cocos2d for iPhone

A fast, easy to use, free, and community supported 2D game engine

1. 

   digitaljohn
   Member

   Hi:

   Is is possible to make a layer have a shadow? I know I can solve the problem by adjusting my sprites but was hoping there could be a programatic way. I cant seem to see anything documented so maybe there is a GL trick or something. This is how i would image the solution would work...

   1) I have a layer with transparent sprites (pngs) on.
   2) Grab the layers alpha channel and create a grey layer behind the layer with the alpha data.
   3) Displace the shadow layer a couple of pixels right and down.

   No blurring or anything complex like that... just a crisp shadow of a layer.

   Any pointers would helpful, even if the answer is NO... put the shadows in your sprites. :)

   Regards:

   John

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   Duckwit
   Member

   If I were designing buttons/graphics with shadows, I would make the sprites have shadows themselves (in the actual graphic), not try and program an effect. But that's me. :)

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   exorcyze
   Member

   I'm not sure what type of game you're using or what your graphics look like, but typically I think the accepted approach is to make a blurred oval / shape to represent a general shadow, then you can place that under your sprite. Most of the time just the suggestion of the shape casting a shadow will be more than enough to convey the depth / lighting.

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. 

   pfg2009
   Member

   If you wanted to be fancy, you could programmatically render your texture into a CCRenderTexture using only the alpha channel (look at CCRenderTexture, glColorMask, and glBlendFunc) and then use the same sprite offsets within this generated texture to find the appropriate shadow images. That will give you nice, crisp edges.

   That said, it's much simpler to pre-create shadow sprites with soft edges in a graphics program of some sort, or just bake the shadows into the sprites themselves. Most people will not notice the difference in the final product and it will save you a ton of work.

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. 

   digitaljohn
   Member

   Thanks for all your kind comments. I think ill go down the shadows in sprites route. :)

   Regards:

   DigitalJohn

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. 

   abitofcode
   Moderator

   For shadows behind text try http://majicjungle.com/blog/?p=191 (it'll need a little updating to handle the new namespace i.e CCTexture2d)

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. 

   rakkarage
   Member

   wow thats nice, ttf shadows and glows inTexture2d!? i wonder why this has not been incorporated?

   Posted 8 months ago #
8. 

   rakkarage
   Member

   http://www.cocos2d-iphone.org/forum/topic/11745

   Posted 8 months ago #
9. 

   didillon
   Member

   I used a quite simple approach. Check out "Time Run Free"
   I have even dynamic shadow, depending on the position of the sun. If that is what you are searching for, I could explain you the basics or post some parts of my game code which include the shadow stuff. The shadow is not perfect, but i thought it is good enough.

   Marc

   Posted 8 months ago #

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