NWNCX Suggestion - open "hard coded" visual effects to modification/addition

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               Hey virusman, if you are still working on this, I'd like to toss an idea out there:

How about stacking multiple VFX models on one weapon.

Currently, it appears that no matter what I do to a weapon VFX file, I can't force the engine to load them both. But if it was coded into the extension so that it would load any/all, we could make even more use out of the extension's new VFX capabilities, and in less 2da consumption. I think this would be exceptionally useful for dual weapons, where I could make a set of VFX for blade A and another for blade B, then select them both in the toolset, lightning on one and acid on the other, for example. As it stands right now, I'm making a VFX entry for every combination. I could also have a bunch of base VFX and some modifying VFX...say I want flames, but I also want motes, or an inner glow.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               ShaDoOoW, I've now selected out a bunch of stuff to make shuriken effects with, including the bioware shuriken models. As soon as I am finished with my weapon VFX gmax script for the vault, I will be starting a spell effects series to match some of my PNP spells, so I will probably get some shuriken goodies out to you.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

Nevermind. '>

Open face helmets:
http://data.virusman...nwncx-0.2.5.rar

Add dummy node named "nwncx_openface" to your model, and the game won't remove the head when you equip the helmet.

I dont think this is enough. Heads arent standartized, every head is different, especially for hairy heads, this solution (as well as vfx one) is not perfect. I don't know how to workaround it, the hairs are the biggest problem but I suppose they couldn't be removed from head without new head models somehow. And making an adjustion for each problematic head is probably nonsense.

 

How is this solved in the newer games?

 

 

I'm still not sure it's the best way, but it seemed better than VFX. Anyway, even if you want to use VFX, you can create an empty model just with that dummy node and apply any kind of VFX in OnEquip script.

If I create an empty model it wont be visible on a ground. Even if I create a 10x10 pix black ball (which would worked) it will show like this on ground which is not what I would want when I would want to use this for a 2x2 head equiiped ioun stone where I would want to use a gem ground model etc.

 

We need a new feature to specify that this model should not render on head. But then, this can be be workarounded by a unequip or solved by serverside nwnx so maybe redundant.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Gruftlord]

               

newer games? i can only speak for Skyrim if that is of interest, but that uses a face sculpturing machanic, so it's set up completelly different.

anyway, the main heads are all bald and you chose which hair you want to use in the character creation process.

for the helmets flags exist which hair parts it coveres (complete head, hair (upper) or hair (long/lower, like pony tails)). then you just flip the flags in the toolset for each helmet, that works the best based on the helmet mesh (i.e. diadems show everything, hoods cover the long hair, tight fitting helmets cover long and upper hair and full helmets cover the whole head.) also, different options are implemented for different races (e.g. cat like races with lots of hair on their head might hide their upper hair, when human races might still show it on the same helmet)

 

so it's built into the game from the ground up. to get anything like it working in NWN first bald heads would be needed, and hair as vfx. and it should be possible to apply hair and helmet vfx simultaneously.

 

edit: another idea: transparent hair color maybe? an then when a helmet vfx is applied, that needs to hide the hair, the color is automatically changed to transparent, and back again after removal. this might be a solution that is doable by scripts alone, maybe (without tediously splitting all head and hair on a mesh level first)