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence001c.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence001d.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence001e.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence001g.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence002a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence002b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence002c.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence002d.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence002e.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence002f.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence003a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence003b.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence003d.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence003e.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence003f.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence004a.mdl
forcetextureshadow props_wasteland/interior_fence004b.mdl

All that is required is to add a new entry, Example:

forcetextureshadow mymodels/mymodel.mdl

Then, to compile your Map with alpha shadows, you click "Expert Mode" and add -textureshadows to the parameters of $light_exe.

Have fun with this great new feature in the Episode 2 engine, and remember to set those light maps down for better looking shadow maps.