[Question] Effects Modding

from Demigod Forums

Has anyone done any work with modding the visual effects for things?

I'm working on changing and adding visual effects and was wondering if anyone had already done anything with it, so I wouldn't have to duplicate their effort. My first simple effect manipulation didn't work out the way I would have expected, so I'm asking here before I resort to having to figure it out myself.

More specifically I'm interested in how files in the \texture\particles\ directories work and interact with the lua. I'm also definitely curious about RampTexture. It seems to be some sort of color gradient information (pseudo-alpha channelish), but I'm not sure.

What I know so far is that abilities are defined in demigod or item blueprints. They reference effects which are defined in EffectsTemplate.lua. EffectsTemplate.lua then defines what effects make up each ability based upon the level of visual settings. These effects are located in \effects\emitters\<sub>\<sub>\<sub>. These are the effects blueprints which then reference files in the \texture\particles\ directories.

I tried to make a simple mod wherein I modified one of the effect.dds files and then changed the reference in EffectsTemplate.lua. Instead of my effect showing up, it had no visual appearance. When I changed the reference to refer to the original file, but in the mod location, the original effect did show up.

I also know that part of the effects editor was left in the retail copy of demigods, however I wasn't able to get it to do much of anything. If anyone knows anything about it as well, that would be nice.

If no one else knows anything I'll try to keep this post relatively up to date with my progress.

2,243 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

Please upload your mode that doesn't work so we can test it for problems. 

Also if you have enabled debugging and the console the keys are CTRL-ALT-E to bring up the effects editor.

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

I got the texture working now. The problem is with the RampTexture. I'm not sure exactly what it does, but it is controlling the color appearance of the dds objects.

I modified removed everything from the Torch Bearer's fire ring animation except for the outer ring. I then altered the .dds that it references. I'm trying to make nice black flames. After trying a few direct ways, the best I could get was either faint pink flames, transparent flames, or invisible flames. That being the case, I backtracked to see if I could figure anything out. The following a picture showing a test. The smaller image on the left is the altered .dds file that contains the flame effect. I recolored the flames a variety of colors to see what sort of effects they would have. What seems to happen is that black doesn't show up. Black may be related with transparency with either some sort of shader effect (I've read something to that extent on some of the Supreme Commander Modding forums.). Regardless the picture is quite festive and animated the effect is even more striking. I'm almost tempted to put out Festive TB mod.

 

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from Demigod Forums Top

Change your blendmode from Blendmode = 3.00, to Blendmode = 0.00, The blend mode your using changes black to transparent.

Reply #4 from Demigod Forums Top

Yep. That did fix it. Thanks.

It is relatively simple then to change emitter colors. All you have to do is recolor the direct draw files it draws on. You also have to worry about the Blendmode for transparency.

Any ideas on what "RampTexture" does?

Any ideas on getting the Emitter editor to do anything? I've been unable to actually do anything besides just show up.

Otherwise, it might require editing the blueprint files by hand. I'm not sure what any of it does and I haven't gotten time to do trial and error tests yet. Do you know what they do, or know of some documentation about all of the emitter settings? Things like:    LifetimeCurve,     SizeCurve,     XPosCurve,     YPosCurve. If not, well there is a dev folder in the emitters that may have examples or base parts that can be used to figure things out.

Another minor note, I ran across the file: NamingKey.lua. It contains the match between effect file names and what they are. For example:

Filename              Type?              Description

U_G_EN_ATK,         attack,             "Ents attacks",

 

 

Reply #5 from Demigod Forums Top

Place your mouse where you want the particles to appear and press CTRL ALT E. That will place a fire emitter under your mouse. 

You can change the values in the emitter (It should open in a new window to change the values) If you want change the texture files you have to access them by the HotKeys (That should open a new window where you can select them) Sometimes it doesn't work but if you try a couple times it usually will.  The key is to use the keyboard as the mouse doesn't work that well for certain things.

Unpause the game and the emitter you made will have changed to the new settings.

Reply #6 from Demigod Forums Top

So I've botten some of the things to work in the editor. I have not been able to load a emitter blueprint. Every time I try to do so the editor crashes on me. Is there a trick to it or is it simple not possible with the demigods build we have?