Stepped update of directional shadow maps

doc/classes/ProjectSettings.xml

@@ -2177,6 +2177,9 @@
 		<member name="rendering/lights_and_shadows/directional_shadow/soft_shadow_filter_quality.mobile" type="int" setter="" getter="" default="0">
 			Lower-end override for [member rendering/lights_and_shadows/directional_shadow/soft_shadow_filter_quality] on mobile devices, due to performance concerns or driver support.
 		</member>
+		<member name="rendering/lights_and_shadows/directional_shadow/step_cascades" type="int" setter="" getter="" default="0">
+			Sets the default cascade step mode applied to our viewports.
+		</member>
 		<member name="rendering/lights_and_shadows/positional_shadow/atlas_16_bits" type="bool" setter="" getter="" default="true">
 			Use 16 bits for shadow depth map. Enabling this results in shadows having less precision and may result in shadow acne, but can lead to performance improvements on some devices.
 		</member>

doc/classes/RenderingServer.xml

@@ -3195,6 +3195,13 @@
 				Once finished with your RID, you will want to free the RID using the RenderingServer's [method free_rid] static method.
 			</description>
 		</method>
+		<method name="viewport_get_cascade_mode" qualifiers="const">
+			<return type="int" enum="RenderingServer.ViewportCascadeMode" />
+			<param index="0" name="viewport" type="RID" />
+			<description>
+				Obtain the cascade step mode for a given viewport.
+			</description>
+		</method>
 		<method name="viewport_get_measured_render_time_cpu" qualifiers="const">
 			<return type="float" />
 			<param index="0" name="viewport" type="RID" />
@@ -3266,6 +3273,14 @@
 				Sets the transformation of a viewport's canvas.
 			</description>
 		</method>
+		<method name="viewport_set_cascade_mode">
+			<return type="void" />
+			<param index="0" name="viewport" type="RID" />
+			<param index="1" name="mode" type="int" enum="RenderingServer.ViewportCascadeMode" />
+			<description>
+				Sets the cascade step mode of a viewport. See [enum ViewportCascadeMode] for options.
+			</description>
+		</method>
 		<method name="viewport_set_clear_mode">
 			<return type="void" />
 			<param index="0" name="viewport" type="RID" />
@@ -4354,6 +4369,18 @@
 		<constant name="VIEWPORT_VRS_MAX" value="3" enum="ViewportVRSMode">
 			Represents the size of the [enum ViewportVRSMode] enum.
 		</constant>
+		<constant name="VIEWPORT_CASCADE_ALL" value="0" enum="ViewportCascadeMode">
+			All directional shadow map cascades are updated each frame.
+		</constant>
+		<constant name="VIEWPORT_CASCADE_TWOSTEP" value="1" enum="ViewportCascadeMode">
+			Cascades 1 and 2 are updated each frame, 3 and 4 alternate between frames.
+		</constant>
+		<constant name="VIEWPORT_CASCADE_FOURSTEP" value="2" enum="ViewportCascadeMode">
+			Cascades are updated in the following repeating sequence: 1 + 2, 1 + 3, 1 + 2, 1 + 4.
+		</constant>
+		<constant name="VIEWPORT_CASCADE_MAX" value="3" enum="ViewportCascadeMode">
+			Representes the size of the [enum ViewportCascadeMode] enum.
+		</constant>
 		<constant name="SKY_MODE_AUTOMATIC" value="0" enum="SkyMode">
 		</constant>
 		<constant name="SKY_MODE_QUALITY" value="1" enum="SkyMode">

doc/classes/Viewport.xml

@@ -238,6 +238,9 @@
 		<member name="debug_draw" type="int" setter="set_debug_draw" getter="get_debug_draw" enum="Viewport.DebugDraw" default="0">
 			The overlay mode for test rendered geometry in debug purposes.
 		</member>
+		<member name="directional_shadow_atlas_cascade_mode" type="int" setter="set_cascade_mode" getter="get_cascade_mode" enum="Viewport.CascadeMode" default="0">
+			The directinal shadow map cascade mode. See [enum CascadeMode] for options.
+		</member>
 		<member name="disable_3d" type="bool" setter="set_disable_3d" getter="is_3d_disabled" default="false">
 			Disable 3D rendering (but keep 2D rendering).
 		</member>
@@ -582,5 +585,17 @@
 		<constant name="VRS_MAX" value="3" enum="VRSMode">
 			Represents the size of the [enum VRSMode] enum.
 		</constant>
+		<constant name="CASCADE_ALL" value="0" enum="CascadeMode">
+			All directional shadow map cascades are updated each frame.
+		</constant>
+		<constant name="CASCADE_TWOSTEP" value="1" enum="CascadeMode">
+			Cascades 1 and 2 are updated each frame, 3 and 4 alternate between frames.
+		</constant>
+		<constant name="CASCADE_FOURSTEP" value="2" enum="CascadeMode">
+			Cascades are updated in the following repeating sequence: 1 + 2, 1 + 3, 1 + 2, 1 + 4.
+		</constant>
+		<constant name="CASCADE_MAX" value="3" enum="CascadeMode">
+			Representes the size of the [enum CascadeMode] enum.
+		</constant>
 	</constants>
 </class>

drivers/gles3/rasterizer_scene_gles3.cpp

@@ -1696,7 +1696,7 @@ void RasterizerSceneGLES3::_setup_lights(const RenderDataGLES3 *p_render_data, b
 	glBindBuffer(GL_UNIFORM_BUFFER, 0);
 }
 
-void RasterizerSceneGLES3::render_scene(const Ref<RenderSceneBuffers> &p_render_buffers, const CameraData *p_camera_data, const CameraData *p_prev_camera_data, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lights, const PagedArray<RID> &p_reflection_probes, const PagedArray<RID> &p_voxel_gi_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_decals, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lightmaps, const PagedArray<RID> &p_fog_volumes, RID p_environment, RID p_camera_attributes, RID p_shadow_atlas, RID p_occluder_debug_tex, RID p_reflection_atlas, RID p_reflection_probe, int p_reflection_probe_pass, float p_screen_mesh_lod_threshold, const RenderShadowData *p_render_shadows, int p_render_shadow_count, const RenderSDFGIData *p_render_sdfgi_regions, int p_render_sdfgi_region_count, const RenderSDFGIUpdateData *p_sdfgi_update_data, RenderingMethod::RenderInfo *r_render_info) {
+void RasterizerSceneGLES3::render_scene(const Ref<RenderSceneBuffers> &p_render_buffers, const CameraData *p_camera_data, const CameraData *p_prev_camera_data, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lights, const PagedArray<RID> &p_reflection_probes, const PagedArray<RID> &p_voxel_gi_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_decals, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lightmaps, const PagedArray<RID> &p_fog_volumes, RID p_environment, RID p_camera_attributes, RID p_shadow_atlas, RID p_occluder_debug_tex, RID p_viewport, RID p_reflection_atlas, RID p_reflection_probe, int p_reflection_probe_pass, float p_screen_mesh_lod_threshold, const RenderShadowData *p_render_shadows, int p_render_shadow_count, const RenderSDFGIData *p_render_sdfgi_regions, int p_render_sdfgi_region_count, const RenderSDFGIUpdateData *p_sdfgi_update_data, RenderingMethod::RenderInfo *r_render_info) {
 	GLES3::TextureStorage *texture_storage = GLES3::TextureStorage::get_singleton();
 	GLES3::Config *config = GLES3::Config::get_singleton();
 	RENDER_TIMESTAMP("Setup 3D Scene");

drivers/gles3/rasterizer_scene_gles3.h

@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ class RasterizerSceneGLES3 : public RendererSceneRender {
 
 	void voxel_gi_set_quality(RS::VoxelGIQuality) override;
 
-	void render_scene(const Ref<RenderSceneBuffers> &p_render_buffers, const CameraData *p_camera_data, const CameraData *p_prev_camera_data, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lights, const PagedArray<RID> &p_reflection_probes, const PagedArray<RID> &p_voxel_gi_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_decals, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lightmaps, const PagedArray<RID> &p_fog_volumes, RID p_environment, RID p_camera_attributes, RID p_shadow_atlas, RID p_occluder_debug_tex, RID p_reflection_atlas, RID p_reflection_probe, int p_reflection_probe_pass, float p_screen_mesh_lod_threshold, const RenderShadowData *p_render_shadows, int p_render_shadow_count, const RenderSDFGIData *p_render_sdfgi_regions, int p_render_sdfgi_region_count, const RenderSDFGIUpdateData *p_sdfgi_update_data = nullptr, RenderingMethod::RenderInfo *r_render_info = nullptr) override;
+	void render_scene(const Ref<RenderSceneBuffers> &p_render_buffers, const CameraData *p_camera_data, const CameraData *p_prev_camera_data, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lights, const PagedArray<RID> &p_reflection_probes, const PagedArray<RID> &p_voxel_gi_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_decals, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lightmaps, const PagedArray<RID> &p_fog_volumes, RID p_environment, RID p_camera_attributes, RID p_shadow_atlas, RID p_occluder_debug_tex, RID p_viewport, RID p_reflection_atlas, RID p_reflection_probe, int p_reflection_probe_pass, float p_screen_mesh_lod_threshold, const RenderShadowData *p_render_shadows, int p_render_shadow_count, const RenderSDFGIData *p_render_sdfgi_regions, int p_render_sdfgi_region_count, const RenderSDFGIUpdateData *p_sdfgi_update_data = nullptr, RenderingMethod::RenderInfo *r_render_info = nullptr) override;
 	void render_material(const Transform3D &p_cam_transform, const Projection &p_cam_projection, bool p_cam_orthogonal, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, RID p_framebuffer, const Rect2i &p_region) override;
 	void render_particle_collider_heightfield(RID p_collider, const Transform3D &p_transform, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances) override;
 

drivers/gles3/storage/light_storage.cpp

@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ void LightStorage::light_instance_set_aabb(RID p_light_instance, const AABB &p_a
 	light_instance->aabb = p_aabb;
 }
 
-void LightStorage::light_instance_set_shadow_transform(RID p_light_instance, const Projection &p_projection, const Transform3D &p_transform, float p_far, float p_split, int p_pass, float p_shadow_texel_size, float p_bias_scale, float p_range_begin, const Vector2 &p_uv_scale) {
+void LightStorage::light_instance_set_shadow_transform(RID p_light_instance, const Projection &p_projection, const Transform3D &p_transform, float p_far, float p_split, int p_pass, float p_shadow_texel_size, float p_bias_scale, float p_range_begin, const Vector2 &p_uv_scale, RID p_viewport) {
 }
 
 void LightStorage::light_instance_mark_visible(RID p_light_instance) {

drivers/gles3/storage/light_storage.h

@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ class LightStorage : public RendererLightStorage {
 
 	virtual void light_instance_set_transform(RID p_light_instance, const Transform3D &p_transform) override;
 	virtual void light_instance_set_aabb(RID p_light_instance, const AABB &p_aabb) override;
-	virtual void light_instance_set_shadow_transform(RID p_light_instance, const Projection &p_projection, const Transform3D &p_transform, float p_far, float p_split, int p_pass, float p_shadow_texel_size, float p_bias_scale = 1.0, float p_range_begin = 0, const Vector2 &p_uv_scale = Vector2()) override;
+	virtual void light_instance_set_shadow_transform(RID p_light_instance, const Projection &p_projection, const Transform3D &p_transform, float p_far, float p_split, int p_pass, float p_shadow_texel_size, float p_bias_scale = 1.0, float p_range_begin = 0, const Vector2 &p_uv_scale = Vector2(), RID p_viewport = RID()) override;
 	virtual void light_instance_mark_visible(RID p_light_instance) override;
 
 	_FORCE_INLINE_ RS::LightType light_instance_get_type(RID p_light_instance) {
@@ -423,6 +423,11 @@ class LightStorage : public RendererLightStorage {
 	virtual void directional_shadow_atlas_set_size(int p_size, bool p_16_bits = true) override;
 	virtual int get_directional_light_shadow_size(RID p_light_intance) override;
 	virtual void set_directional_shadow_count(int p_count) override;
+
+	virtual bool directional_shadow_get_needs_full_update(RID p_viewport) const override { return false; }
+	virtual void directional_shadow_set_needs_full_update(RID p_viewport, bool p_needs_update) override {}
+
+	virtual void cleanup_directional_shadow_viewport(RID p_viewport) override {}
 };
 
 } // namespace GLES3

editor/editor_node.cpp

@@ -535,6 +535,9 @@ void EditorNode::_update_from_settings() {
 	Viewport::MSAA msaa = Viewport::MSAA(int(GLOBAL_GET("rendering/anti_aliasing/quality/msaa_2d")));
 	scene_root->set_msaa_2d(msaa);
 
+	Viewport::CascadeMode cascade_mode = Viewport::CascadeMode(int(GLOBAL_GET("rendering/lights_and_shadows/directional_shadow/step_cascades")));
+	scene_root->set_cascade_mode(cascade_mode);
+
 	float mesh_lod_threshold = GLOBAL_GET("rendering/mesh_lod/lod_change/threshold_pixels");
 	scene_root->set_mesh_lod_threshold(mesh_lod_threshold);
 

scene/main/viewport.cpp

@@ -3276,6 +3276,26 @@ Ref<Texture2D> Viewport::get_vrs_texture() const {
 	return vrs_texture;
 }
 
+void Viewport::set_cascade_mode(Viewport::CascadeMode p_cascade_mode) {
+	cascade_mode = p_cascade_mode;
+
+	switch (cascade_mode) {
+		case CASCADE_TWOSTEP: {
+			RS::get_singleton()->viewport_set_cascade_mode(viewport, RS::VIEWPORT_CASCADE_TWOSTEP);
+		} break;
+		case CASCADE_FOURSTEP: {
+			RS::get_singleton()->viewport_set_cascade_mode(viewport, RS::VIEWPORT_CASCADE_FOURSTEP);
+		} break;
+		default: {
+			RS::get_singleton()->viewport_set_cascade_mode(viewport, RS::VIEWPORT_CASCADE_ALL);
+		} break;
+	}
+}
+
+Viewport::CascadeMode Viewport::get_cascade_mode() const {
+	return cascade_mode;
+}
+
 DisplayServer::WindowID Viewport::get_window_id() const {
 	return DisplayServer::MAIN_WINDOW_ID;
 }
@@ -3993,6 +4013,9 @@ void Viewport::_bind_methods() {
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("set_vrs_texture", "texture"), &Viewport::set_vrs_texture);
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("get_vrs_texture"), &Viewport::get_vrs_texture);
 
+	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("set_cascade_mode", "mode"), &Viewport::set_cascade_mode);
+	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("get_cascade_mode"), &Viewport::get_cascade_mode);
+
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::BOOL, "disable_3d"), "set_disable_3d", "is_3d_disabled");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::BOOL, "use_xr"), "set_use_xr", "is_using_xr");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::BOOL, "own_world_3d"), "set_use_own_world_3d", "is_using_own_world_3d");
@@ -4040,6 +4063,10 @@ void Viewport::_bind_methods() {
 	ADD_GROUP("SDF", "sdf_");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::INT, "sdf_oversize", PROPERTY_HINT_ENUM, "100%,120%,150%,200%"), "set_sdf_oversize", "get_sdf_oversize");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::INT, "sdf_scale", PROPERTY_HINT_ENUM, "100%,50%,25%"), "set_sdf_scale", "get_sdf_scale");
+#ifndef _3D_DISABLED
+	ADD_GROUP("Directional Shadow Atlas", "directional_shadow_atlas_");
+	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::INT, "directional_shadow_atlas_cascade_mode", PROPERTY_HINT_ENUM, "All (Slowest),Two step (Faster),Four step (Fastest)"), "set_cascade_mode", "get_cascade_mode");
+#endif
 	ADD_GROUP("Positional Shadow Atlas", "positional_shadow_atlas_");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::INT, "positional_shadow_atlas_size"), "set_positional_shadow_atlas_size", "get_positional_shadow_atlas_size");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::BOOL, "positional_shadow_atlas_16_bits"), "set_positional_shadow_atlas_16_bits", "get_positional_shadow_atlas_16_bits");
@@ -4139,6 +4166,11 @@ void Viewport::_bind_methods() {
 	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(VRS_TEXTURE);
 	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(VRS_XR);
 	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(VRS_MAX);
+
+	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(CASCADE_ALL);
+	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(CASCADE_TWOSTEP);
+	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(CASCADE_FOURSTEP);
+	BIND_ENUM_CONSTANT(CASCADE_MAX);
 }
 
 void Viewport::_validate_property(PropertyInfo &p_property) const {
@@ -4187,6 +4219,7 @@ Viewport::Viewport() {
 	set_scaling_3d_scale(GLOBAL_GET("rendering/scaling_3d/scale"));
 	set_fsr_sharpness((float)GLOBAL_GET("rendering/scaling_3d/fsr_sharpness"));
 	set_texture_mipmap_bias((float)GLOBAL_GET("rendering/textures/default_filters/texture_mipmap_bias"));
+	set_cascade_mode(CascadeMode(int(GLOBAL_GET("rendering/lights_and_shadows/directional_shadow/step_cascades"))));
 #endif // _3D_DISABLED
 
 	set_sdf_oversize(sdf_oversize); // Set to server.

scene/main/viewport.h

@@ -204,6 +204,13 @@ class Viewport : public Node {
 		VRS_MAX
 	};
 
+	enum CascadeMode {
+		CASCADE_ALL,
+		CASCADE_TWOSTEP,
+		CASCADE_FOURSTEP,
+		CASCADE_MAX
+	};
+
 private:
 	friend class ViewportTexture;
 
@@ -348,6 +355,9 @@ class Viewport : public Node {
 	VRSMode vrs_mode = VRS_DISABLED;
 	Ref<Texture2D> vrs_texture;
 
+	// Directional shadow cascade
+	CascadeMode cascade_mode = CASCADE_ALL;
+
 	struct GUI {
 		// info used when this is a window
 
@@ -638,6 +648,11 @@ class Viewport : public Node {
 	void set_vrs_texture(Ref<Texture2D> p_texture);
 	Ref<Texture2D> get_vrs_texture() const;
 
+	// Directional shadow cascade
+
+	void set_cascade_mode(CascadeMode p_cascade_mode);
+	CascadeMode get_cascade_mode() const;
+
 	virtual DisplayServer::WindowID get_window_id() const = 0;
 
 	void set_embedding_subwindows(bool p_embed);
@@ -802,6 +817,7 @@ VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::DebugDraw);
 VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::SDFScale);
 VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::SDFOversize);
 VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::VRSMode);
+VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::CascadeMode);
 VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(SubViewport::ClearMode);
 VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::RenderInfo);
 VARIANT_ENUM_CAST(Viewport::RenderInfoType);

servers/rendering/dummy/rasterizer_scene_dummy.h

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class RasterizerSceneDummy : public RendererSceneRender {
 
 	void voxel_gi_set_quality(RS::VoxelGIQuality) override {}
 
-	void render_scene(const Ref<RenderSceneBuffers> &p_render_buffers, const CameraData *p_camera_data, const CameraData *p_prev_camera_data, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lights, const PagedArray<RID> &p_reflection_probes, const PagedArray<RID> &p_voxel_gi_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_decals, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lightmaps, const PagedArray<RID> &p_fog_volumes, RID p_environment, RID p_camera_attributes, RID p_shadow_atlas, RID p_occluder_debug_tex, RID p_reflection_atlas, RID p_reflection_probe, int p_reflection_probe_pass, float p_screen_mesh_lod_threshold, const RenderShadowData *p_render_shadows, int p_render_shadow_count, const RenderSDFGIData *p_render_sdfgi_regions, int p_render_sdfgi_region_count, const RenderSDFGIUpdateData *p_sdfgi_update_data = nullptr, RenderingMethod::RenderInfo *r_info = nullptr) override {}
+	void render_scene(const Ref<RenderSceneBuffers> &p_render_buffers, const CameraData *p_camera_data, const CameraData *p_prev_camera_data, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lights, const PagedArray<RID> &p_reflection_probes, const PagedArray<RID> &p_voxel_gi_instances, const PagedArray<RID> &p_decals, const PagedArray<RID> &p_lightmaps, const PagedArray<RID> &p_fog_volumes, RID p_environment, RID p_camera_attributes, RID p_shadow_atlas, RID p_occluder_debug_tex, RID p_viewport, RID p_reflection_atlas, RID p_reflection_probe, int p_reflection_probe_pass, float p_screen_mesh_lod_threshold, const RenderShadowData *p_render_shadows, int p_render_shadow_count, const RenderSDFGIData *p_render_sdfgi_regions, int p_render_sdfgi_region_count, const RenderSDFGIUpdateData *p_sdfgi_update_data = nullptr, RenderingMethod::RenderInfo *r_info = nullptr) override {}
 	void render_material(const Transform3D &p_cam_transform, const Projection &p_cam_projection, bool p_cam_orthogonal, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances, RID p_framebuffer, const Rect2i &p_region) override {}
 	void render_particle_collider_heightfield(RID p_collider, const Transform3D &p_transform, const PagedArray<RenderGeometryInstance *> &p_instances) override {}