Shadow Creature Possible?

[Samurai Fox]

Hey guys was curious to see if this was possible in UDK.

So bassically what I want is a creature/monster thats a "Shadow". I'm not going to go into detail what for and such, but was wondering if it's possible.

(all this would be done in 3Ds Max)

Now my first idea on how to make this is model the creature/monster in the shape I want. then make the material transparent... AKA set the opacity to 100. Then import it to UDK and I if all goes well it'd have a shadow but you wouldn't actually see the real model.

I tried doing this with a Box. but when I made the texture in photoshop it wasn't transparent even when I made the layer's opacity 100 or 0 (which ever). In UDK it came up just as a white texture. So I haven't been able to test the actual texture first.

So in summary:

1: Is it possible to have a transparent model cast a shadow.

2: How do I make a transparent texture in Photoshop that actually works in UDK?

Thanks for any help guys.

-Samurai Fox

[Henrik]

it won't be invisible until you hook up the alpha of the texture to opacity and set the properties of the material to the appropriate type.

[Jacky]

Select your actor, hit F4 then click Cast Hidden Shadows and then click Hidden under display?

[Samurai Fox]

Okay, So I tried what you said Jacky, and as far as I could tell I couldn't get a shadow with any object.

Henrik.. I made a completely transparent texture now (Don't know why it worked this time) but it does not cast A shadow... any suggestions?

Thanks for the help.

-Samurai Fox

[Jacky]

Well i had tried it before i posted here and it worked. Dont know why it doesnt cast shadows on your side.

[JessieG]

Put a regular texture on it thats not transparent or else it wont cast shadows. After turning on "hidden" in the meshes properties, look under lighting and there should be a "cast hidden shadows" option. Turn that on and see if it works for you.

[Samurai Fox]

Okay that "works" the shadows are just so faint after building the lighting. so it was very hard to tell if it had a shadow. anyway to make the shadow more "Crisp" or just easier to see?

Thanks

-Samurai Fox

[JessieG]

If its going to be moving, you don't put it in the scene as a static mesh. Static meshes use baked lighting. A mover, interp actor, or skeletal mesh will use dynamic shadows which will also be crisper than baked shadows.