Object Shadows - Not Included Options

[Neela]

Well the main forums were all ablaze tonight over object shadows apparently are not included. For my part I think the game looks great. I played Morrowind for years before I even realized that I had the shadow option turned off. Most games that have shadows I usually turn off the option anyway.

I think shadows do add to what I call "atmosphere" games, like Thief games. Characters cast nice soft shadows.. that is enough for me. For every object to cast a shadow would have been really tough for any GPU to handle in real time. This I know from the rendered pictures I create what a big difference in processing time for pictures with shadows vs. without.

After reading many of the threads in the main forums, I guess I never really even expected object shadows in the first place. Which is why I don't feel too upset with this news.

Can anyone tell me why this is such a big deal for alot of people? Or is it simply that we are to that point where anything and everything we hear about Oblivion will sound negative compared to our hype and expectation for it?

[Sliders]

Just you wait, it's going to be exactly like the offical Bungie forums. People will make long winded speeches about how Bethesda betrayed them and why we should boycott them and then within days, it'll become a flame battlefield.

I remember when I could sit on the forums reading on topics for hours and not realize the time had passed. Now its full of whiny trolls who talk about nothing the whole time. It is sad the devs have to read some of that stuff too.

I'm in agreement with you all - losing shadows on every object is not a big deal for me. I really do not notice shadows in real life anyway, much less a game, so the "losing immersion" has no factor for me. What is more important is what they left in - the shadows for the characters and the tree canopy.

Imagine standing in a dark corridor. Up ahead the hall turns and is illuminated by a torch. As you approach the turn, you see a shadow streaking across the wall in front of you - a creature in ambush just around the corner. This is far more important as a part of the game, than whether or not a shadow is present when you throw a ribcage around a dungeon.

Tree canopy shadows are important as well. It gives the forest a truly dark feel, as well as providing lighting effects like the light beaming down through a break in the leaves in this screenshot -> http://media.pc.ign.com/media/702/702491/img_2786411.html

This post has been edited by Sliders: Jan 30 2006, 08:42 PM