What's all this other nonsense in the GMND?

[Inge Jones]

What are those cDataListExtension sections that are named after the mesh subsets and seem to contain a load of material names? Mine are named after the object I cloned my stuff from, and I am not even using those subset names any more, yet there doesn't seem to be any problem. :shrug

Then there is the tsNoShadow. Again, it doesn't seem to matter what I put in there, I can't see any difference. The game appears to be hardcoded to recognise the shadow subsets by precise name, and if you name your shadow something a little different the game treats it just like a bit of semi transparent object.

Anyone know if I can just wipe this stuff out?

[IgnorantBliss]

If I remember correctly what Numenor has told me, the subsets listed are useless, and can be safely removed. Not sure what the noShadows thing does.

[SnowStorm]

The tsNoShadow controls what group casts a shadow outside. So you put subsets in there that you DON'T want to cast a shadow outdoors.

[Inge Jones]

Casts an actual raytraced shadow? Ah then that makes sense, thanks! Though that often includes the shadow itself, with a '1' value.

[WesHowe]

What are those cDataListExtension sections that are named after the mesh subsets and seem to contain a load of material names? Mine are named after the object I cloned my stuff from, and I am not even using those subset names any more, yet there doesn't seem to be any problem. :shrug

Anyone know if I can just wipe this stuff out?

If this is a total clone, or even a partial using the game produced GMDC, then those old recolor names can go. CAS and Accessories use these fields to link multiple textures (TXMTs) to a single scenegraph.
Sort of like CEP recoloring, but done without an MMAT.

A complete clone with no recolor sets would not need the old names. Depending on what you're doing, your new texture names may need to be in there (even if it is only one). I refer you to the dog collar addon, where you will see that I wiped out all the Maxis recolor names, but added my own back into the GMDC.

Best I can do sight unseen.

<* Wes *>

[Inge Jones]

Well I am working with clones made from windows and curtains right now, so it's nothing to do with CAS or accessories. Sounds like I can ditch them then :)

[Numenor]

Casts an actual raytraced shadow? Ah then that makes sense, thanks! Though that often includes the shadow itself, with a '1' value.

Yes, they are actual ray-traced shadows (outdoors only).
In the "tsNoShadows" block, the value assigned to each subset is boolean: the default value is 0 (which means: draw shadow for this subset); if a subset is not listed, the shadow IS drawn for it.
If a subset requires the shadow NOT to be drawn, it must be explicitely included in the block with a value of 1 (that's why all the "shadow subsets" - i.e. the fake meshes that are used to simulate the indoor shadows - are always listed in the tsNoShadow block).

[Inge Jones]

In that case I now feel the opposite, that as these are not meant to be outdoor objects, maybe it will speed the game to include them all in the noshadow group.

But, do the raytraced shadows also fall on other objects and other parts of the same object? Or just on the ground? Because it is nice if the object shades itself according to the sun as well.

[Numenor]

The outdoor shadow is drawn only on the ground. Actually, the game creates "on the fly" a special flat mesh, located one millimeter above the ground; so, we can say the it's ray-traced, but it's actually a fake ray-tracing :)

As for speeding up the game, I think that the "tsNoShadows" block is just ignored, until the object is actually put outside; but it's just a speculation, I can't be sure...

[Inge Jones]

Oh well then, out they come lol! Should free up a bit of memory. Hmm but what about light from inside the house into the garden at night? Does that depend on this raytracing too?

[Numenor]

No, the light that "spills" out of the window doesn't cause any shadow to be ray-traced (it's an "indoor" light, after all). The outdoor shadow only relies on the "sun" (but it's drawn during the night, too; it's just hardly visible)