Shadows settings - 7 Days To Die mods

These are the rows on the Shadows tab of Options > Refined - Graphics. The game’s own options on the same tab are not listed here.

Ambient Occlusion

Setting	What it does	Range and unit	Default
Ambient Only `ambient_only.enabled`	Ambient occlusion darkens corners and shade, but no longer darkens surfaces lit directly by the sun or a lamp.	On or off	Off
Tuned AO `hbao_tuning.enabled`	Ambient occlusion stays in corners and contact shade, without the broad grey gradients.	On or off	Off
AO Strength `hbao_tuning.strength_x`	How dark ambient occlusion makes corners and crevices.	0.25 to 1.5 times the game’s value	`0.6`
AO Radius `hbao_tuning.radius_x`	How far from a corner or an object the darkening reaches.	0.25 to 1.25 times the game’s value	`0.5`
Clarity AO `clarity_ao.enabled`	Soft ambient occlusion in corners, creases, brick joints and under objects, shaped like the game’s own but cleaner and cheaper. Open surfaces keep their full brightness. Replaces the game’s AO while on.	On or off	Off
Clarity AO Strength `clarity_ao.strength_share`	How dark Clarity AO makes corners, creases and contact shade. 100 % is as dark as the game’s own AO.	0.5 to 1 a share, 0 none and 1 all	`1`
Clarity AO Radius `clarity_ao.radius_m`	How far from a corner or an object Clarity AO reaches. 0.8 m is the game’s own reach; smaller keeps it to fine detail.	0.2 to 1 metres	`0.8`
First Person AO `arms_ao_off.enabled`	Keeps the screen’s ambient occlusion off your hands and what they hold, removing the dark patches and halos around them.	On or off	On

Sun Shadows

Setting	What it does	Range and unit	Default
Near Shadow Detail `near_shadows.enabled`	Sun shadows close to you are sharper and steadier. Shadows a little further away soften slightly to pay for it.	On or off	On
Near Shadow Sharpness `near_shadows.detail_x`	How much sharper sun shadows within a few metres of you are than the game’s.	1 to 2.5 times the game’s value	`1.8`
Shadow Sharpness Blend `near_shadows.blend_x`	How gradually sun shadows go from sharp to softer with distance. Higher hides the line where they change.	1 to 2 times the game’s value	`1.5`
Shadow Filtering `shadow_filtering.enabled`	Sun shadow edges further away stay smooth instead of turning grainy and blocky.	On or off	On
Shadow Filtering Distance `shadow_filtering.distance_x`	How far away sun shadow edges keep their full smoothing. Higher values cost frames.	1 to 4 times the game’s value	`2`
Shadow Filtering Samples `shadow_filtering.samples_x`	How many samples smooth each sun shadow edge. Higher values cost frames.	1 to 2 times the game’s value	`1.25`
Crisp Shadow Edges `crisp_shadow_edges.enabled`	Sun shadows close to you are crisp where things meet the ground, as the real sun draws them: fence slats, railings, chair legs.	On or off	Off
Shadow Edge Sharpness `crisp_shadow_edges.sharpness_x`	How many times narrower than the game’s the edge of a sun shadow close to you is drawn.	1 to 6 times the game’s value	`4`
Far Shadows `far_shadows.enabled`	Hills, valleys and forests far away are shaded by the sun to the horizon, blending into the shadows close by. A lower Sharp Shadow Distance ends the sharp shadows nearer, which saves frames.	On or off	On
Sharp Shadow Distance `far_shadows.sharp_distance_x`	How far the sun’s sharp shadows reach before the far shadow takes over, as a share of the game’s Shadows Distance. Lower saves more frames.	0.4 to 1 times the game’s value	`1`
Far Shadow Strength `far_shadows.strength_share`	How dark the far shadow is, against a sun shadow close by.	0.5 to 1 a share, 0 none and 1 all	`1`
Far Shadow Casters `far_shadows.casters_choice`	What casts the far shadow: the hills alone, or the forests’ canopy too.	One of `terrain`, `terrain_trees`	`terrain_trees`
Sharp Contact Shadows `contact_shadows.enabled`	Crisp short shadows where small things meet surfaces and the sun grazes fine detail: stones, grass, bricks, window frames. Replaces the game’s softer contact shadows while on.	On or off	Off
Contact Shadow Strength `contact_shadows.strength_share`	How dark a contact shadow is. At 100 % it is as dark as any other shadow; lower shades fine detail more gently.	0.25 to 1 a share, 0 none and 1 all	`1`
Contact Shadow Length `contact_shadows.length_m`	How far a contact shadow reaches from where a thing meets a surface. Shorter keeps it to the finest detail.	0.1 to 1 metres	`0.4`
Grass Shadows `grass_shadows.enabled`	Grass and flowers keep their shadows further away, fading out with distance instead of switching off in squares.	On or off	On
Grass Shadow Distance `grass_shadows.distance_m`	How far away grass and flowers cast shadows. Higher values cost frames in grassland.	45 to 100 metres	`80`
Cloud Shadows `cloud_shadows.enabled`	Clouds shade the land, more of it the more clouded the sky. The shade stays on the ground and drifts with the wind, so you walk in and out of it.	On or off	Off
Cloud Shadow Strength `cloud_shadows.strength_share`	How much of the sun’s light the thickest cloud takes away.	0.25 to 1 a share, 0 none and 1 all	`0.7`