VFX Items: Lenses, Circlets, and So On

Just a heads up on these special items...how they work and what does and doesn't work with them...

How they work:

1. You put on a set of eyes of minute seeing (or other such item).
2. The script checks to see if you've used the ;;option headvfx toggle to deactivate circlets/lenses.
2a. If you've used the toggle, you equip the item like a normal helm and nothing out of the NWN-ordinary happens.
2b. If you have not used the toggle, go on to step 3.
3. The script checks to see if you are already "wearing" a VFX item.
3a. If yes, it checks to see if it's the same one you're trying to equip.
3aa. If it's the same item, it "unequips" it instead (removing the VFX and properties).
3ab. If it's not the same item, nothing further happens (since you can't "wear" more than one of these at a time).
3b. If no, onto step 4.
4. The script checks the "helmet's" blueprint name against a list of programmed items.
5. The script immediately removes the "helmet" you just equipped.
6. The script then swaps out your "PC skin" item that holds various Aenea-specific properties for one that includes the original property of the VFX item, based on the blueprint name.  You'll see this as acquiring and losing the "PC Properties" item.
6a. The script uses properties from a specific list...it does not copy them from the "helmet" item itself.
7. The script uses the blueprint name to determine which visual effect to apply to the character's head.
8. The PC ends up with a spiffy pair of lenses or a nice circlet, while still showing his or her original head model.

The way helmets work in the NWN game engine: When you normally equip a helmet, it completely replaces a character's head model with the model of the helmet.  That's why there aren't normally open-faced helmets or hoods...there's no longer a face there to show!

The Aenean VFX items immediately unequip the helms to restore the PC's head model, layer the VFX on top of his/her normal head model, then apply pre-scripted properties to the PC's "skin" item instead of tying them to a helmet or adding them as spell or other effects...because a wizard should be able to keep his/her extra spell slots from a headband of burning intellect when sleeping.

Adding Properties:

If you somehow add properties to one of these special items in-game, perhaps with elemental crystals or PC item enchantment, the additional properties won't normally take effect like they would with any other worn/equipped item.  This is because the VFX items only use the pre-scripted properties.

If you want to get the full item properties from such an enhanced helm item, you'll need to first disable the special functions of VFX items via the ;;option headvfx command, then equip and use the item as a normal (head-replacing) helmet.