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Shadeeffects

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-10

Overview​

shadeeffects.lua is a client-side module responsible for configuring and updating dynamic leaf canopy shading effects in the game world. It uses the ShadeRenderer system to define a LeafCanopy shade type with texture, scaling, rotation, and translation parameters drawn from TUNING. It also exposes global functions to spawn/despawn canopy shades, update their strength based on ambient light, and enable/disable the renderer.

This module is not part of the ECS; it is a procedural FX utility for atmospheric rendering and runs only on non-dedicated clients.

Usage example​

-- Spawn a leaf canopy at world position (x=10, z=-5)
local canopy_id = SpawnLeafCanopy(10, -5)

-- Update all shade effects each frame (called from game loop)
ShadeEffectUpdate(dt)

-- Disable shading effects (e.g., for debugging or cutscenes)
EnableShadeRenderer(false)

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: None identified
Tags: None identified

Properties​

No public properties.

Main functions​

SpawnLeafCanopy(x, z)​

  • Description: Spawns a new leaf canopy shade at the specified world coordinates with a random initial rotation and configured scale.
  • Parameters:
    x (number) - world X position.
    z (number) - world Z position.
  • Returns: (number) - unique shade ID assigned by the renderer.

DespawnLeafCanopy(id)​

  • Description: Removes a previously spawned leaf canopy shade using its ID.
  • Parameters:
    id (number) - the shade ID returned by SpawnLeafCanopy.
  • Returns: Nothing.

ShadeEffectUpdate(dt)​

  • Description: Updates all active leaf canopy shades each frame. Dynamically adjusts shade strength based on average ambient light intensity (computed from RGB values), interpolating between min/max strength values from TUNING.
  • Parameters:
    dt (number) - delta time in seconds since the last frame.
  • Returns: Nothing.

EnableShadeRenderer(enable)​

  • Description: Enables or disables the entire shade rendering system. Outputs a debug log when called.
  • Parameters:
    enable (boolean) - whether to enable (true) or disable (false) the renderer.
  • Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to: None identified
  • Pushes: None identified