AD's Test Lab: Archery (and Other VFX) Upgrade

Just a shot showing what I did today.

I made all new models to replace the VFX quivers and arrows that characters can use. Here's a grey one with some regular arrows being tested by my archer.



No longer so square and boxy, the new quivers are more rounded and have brand new textures that look better with the new models.

The arrows now use Reforged arrow models as a base, and there are 7 visible in there instead of the old 4.



Not pictured is the other model work I did today: brand new models to replace the old VFX circlets. Those will be in the next hak update, too.


Yup. 336 new old models today.

Sweet!

How about the VFX Glasses ?

Or dig into a really old model... Tensors Floating Checkers Disc

Dude, I have no problem with the vfx glasses, other than the gold band - wish there was a way to make it a different color, for those PCs who don't use gold in their color scheme. Beyond that ...

RustyDios wrote:Sweet!

How about the VFX Glasses ?

Or dig into a really old model... Tensors Floating Checkers Disc

I really like the model for tenser's floating disc. I think it fits the spell perfectly.

The various lenses, we'll see.

A few non-magical spectacles of various shades perhaps?

I like that the new quivers will be more 'full". And the headbands, from what I could see in the screenshot, look MUCH better!

MannyJabrielle wrote:A few non-magical spectacles of various shades perhaps?

Sure, I can add some in. I'll put them in a shop in a big town (where someone can grind down glass into proper lenses).

I actually made one new set of lenses a year ago and got sidetracked before I could modify them for the various races/genders. So yesterday I did the modifications.

Here's some pics of upgraded lenses and circlets in-game.



Yup, I switched in silver for gold on half of the lenses. Not all colors are shown here. Keep in mind that the metal on these is thin, so it'll look best in-game with anti-aliasing turned all the way up.

Hawtness!

Ooh, pretty!

Sweet!.....Sweet!!...Sweet!

Love the new shades and circlets!!

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:I actually made one new set of lenses a year ago and got sidetracked before I could modify them for the various races/genders.

Sometimes I feel like Doug, that dog from Up!. You know how he can be on one task and then he

Squirrel!

Last night after the wife fell asleep I was working on adding some lenses to a new shop in Macedone. Then I decided I needed to add a ground model for a telescope item (just copied and renamed an existing placeable model). Then I went to work on a couple more frost giant models (adding a female shaman type and a male in armor). Then I read my email and imported a couple of items for RustyDios and tried for an area redo. Then I opened another email from MannyJabrielle and went to import an altered chest armor piece...and got distracted again trying to figure out exactly what needs to be done to integrate armor/clothing parts from both CEP and Project Q (which have a lot of parts in common (not sure about file naming), and a lot of overlapping 2da entries)...and then it was 3 am and I decided to get some sleep before my kids woke up. Oh, and I killed some people in CoD: Black Ops in there, too.

lol shiney?

And if you want help on merging the Q stuff, I could give you a hand with that. I've already been poking through the Q haks for one of my own projects.

It's just merging the clothing/armor stuff. I've done most everything else. And I kind of have to do it myself if I want to understand every bit of it and not get lost in the files and entries. Thanks, though.

I look forward to trying out the new styles!

My poorly-sighted wizardess just had some special glasses ground recently by Master Artificer Agamemnon, but certainly will be interested to look over the new arrivals.

(Maybe from that encounter, Master Aga realized that there's a need for a spectacle-maker and has started up a new business?)

And my shadowchild wizardess looks better in silver, too, so I'm interested to try on the new glasses and circlets.

You're amazing, ! I don't know how you do it all.

Can a helm with the Eyeglasses vfx take an upgrade and still preserve the vfx?

Like adding True Seeing to a pair of glasses?

Ramana Jala wrote:
Can a helm with the Eyeglasses vfx take an upgrade and still preserve the vfx?

Like adding True Seeing to a pair of glasses?

Like a DM upgrade? No.

The VFX helms are individually scripted in the module. So, while you could get such a helm upgraded with the property, the property would have no effect while using the VFX glasses...the upgrade property is on the helm item, but not scripted to be added to the player when the item is swapped out and the VFX applied (like with a headband of burning intellect).

Here's how the VFX headbands/lenses work:

1. helm item is equipped
2. script fires off that reads the helm's blueprint resref (they all use the same tag & script)
3. helm is unequipped
4. effects script starts, using the resref of the helm as a reference
5. effects script checks the resref against a list
6. if resref is on the list, the entry in the list determines what properties to add to the PC's "skin" item
7. the PC's old "skin" item is removed
- - this is why you'll get log messages saying you lost a PC properties item
8. new PC "skin" item is created in the PC's inventory
- - this is why you'll want a 2x2 spot of open inventory space when adding or removing a VFX-based head item
- - this is also why you'll get log messages about acquiring a PC properties item
9. properties are added to the "skin" item for: VFX headgear, certain classes, certain subraces, etc.
10. new "skin" item is equipped to the "creature hide" hidden inventory slot

I was wondering about that... couldn't the script check for properties on the item and then apply the additional ones as extraoridinary effects on the PC?

Thanks for the explanation, !

BTW, I always appreciate it when you take the time out of your busy day to illuminate the mechanics for us.

@Manny, I was thinking of those eyeglasses that Aga made Ranara, and how more appropriate it would be to put the TS on them rather than on her coat.

MannyJabrielle wrote:I was wondering about that... couldn't the script check for properties on the item and then apply the additional ones as extraoridinary effects on the PC?

It possibly could be adapted to do that, or to add the extra properties to the skin item... however I can see there being issues with removal, that the script won't know what properties to remove from the PC/skin....

What it could do with is a merger/un-merger style script that reads the helm item (and all it's properties) then does a "copy item and modify" style thing with the PC skin, setting a varible that says a helm is worn. When you next "equip" the helm (to actually un-equip it) the script fires in reverse... ..

If such things are possible then I'm sure will be the one to figure out how it is done, and implement it in such a way that to us mere players the system seems fluent and the mechanics aren't even noticeable .... .... ...

That's why I suggested applying as an extraordinary effect on PC rather than permant property skin items. Skip the whole making thousands upon thousands of new skins for every subrace to account for not just every single property, but every combination of the hundreds of upgrades DMs can do, then modifying the script to swap in the proper skin after determining which one is the right one to swap in.... simpler to apply it as an effect.