SimSun Shader - Simulated directional light for models

[Enjay]

SimSun can be combined with brightmaps, which I suggest for any light source models.

A SimSun-like feature will be integrated into one of the future GZDoom releases and automaticaly work without the need for GLDEFS entries, so this whole thing can be made obsolete, which I am looking forward to.

I do use brightmaps with the models concerned. I can definitely see that the brightmaps are being respected but SimSun still darkened them more than I would have wanted.

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With SimSun:


Without SimSun:

I have to say, I'm also wary of unconditionally applying this to all models as an engine feature, if that's what you suggest is going to happen. I have found several models which, for a variety of reasons, do not look as good with the shader as they do without it. e.g. a model specifically given a skin of game textures so that it blends seamlessly with level architecture, a space satellite floating in space that just looked wrong lit from above, a little floating droid model that for whatever reason simply looked better without the shader, a model that I had spent some time carefully baking subtle lighting onto the skin, a model with quite a dark skin anyway just ended up looking too dark with the shader...

For the majority of models it looked good (really good) but exceptions were common enough that I feel that a blanket "enable or disable" is not appropriate. Some way to opt in or opt out specific skins is needed IMO.

[Nash]

Already anticipated it. ;) I have included a new MODELDEF flag, "NoDirectionalLight" that will make the model ignore the directional lighting.

(I am the one who's working on the native engine feature of this, BTW)

The engine version also doesn't have the problem with the brightmaps. Because it's done at the proper place in the engine (as per dpJudas' advice) - the brightmaps work as they're expected (they fully poke out of everything).

Materials like normal maps and PBR also work, which is a welcome bonus. This is the advantage of doing it in the engine; it is done at the proper place in the shader pipeline.

[Enjay]

Well that's all my concerns taken care of then. This should indeed be an interesting and valuable feature. Thanks for doing it.

Is the target to have it in the next official GZDoom?

[DELTAtheDboi005]

Does this work for voxels?

[Cherno]

No. However, using voxels as-is is discouraged anyway. Better to convert them to models and use them as such. Voxel editors like MagicaVoxel have the option to export to obj.

[DELTAtheDboi005]

Honestly, I've been using it for models that I'm making for TAOD and I'm wondering: "why the hell isn't this in gzdoom?"

I would KILL to have this in the latest version of gzdoom, it really makes the models pop and I've made it my legal obligation to slap this in any model that I make for ANY mod that I make. You, my friend, are 347% on to something with this shader and I hereby give you a round of applause for your work!

[DELTAtheDboi005]

Question: is it possible to make shiny/specular effects using a similar thing to simsun or am I just a big ol' dummy?

[Cherno]

Question: is it possible to make shiny/specular effects using a similar thing to simsun or am I just a big ol' dummy?

Not possible as far as I know. The necessary shader functions are not available to the kind of shader that can be added by users.

There are plans to introduce a SimSun-like fake lighting system natively to GZDoom in the future, which would then have support for PBR.

[DELTAtheDboi005]

Cool

[Nash]

SimSun ported for VKDoom