Speaking of AShadow...

I've only recently found out about AShadow, and all of the effects look great and run amazingly well considering my 3D card can't handle pixel shader effects for nuts. The only question I have left is... is it worth buying? I've read from posts six months old it's buggy, but then some people seem to be using it just fine.

The other thing I'm wondering is- does it get updated? (and if so, can you after having bought it?) I'm more curious than anything at this point in time, so... if anyone's using it, I'd love to hear some thoughts on it.

i have bought it, i am using it. dof and gloom works like a charm. bumpmapping and water/refraction fx: dunno, i am not using these. ashadow works for me pretty good.

I'm a buyer too and I agree with t3K|Mac,
I've used all the effects (Bloom/DOF/Blur) and bump mapped water and all of them seems impressive.

I couldn't imagine my wip games without this lib right now!
However, there exist some 'bugs' without any importance.
By the way, shadows are only possible in practice from static or animated 3DS, because they are very buggy from anim B3D or anim MD2, at least in all my trials, even with the autor promising Ashadows can do that.

So, if you're considering this lib for shadows, forget it, or maybe use it in conjuntion with another one like swift shadows....
Beyond that and regarding post process effects, Ashadows work absolutely fine! I'm still amazed! ;)

Summarizing: It's a great lib and it's one of the best investments I ever do.

I hope to be helpful!

regards!

one point on the "dont buy" list may be the lack of support you get. be prepared to get answers after weeks (if you're lucky) or never (most cases). updates? forget it! ;)

if you can live with it 'as is' and are able to fix bugs for yourself (at least the blitzcode, the dlls source is not included!) then move on and get it.

by the way: ive seen andreyman finally got a blitz account, so if you're really (REALLY! :D) lucky, he might answer your questions over here in the forums...however the only post he made here in the last 3 months was about stalker...so dont be too excited ^_^

cheers

Support is not the best but I like this lib too. Water, bloom, refractions etc. everything looks very good and fast (in blitz3d standard).
Btw. After a few experiments I've done colored specular with Ashadow lib. This is small demo (.exe + media; 2 MB):
http://www.freewebs.com/mikele1/blitzcorner_pliki/ColoredSpecularASHADOW.zip

Use cursor keys + mouse to flight

Cheers

Mikele! :)
seems that link doesn't work... :_(

Work for me from another computers but try this:
http://www.sharebigfile.com/file/140910/ColoredSpecularASHADOW-zip.html

Thanks guys... it sounds interesting. In a few months I might have to check it out, to add a few finishing touches to my current project. I'm not to worried about stencil shadows, but fast glow and the like would be nice.

I like your work, Mikele ;)

Is there a time-limited demo version?

Stencil shadows and decent water are some of the things I'd like to trying adding to SRX but I'm not going to pay for it and then discover I can't easily add it or it slows the game down way too much.

nope, there isnt


that is really sweet! any chance of a short explanation, how you've done it? :)

Mikele,
The colored specular example is great!! very impressive!
do you plan to share the code? :P

Thank you very much!

Best regards!

To achieve colored specular Ashadow is not needed :). But credits goes to Andrey - author of Ashadow lib. It's a modified Andrey's sample with his lighting method.

Graphics3D 800,600,32,1
SetBuffer BackBuffer()

fxcam=CreateCamera() 
CameraClsColor fxcam,127,127,0 
  
cam=CreateCamera() 
CameraClsMode cam,1,1
MoveEntity cam,0,10,-25
CameraClsColor cam,255,255,255

;sky
Sky=CreateSphere(16)
EntityBlend Sky,1
ScaleEntity Sky,100,70,100
FlipMesh Sky
EntityFX Sky,1+8
EntityOrder Sky,1
SkyTex=LoadTexture("data\SkyDome.jpg",1)
EntityTexture Sky,SkyTex

;lightbox
Lbox = LoadLightBox("data\LightCube\normalize","png");

Ref = LoadTexture( "data\lightBl.jpg",1)
TextureBlend ref,1

;DIFFUSE TEXTURE
DiffuseTEX = LoadTexture("data\floor_d.dds", 9)
TextureBlend DiffuseTEX ,2

;SPECULAR TEXTURE
SpecularTex = LoadTexture( "data\floor_s.dds",1)
TextureBlend SpecularTex,2

;NORMALMAP TEXTURE
BumpTEX = LoadTexture("data\floor_n.dds",9)
TextureBlend BumpTEX ,4

;AMBIENT TEXTURE
AmbientTEX=CreateTexture(1,1,1)
TextureBlend AmbientTEX,3
argb= (((5 Shl 8) Or 5) Shl 8) Or 5
WritePixel 0,0,argb ,TextureBuffer(AmbientTEX)

;LIGHTMAP - can be used insted of ambient texture
;lightmap = LoadTexture( "data\lightBl.jpg",1)
;TextureBlend lightmap,2

;LIGHT TEXTURE
LightTEX =   CreateTexture( 32,32, 128+256)
SetCubeMode  LightTEX,2
TextureBlend LightTEX,1
 
;REFLECTION TEXTURE
RefTEX =  CreateTexture( 32,32, 128+256)
SetCubeMode  RefTEX,1
TextureBlend RefTEX,2

;light
light=CreateLight(1)
LightColor light,0,255,0
TurnEntity light,40,90,0

;render lights and reflections
RenderLight ( LightTEX, light, fxcam, cam, Lbox, 3 )
RenderLight ( RefTEX, light, fxcam, cam, Lbox, .1, 1, 15, .9, Ref )

;prepare mesh
pol =   LoadMesh("data\cube.3DS")
BlicPol=CopyEntity(pol,pol)

EntityTexture BlicPol, RefTEX, 0, 0
EntityTexture BlicPol, BumpTEX, 0, 1
EntityTexture Blicpol, SpecularTEX, 0, 2

EntityBlend BlicPol, 3
EntityFX BlicPol, 1

EntityTexture pol, LightTEX, 0, 0
EntityTexture pol, BumpTEX, 0, 1
EntityTexture pol, AmbientTEX, 0, 2
;EntityTexture pol, Lightmap, 0, 2
EntityTexture pol, DiffuseTEX, 0, 3
  
MoveEntity pol,0,-13,0
ScaleEntity pol,30,1,30

;show scene
Const FPS=60
period=1000/FPS 
time=MilliSecs()-period

While Not MouseHit(3) Or (KeyHit(1))
	Repeat
   		elapsed=MilliSecs()-time
	Until elapsed
	ticks=elapsed/period
	tween#=Float(elapsed Mod period)/Float(period)

	For k=1 To ticks
		time=time+period
		mouselook cam
		KeyControl cam
		UpdateWorld
	Next
		
	PositionEntity Sky,EntityX( cam,1 ) ,EntityY( cam,1 ), EntityZ( cam,1 )
	RenderWorld
		
	Flip False
Wend
End


Function RenderLight ( Reftex, light, fxcam, cam, mesh, Intencity#=1, Mode=0,size#=10, IntencitySpr#=1, Ref=0)
Local BlicSpr

   TFormNormal 0,0,1,light,0
   
  CameraViewport fxcam, 0,0,TextureWidth(Reftex), TextureHeight(Reftex)
  CameraProjMode fxcam,1
  CameraProjMode cam,0
  PositionEntity fxcam,65535,65535,65535

    ScaleEntity mesh,10,10,10
    EntityFX mesh,1
	EntityColor mesh,255*IntencitySpr#,255*IntencitySpr#,255*Intencity#
    PositionEntity mesh,65535,65535,65535
   AlignToVector mesh, TFormedX(), TFormedY(), TFormedZ(),0

	ShowEntity mesh

If Mode=1
  BlicSpr=CreateSprite()
	If Ref EntityTexture BlicSpr,Ref
  ScaleSprite BlicSpr,size#,size#
  SpriteViewMode BlicSpr,2
  EntityBlend BlicSpr,3
	EntityColor BlicSpr,255,255,255*IntencitySpr#
  EntityFX BlicSpr,17
  PositionEntity BlicSpr,65535,65535,65535
  MoveEntity BlicSpr, -10*TFormedX(), -10*TFormedY(), -10*TFormedZ()
  PointEntity BlicSpr, fxcam
	EntityOrder BlicSpr,-1
EndIf

tex_sz=TextureWidth(Reftex) 

SetCubeFace Reftex,0 
RotateEntity fxcam,0,90,0 
RenderWorld 
CopyRect 0,0,tex_sz,tex_sz,0,0,BackBuffer(),TextureBuffer(Reftex) 

SetCubeFace Reftex,1 
RotateEntity fxcam,0,0,0 
RenderWorld 
CopyRect 0,0,tex_sz,tex_sz,0,0,BackBuffer(),TextureBuffer(Reftex) 

SetCubeFace Reftex,2 
RotateEntity fxcam,0,-90,0 
RenderWorld 
CopyRect 0,0,tex_sz,tex_sz,0,0,BackBuffer(),TextureBuffer(Reftex) 

SetCubeFace Reftex,3 
RotateEntity fxcam,0,180,0 
RenderWorld 
CopyRect 0,0,tex_sz,tex_sz,0,0,BackBuffer(),TextureBuffer(Reftex) 

SetCubeFace Reftex,4 
RotateEntity fxcam,-90,0,0 
RenderWorld 
CopyRect 0,0,tex_sz,tex_sz,0,0,BackBuffer(),TextureBuffer(Reftex) 

SetCubeFace Reftex,5 
RotateEntity fxcam,90,0,0 
RenderWorld 
CopyRect 0,0,tex_sz,tex_sz,0,0,BackBuffer(),TextureBuffer(Reftex)

If Mode=1
  FreeEntity BlicSpr
EndIf
  HideEntity mesh
  CameraProjMode cam,1
  CameraProjMode fxcam,0
  
End Function
	
Function LoadLightBox( file$, ext$ )
	m=CreateMesh()
	;front face
	b=LoadBrush( file$+"_pz."+ext$,49 )
	s=CreateSurface( m,b )
	AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,0,1
	AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,1,0
	AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3:
	FreeBrush b
	;right face
	b=LoadBrush( file$+"_nx."+ext$,49 )
	s=CreateSurface( m,b )
	AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,0,1
	AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,1,0
	AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
	FreeBrush b
	;back face
	b=LoadBrush( file$+"_nz."+ext$,49 )
	s=CreateSurface( m,b )
	AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,0,1
	AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,1,0
	AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
	FreeBrush b
	;left face
	b=LoadBrush( file$+"_px."+ext$,49 )
	s=CreateSurface( m,b )
	AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,0,1
	AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,1,0
	AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
	FreeBrush b
	;top face
	b=LoadBrush( file$+"_ny."+ext$,49 )
	s=CreateSurface( m,b )
	AddVertex s,-1,+1,+1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,+1,+1,0,1
	AddVertex s,+1,+1,-1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,+1,-1,1,0
	AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
	FreeBrush b
	;bottom face	
	b=LoadBrush( file$+"_py."+ext$,49 )
	s=CreateSurface( m,b )
	AddVertex s,-1,-1,-1,1,1:AddVertex s,+1,-1,-1,0,1
	AddVertex s,+1,-1,+1,0,0:AddVertex s,-1,-1,+1,1,0
	AddTriangle s,0,1,2:AddTriangle s,0,2,3
	FreeBrush b
	FlipMesh m
	EntityFX m,1
	Return m
End Function	
	

Function mouselook(ent)

	mxspd#=MouseXSpeed()*0.25
	myspd#=MouseYSpeed()*0.25

	MoveMouse GraphicsWidth()/2,GraphicsHeight()/2	
	
	campitch#=EntityPitch(ent)+myspd#
	
	If campitch#<-85 Then campitch#=-85
	If campitch#>85 Then campitch#=85

	RotateEntity ent,campitch#,EntityYaw(ent)-mxspd#,EntityRoll(ent)
End Function

Function KeyControl(ent)
	
If KeyDown(200) MoveEntity ent,0,0,.25
If KeyDown(208) MoveEntity ent,0,0,-.25
If KeyDown(205) MoveEntity ent,.25,0,0
If KeyDown(203) MoveEntity ent,-.25,0,0
If KeyDown(17) MoveEntity ent,0,0,.25
If KeyDown(31) MoveEntity ent,0,0,-.25
If KeyDown(32) MoveEntity ent,.25,0,0
If KeyDown(30) MoveEntity ent,-.25,0,0
If MouseDown(1) MoveEntity ent,0,0,.25
If MouseDown(2) MoveEntity ent,0,0,-.25

End Function

thanks. i see, you're using the same technique, we discussed some weeks ago. even though it looks impressive on small samples, it gets really difficult in a real world environment. because its doubling all polygons on the reflecting mesh. also if you want to change the light (color, brightness), the reflection still looks the same, because its 'hardpainted'...

but anyway...nice example of blitz' (and dx7's) capabilities ;)

Fredborg's code? Yes. I think that real and fast specular and many other techniques for big scenes without shaders is rather out of blitz (dx7) world. But hey, I don't want make a Gears of War clone in blitz ;).

At many points blitz3d is realy powerfull, OJay. I think the most of us wait on the Blitz3D DLL Edition, so this engine can be used useful in other languages like c++ too.

The only limitation are techniques from user: the integration in an scenegraph will make it all easy.

XDDDDDDDD
XDDDD
I agree!
but you should to admit... it wouln't be bad neither! ;)

Best Regards!

i bought it before the release of the devil shadow system beta. i thought, i give me a break with dss and use this, but it's so buggy and undocumented. also people say, that i might steal the code. it's not worth it either way.

AShadow is good, I've had very few problems with it. It does what it is asked to do. Also with AShadow, to do anything advanced on your own, you better start learning RenderState arguments. Well, you better start learning RenderState anyhow if you want to do anything advanced in DX7 IMHO. Also, I have absolutely nothing against DSS of Devils Child, and I don't compete DSS (Devil Shadow System) against AShadow, but the two tools aim at Stencil shadow, but in a very different approach.

This never will. Not wait...