Overview
So far, we’ve explored Display Settings, Anti-Aliasing, Frame Generation, Render Scaling, Terrain Level of Detail, Object Level of Detail, Texture Resolution, Texture Filtering and Cloud Quality.
In this lesson we’re going to explore another major graphics category:
Shadows.
Shadows are one of the biggest contributors to realism in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Without shadows…
The simulator would appear flat and unrealistic.
Buildings would appear to float.
Aircraft would lose depth.
Cockpits would look artificial.
Mountains would lose definition.
However…
Every shadow must be calculated and rendered.
The more shadows the simulator creates…
The harder your hardware must work.
Understanding each shadow setting will allow you to improve visual quality without wasting valuable GPU performance.
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson you will understand:
What Shadow Maps are.
What Terrain Shadows do.
What Contact Shadows do.
How Aircraft Shadows work.
How Building Shadows work.
How Cockpit Shadows improve realism.
Which shadow settings affect the CPU.
Which shadow settings affect the GPU.
How to choose the best shadow settings for your PC.
1. What Are Shadows?
Every object in Microsoft Flight Simulator interacts with light.
Examples include:
- Buildings
- Aircraft
- Mountains
- Trees
- Bridges
- Vehicles
- Cockpit controls
- Clouds
Whenever light is blocked…
A shadow is created.
The simulator must calculate:
Where the light is coming from.
Which objects block it.
Where the shadow falls.
How dark it should be.
How sharp it should be.
How it changes as the sun moves.
All of this must happen every frame.
Think Of The Sun
Imagine standing outside on a sunny day.
As the sun moves…
Your shadow moves.
Buildings cast shadows.
Trees cast shadows.
Cars cast shadows.
Now imagine calculating every one of those shadows sixty times every second.
That’s exactly what your GPU is doing.
2. Shadow Maps
Shadow Maps control the overall quality and resolution of shadows throughout the simulator.
This is the master shadow setting.
Higher Shadow Maps produce:
Sharper edges.
More detailed shadows.
Less shimmering.
Better definition.
Lower Shadow Maps produce:
Softer shadows.
Lower detail.
More visible aliasing.
Reduced GPU workload.
Visual Difference
Low
Soft.
Blurry.
Jagged edges.
Medium
Improved clarity.
Good balance.
High
Sharp.
Natural.
Well-defined.
Ultra
Maximum quality.
Excellent realism.
Highest GPU workload.
Performance Impact
Mainly GPU
Very little direct CPU impact.
One of the more demanding GPU settings.
3. Terrain Shadows
Terrain Shadows allow mountains and terrain features to cast realistic shadows across the landscape.
Examples include:
Mountains.
Cliffs.
Hills.
Valleys.
Large rock formations.
Terrain Shadows become especially noticeable during:
Sunrise.
Sunset.
Low winter sun.
Mountain flying.
Why They’re Important
Without Terrain Shadows…
Mountains appear flatter.
The landscape loses depth.
Terrain can look unrealistic.
With Terrain Shadows enabled…
The world gains depth and realism.
Performance Impact
Mostly GPU.
Small additional CPU workload because the terrain still has to be prepared, but the rendering of the shadows is primarily handled by the graphics card.
4. Contact Shadows
Contact Shadows are small shadows created where two objects meet.
Examples include:
Aircraft tyres touching the runway.
Landing gear.
Airport vehicles.
Steps.
Jetways.
Ground equipment.
Cockpit switches.
These tiny shadows add realism by preventing objects from appearing to “float.”
Visual Difference
Without Contact Shadows:
Objects may appear disconnected from the ground.
With Contact Shadows:
Objects appear grounded and more realistic.
Performance Impact
Primarily GPU.
Usually a moderate GPU setting.
5. Aircraft Shadows
Aircraft Shadows determine how your aircraft casts shadows.
Examples include:
Wing shadows.
Tail shadows.
Landing gear shadows.
Engine shadows.
Fuselage shadows.
These shadows move dynamically depending on:
Sun position.
Aircraft attitude.
Time of day.
Cockpit Effect
During flight…
The wings may cast shadows across the cockpit.
This greatly increases immersion.
Performance Impact
Mostly GPU.
Very small CPU involvement.
6. Building Shadows
Buildings cast shadows onto:
Roads.
Pavements.
Parks.
Airports.
Other buildings.
These moving shadows make cities appear much more realistic.
Low Setting
Simpler shadows.
Reduced distance.
Lower GPU load.
High Setting
Detailed city shadows.
Longer draw distance.
Improved realism.
Higher GPU usage.
Performance Impact
Mostly GPU.
In very dense cities, there may be a small increase in CPU workload due to the larger number of objects being managed, but rendering the shadows remains primarily a GPU task.
7. Cockpit Shadows
Cockpit Shadows affect:
Panels.
Seats.
Control columns.
Overhead panels.
Flight controls.
Switches.
These shadows move as the aircraft changes direction relative to the sun.
Why They Matter
Cockpit Shadows greatly improve immersion.
The cockpit feels more three-dimensional.
Controls appear to have real depth.
Without them…
Cockpits can appear flat and unrealistic.
Performance Impact
Mostly GPU.
Usually a relatively small performance cost compared with larger outdoor shadow settings.
8. CPU vs GPU Impact
One of the most common questions is:
“Are shadows CPU or GPU intensive?”
The answer:
Mostly GPU.
The CPU prepares the scene and tells the GPU where objects are located.
The GPU then calculates and renders the shadows.
This means increasing shadow quality usually places far more load on the graphics card than the processor.
Summary Table
|
Shadow Setting |
CPU Impact |
GPU Impact |
|---|---|---|
|
Shadow Maps |
Low |
High |
|
Terrain Shadows |
Low |
High |
|
Contact Shadows |
Very Low |
Medium |
|
Aircraft Shadows |
Very Low |
Medium |
|
Building Shadows |
Low |
High |
|
Cockpit Shadows |
Very Low |
Low–Medium |
9. When Should You Increase Shadow Quality?
Increase shadow quality if:
- Your GPU has spare performance.
- You enjoy VFR flying.
- You enjoy sunrise and sunset flights.
- You value immersion.
- You fly in mountainous regions.
- You have a high-end graphics card.
10. When Should You Reduce Shadow Quality?
Reduce shadow quality if:
- Your GPU is consistently at very high utilisation.
- FPS drops significantly in cities.
- Heavy weather already places your GPU under load.
- You fly at 4K with many other demanding settings.
- You need additional GPU headroom.
Shadow settings are often one of the first places to look when reducing GPU load.
11. Common Myths
Myth 1
“Shadows mainly affect the CPU.”
False.
Shadows are primarily a GPU workload.
Myth 2
“Ultra Shadows are always worth it.”
Not necessarily.
The visual improvement from High to Ultra can be subtle, while the GPU cost may be noticeable.
Myth 3
“Turning shadows off doubles FPS.”
False.
Shadow quality is only one part of the overall graphics workload.
Student Exercise
Today we’re going to compare Shadow Quality.
Step 1
Load your Module 1 benchmark flight.
Use the same:
- Airport.
- Aircraft.
- Weather.
- Resolution.
For best results, choose a daytime flight with clear skies so shadows are easy to observe.
Step 2
Test:
- Medium
- High
- Ultra
Step 3
During each test, record:
- Average FPS.
- Lowest FPS.
- GPU utilisation.
- GPU temperature.
- Shadow sharpness.
- Cockpit realism.
- Building shadows.
- Terrain shadows.
- Overall smoothness.
Step 4
Compare your results.
Ask yourself:
- Which setting looked the most realistic?
- Was the visual improvement noticeable?
- How much additional GPU performance was required?
- Which shadow setting provides the best balance for your system?
Student Checklist
Shadow Maps tested.
Terrain Shadows compared.
Contact Shadows evaluated.
Aircraft Shadows observed.
Building Shadows reviewed.
Cockpit Shadows assessed.
GPU utilisation monitored.
Best shadow setting selected.
Lesson Summary
Congratulations.
You now understand how shadows influence both realism and performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Remember:
- Shadows give depth and realism to the simulator.
- Shadow Maps control the overall quality of most shadows.
- Terrain Shadows improve the appearance of mountains and landscapes.
- Contact Shadows help objects appear naturally connected to surfaces.
- Aircraft Shadows increase realism around your aircraft and cockpit.
- Building Shadows make cities feel more lifelike.
- Cockpit Shadows add depth and immersion inside the flight deck.
- Most shadow settings are GPU intensive, while the CPU plays a supporting role by preparing the scene.
- The best shadow settings are those that provide realistic lighting without overloading your graphics card.
Knowledge Check
- What do Shadow Maps control?
- Why are Terrain Shadows important in mountainous regions?
- What are Contact Shadows, and what visual problem do they solve?
- Which hardware component is primarily responsible for rendering shadows?
- Why do Building Shadows become more demanding in large cities?
- When might reducing shadow quality improve performance?
- Which shadow setting has the biggest visual impact inside the cockpit?
- Based on your benchmark testing, which shadow settings provide the best balance between realism and performance for your PC?