16 replies to this topic

[Eldarion]

I've got a couple of questions about various glow effects in ROTWK.

First, the banner glows. For some reason they don't appear in my version, and while I'm happy about this, I'm also curious why, since I don't think I did anything to get rid of them. What code do I need to change to make sure they stay gone? (Short version: How do you remove banner glows?)

Second, leadership. If I wanted to change what texture is referenced for the leadership glow's alpha channel, what file would I edit? Also, is it possible to make the color of the glow be the House Color?

Third, forged blades. How do I change their color? And how might I go about, say, changing all of Gondor's forged blades to silver, while changing the Easterling forged blades (which are also blue) to a more bronze-like color?

[Ridder Geel]

Well for the Glow on the banners if you wish to quickly remove all i suggest you do this:
Open \data\scripts\scriptevents.xml
and change:

<EventList Name="BaseScriptFunctions">
		<!-- If there are any events that need to apply to all units, put them here. jba -->
	</EventList>

to

<EventList Name="BaseScriptFunctions">
		<!-- If there are any events that need to apply to all units, put them here. jba -->
	   <EventHandler EventName="OnCreated" ScriptFunctionName="OnBannerCreated" DebugSingleStep="false"/>
	</EventList>

And add this in\data\scripts\scripts.lua

function OnBannerCreated(self)
	ObjectHideSubObjectPermanently( self, "Glow", true )
end

That should do it real quick

The leadership thing is a caused by an FX

FXParticleSystem GenericLeadershipReceive
  System
	Priority = VERY_LOW_OR_ABOVE
	ParticleName = EXSplat.tga
	Lifetime = 15 15
	SystemLifetime = 15
	BurstCount = 1 1
  End
  Color = DefaultColor
	Color1 = R:171 G:126 B:33 0
	Color2 = R:0 G:0 B:0 15
  End
  Alpha = DefaultAlpha
	Alpha1 = 0 0 3
	Alpha2 = 0 0 5
  End
  Update = DefaultUpdate
	SizeRate = 2 2
	SizeRateDamping = 1.1 1.1
	AngleZ = 0 7
	AngularRateZ = 0.1 0.1
	AngularDamping = 1 1
	AngularDampingXY = 1 1
  End
  Physics = DefaultPhysics
	VelocityDamping = 0.5 0.5
  End
  EmissionVelocity = OutwardEmissionVelocity
  End
  EmissionVolume = PointEmissionVolume
  End
  Draw = DefaultDraw
  End
End

To change the color you only need to change this: Color1 = R:171 G:126 B:33 0
there are many kinds of leadership FX's so you should look in these files to see which leadership you want to edit:
attributemodifier.ini - the attrb mod that is usually defined in the hero/units leadership power
fxlist.ini - For multiple FX's for one 'thing'
fxparticlesystem - the FX's
Forged blades, there is a tutorial on that on the3rdage, look there - You can hex the model or import into renx and redo all kinds of things

[Eldarion]

Thanks for the tip on the banner glows.

For the leadership glow, I know how to change the color; what I'm wondering is if it's possible to make the color of the FX be determined by the House Color that the player chooses.

I'll look up the Forged Blades tutorial.

Another question: I'm trying to change the FX for Glorfindel's Blade of Purity ability. I know how to create a new FX (I plan to base it on Blademaster, just using a different particle and color), but after going through a dozen possible INI files and half a dozen tutorials, I can't find where the specific particle system (e.g. BladeMaster) is referenced in connection with the ability. Please help!

[Ridder Geel]

If you look in attributemodifier.ini and you search for BladeMaster or something like that you may find something
Sometimes its just defined in the hero's ini, maybe when a special hero mode is enabled the hero gets another 'model' state, this all depends on what you are doing.
Housecolors for leadership... Dont think so, but i have never tried that

[Eldarion]

Another question on this topic: Can somebody please tell me exactly where I can find the generic leadership FX (in fxparticlesystem.ini or elsewhere) so I can edit them? I tried changing what I thought was them (GenericLeadershipReceive), but it didn't work. I've gone completely through fxparticlesystem.ini and a couple other files, but can't find them.

[Sûlherokhh]

Here we go. The first one is the sparkles FX causing type of leadership:

'\data\ini\attributemodifier.ini'

ModifierList GenericHeroLeadership
	Category = SPELL 
	Modifier = EXPERIENCE 150% 
	Modifier = ARMOR 25% 
	Modifier = DAMAGE_MULT 125% 
	Duration = 3000
	FX = FX_GenericLeadership
End
...
ModifierList GenericArmorLeadership
	Category = BUFF
	Modifier = ARMOR 50%
	Duration = 3000
	FX = FX_GenericArmorLeadership
	ReplaceInCategoryIfLongest = Yes
	IgnoreIfAnticategoryActive = Yes
End
...
ModifierList GenericDamageLeadership
	Category = LEADERSHIP
	Modifier = DAMAGE_MULT 150%
	Duration = 3000
	FX = FX_GenericDamageLeadership
	ReplaceInCategoryIfLongest = Yes
	IgnoreIfAnticategoryActive = Yes
End

'data\ini\fxlist.ini'

FXList FX_GenericLeadership
	ParticleSystem
		Name = HighLevelLD
	End
End
...
FXList FX_GenericDamageLeadership
	BuffNugget
		BuffType = LeaderShip
		BuffInfantryTemplate = LeadershipBuffInfantryLvl1
		BuffCavalryTemplate = LeadershipBuffCavalryLvl1
		BuffTrollTemplate = LeadershipBuffTrollLvl1
		BuffOrcTemplate = LeadershipBuffOrcLvl1
		IsComplexBuff = No
		BuffLifeTime = 3000
	End
End
...
FXList FX_GenericArmorLeadership
	BuffNugget
		BuffType = Healing
		BuffInfantryTemplate = PositiveAtkBuff
		BuffCavalryTemplate = PositiveAtkBuff
		BuffTrollTemplate = PositiveAtkBuff
		BuffOrcTemplate = PositiveAtkBuff
		IsComplexBuff = No
		BuffLifeTime = 4000
	End
End

The first one uses the FX system to cause the sparkles:

'data\ini\fxparticlesystem.ini'

FXParticleSystem HighLevelLD
	System
		Priority = VERY_LOW_OR_ABOVE
		Type = GPU_PARTICLE
		ParticleName = EXGandalfStaffFlare.tga
		Lifetime = 20 20
		SystemLifetime = 25
		SortLevel = 1
		Size = 5 5
		BurstCount = 0.85 1.05
		IsEmitAboveGroundOnly = Yes
	End
	Color = DefaultColor
		Color2 = R:236 G:168 B:96 5
		Color3 = R:0 G:0 B:0 15
	End
	Alpha = DefaultAlpha
		Alpha1 = 1 1 14;10
		Alpha2 = 0 0 20
	End
	Update = DefaultUpdate
		SizeRate = 0.1 0.1
		SizeRateDamping = 1 1
		AngleZ = -5 5
		AngularRateZ = -0.03 0.03
		AngularDamping = 1 1
		AngularDampingXY = 1 1
	End
	Physics = DefaultPhysics
		VelocityDamping = 0.85 0.85
	End
	EmissionVelocity = OrthoEmissionVelocity
		X = -1.2 1.2;-1 1
		Y = -1.2 1.2;-1 1
		Z = 0.25 0.5
	End
	EmissionVolume = LineEmissionVolume
		StartPoint = X:-7 Y:0 Z:8
		EndPoint = X:3 Y:0 Z:8
	End
	Draw = GpuDraw
		FramesPerRow = 1
		TotalFrames = 1
		SpeedMultiplier = 1
	End
End

The second and third use the 'BuffNugget' command to cause an object ('a BUFF') to temporarily highlight the buffed object ('the glowy circle aroound the feet'). As could be seen above, which type is shown depends on the KINDOF of the object like 'CAVALRY', 'ORC' or 'TROLL_BUFF_NUGGET'. Here is the default INFANTRY type:

'data\ini\object\system\buff.ini'

Object LeadershipBuffInfantryLvl1
; *** ART Parameters ***
; The W3DBuffDraw handles normal drawing -- this happens in the 
; W3DBuffBuffer, and there is no corresponding drawable or object.
	Draw = W3DBuffDraw ModuleTag_Buff01
		ModelName = EXLeaderbuff
		PreDraw = Yes
	End
; ***DESIGN parameters ***
	EditorSorting = SYSTEM
	ArmorSet
		Armor = NoArmor
	End
	VisionRange = 0.0
; *** ENGINEERING Parameters ***
	KindOf = BUFF
	Shadow = NONE
End

'PreDraw = Yes' means the object is always drawn first, which means it will be always behind/beneath the highlighted object. The buff-models are simple models and can be modified to look different or to behave differently (different location, swirling, you name it). Just look at them in the W3Dviewer, they are basically a Model+Animation in a single thing.

[Eldarion]

Thanks - that was quite helpful . However, now I've got another problem. As you can see in the following screenshot, I've replaced the standard leadership glow model with particle FX (FX are very much still a WIP):


The FX appear just fine, but when the source of the leadership (in this case, Elrond), moves away, the FX do not disappear - they just continue, unchanged, indefinitely.

Here's the code for my FX in fxparticlesystem.ini:

FXParticleSystem GenericLeadership
  System
	Priority = VERY_LOW_OR_ABOVE
	ParticleName = EXRing01.tga
	Lifetime = 5 5
	SortLevel = 1
	Size = 2 4
	BurstCount = 1 1
	IsEmitAboveGroundOnly = yes
	IsGroundAligned = yes
  End
  Color = DefaultColor
	Color2 = R:163 G:132 B:59 5;;;R:91 G:30 B:30 5
	Color3 = R:0 G:0 B:0 15
	Color4 = R:32 G:32 B:32 0
  End
  Update = DefaultUpdate
	SizeRate = 1 1
	SizeRateDamping = 1 1
	AngleZ = 0 7
	AngularRateZ = -0.1 0.1
	AngularDamping = 1 1
	AngularDampingXY = 1 1
  End
  Physics = DefaultPhysics
	VelocityDamping = 1 1
  End
  EmissionVelocity = OrthoEmissionVelocity
	X = -0.5 0.5
	Y = -0.5 0.5
	Z = 0 0.5
  End
  EmissionVolume = LineEmissionVolume
	StartPoint = X:0 Y:0 Z:1
	EndPoint = X:0 Y:0 Z:1
  End
  Draw = DefaultDraw
  End
End

Anybody got any idea what I'm not doing or doing wrong?

[Sûlherokhh]

It doesn't have a systemlifetime.

[Eldarion]

Thanks for the tip - worked like a charm . The FX come and go when they should, now.

[Sûlherokhh]

Great.
About the banner glow. That is the CE thing. Playing with the CE gives the player the upgrade 'Upgrade_AllFactionUpgrade'. It unlocks a few specials, like the banner glow, the star on top of CaH's, a differently colored dragon, a lightning-filled, tornado, etc. Just make a file search for the upgrade to see where it triggers what. On one occasion it summons (via OCL) a different fire dragon object (childobject) that has the only known CE-only advantage of reacting faster You can now make the game really unfair and absolutely easy for CE users if you wish. Not a good idea though. I'd either remove all CE-upgrade references completely or give it to all faction from the start. Wasn't sure if you knew about this.

[Eldarion]

I see...I don't have the CE, so I didn't know that. Is there a way to easily disable the modified content universally? I recall that when I saw screenshots of the CE, I hated every single change.

[Sûlherokhh]

Yes. Search for the upgrade. Then remod the reference. In some cases just remove the relevant section (like the additional w3d-draw-modules for the CaH's and the banner carriers), remove the complete OCL subsection for the dragonOCL that has 'NeededUpgrade=' in it and delete the 'ForbiddenUpgrade=' in the subsection above that, and so on. There should be only two handfulls of references and is done in an hour, if you know what you are doing.

[otsutsuki.asura]

Hello!
I have a question in the question about this topic. I'm playing with Rj-Rotwk and for a better control of my units it would be useful see the level stars above the bannercarrier as like as in original ROTWK and BFME2. Is there any way to unlock it? I searched for a long time the code that controls this but never find anything about...

[Malhakai]

Following the same guide posted above, what would be required to disable the visual effects of silverthorn arrows/forged blades/fire arrows?

 

<EventList Name="BaseScriptFunctions">
        <!-- If there are any events that need to apply to all units, put them here. jba -->
     <EventHandler EventName="OnCreated" ScriptFunctionName="OnBannerCreated" DebugSingleStep="false"/>
    </EventList>

 

I assume OnForgedBladesCreated = Forged Blades, OnSilverThornArrowsCreated = Silver Thorn Arrows, OnFireArrowsCreated = Fire Arrows?

[Ridder Geel]

Those effects are determined in the ini's themselves, you can just comment the showobject stuff in the inis

[Malhakai]

Ah, so in each individual units ini - I see, Thank-you.

 

So uncommenting ( anything that says 'showobject' when referring to the upgrades will only hide the visual, but still allow the upgrade stats right?

[Ridder Geel]

Yep