Can't get my sprite particles to cast shadow

Development Asset Creation FX
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1

Hello there :slight_smile:

I have already asked this question but realized that I have probably not posted it under the FX sub folder.

Here is the link to the other question in case you might want to close it: Can't cast shadows on Niagara Sprites renderers

For some reasons, I just can’t make my Niagara Sprite Renderer to cast any shadows. That said, it’s working well with Mesh renderers.

Repro:

  1. In Unreal Version: 5.5.0-37670630+++UE5+Release-5.5, I simply create a new Niagara System using the Fountain template.
  2. Then I create a brand new opaque Lit Material
  3. I’ll assigned this material in my Sprite Renderer
  4. I drag this Niagara System into a new Basic Map
  5. I check Cast Shadows on the Niagara Actor.
  6. I won’t be able to see any shadows casted, but it will work if I apply the default Mesh Renderer

I bet I am missing something obvious here but I can’t figure this out. :thinking:

Thanks in advance for your help :slight_smile:

Screenshot
Screenshot1919Ă—1080 183 KB

2

Hi @GabrielCharestEA,

After a bunch of digging, I found a few things that might help.

First of all, no matter what settings I try, I can’t get the particle’s shadows to appear using Virtual Shadow Maps. To my knowledge, this was not the case in previous engine versions, so I suppose this is a bug. In your project settings, try changing your shadow method to “Shadow Maps” OR enabling “Ray Traced Shadows”.

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image541Ă—196 5.89 KB

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image537Ă—195 5.58 KB

Secondly, it seems like the ACTOR must also have “Cast Shadow” turned on, as even with Cast Shadows turned on in your emitter, this option is disabled by default. You can either do this directly in the details panel or create a blueprint with the Niagara system inside and set it there so it’s easily replicatable.

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image875Ă—704 97 KB

With these two setting adjustments, you should be able to see shadows. Hope that helps!

3

Hello Sarah!

Thanks for the folow up on this.

Using the raytraced shadows is also working well on my end. I unfortunately don’t think it’s a option we could enable on my project. It would be great if you could validate that the fact it’s not working with Virtual Shadow maps is a bug/something that could be fixed. It also looks like it to me. A long time ago, with cascade, I remember being able to cast shadows on opaque/blend masked particles but I’m not sure I ever tried with Niagara. :thinking: :sweat_smile: